We are excited to announce the upcoming release of “A Mouthful of Rivers“: a captivating collaboration of short stories and poems by four distinguished writers from the Ebedi International Writers Residency. This mesmerizing collection will be available on August 31, 2023, and we are thrilled to share this momentous occasion with you.
“A Mouthful of Rivers” showcases the extraordinary talents of internationally acclaimed authors Omale Allen Abdul-jabbar, Seun Osho, Ayo Oyeku, and Nosakhare Collins. Born out of their immersive international residencies, this collaborative work weaves together an intricate tapestry of narratives, inviting readers to embark on a poignant and evocative literary journey.
Within the pages of “A Mouthful of Rivers,” these esteemed authors delve into the power and beauty of rivers through their distinct storytelling styles. Through a fusion of prose and poetry, they explore the depths of human emotions, the complexities of relationships, and the transformative nature of waterways and how it shapes our lives.
This remarkable collection offers a diverse range of voices, perspectives, and experiences. From tales of love and loss to reflections on cultural heritage and personal growth, “A Mouthful of Rivers” transcends boundaries, both geographical and emotional. Each story and poem acts as a window into the hearts and minds of the authors, transporting readers to far-flung corners of the world and leaving an indelible impression.
Omale Allen Abdul-jabbar paints vivid landscapes with lyrical prose and poetry, exploring the interplay between nature and human existence. Seun Osho interrogates the mysteries of the human psyche through a compelling story that navigate the depths of human nature. Ayo Oyeku crafts an intricate children’s narrative, exploring the complexities of cultural identity and the profound ways in which rivers connect us to our roots. Lastly, Nosakhare Collins captures the essence of raw emotions through poignant and thought-provoking poems, weaving words into a tapestry of longing and hope.
Through their collaboration, the writers have created a literary masterpiece that will resonate with readers on a profound level. The intertwining of their unique perspectives and creative prowess has birthed a collection that transcends borders, fostering a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.
PRAISE FOR A MOUTHFUL OF RIVERS
A Mouthful of Rivers is a delightful feast. The unique genesis of this volume, conceived during a literary retreat that brought together its four authors at the Ebedi International Writers Residency, could not be more remarkable. Omale Allen Abdul-Jabar, Seun Osho, Ayo Oyeku and Nosakhare Collins, with commendable imagination and urgency, speak variously to the concerns of our age, yet the synergy of their creative energies makes this book more than the sum of its parts.
—Rotimi Babatunde, Winner of the 2012 Caine Prize.
Twenty-nine entries of six short stories and twenty-three poems from four brilliant minds is a handful of literary harvest traversing the thematic concerns of birth, death, mental burden, quest for survival, love, nature, the magical and nostalgic among other existential concerns of multiple hue and shade. This is a collection that bears positive testimony to the bright possibilities of the Nigerian literary canvass.
—Ropo Ewenla, Writer, Actor, Broadcaster & Director
With stories of love – won and lost, reminisces of what once was and folktales to tickle the imagination of the next generation, all interspaced with poems that at once excites and boggles, the authors of A Mouthful of Rivers have served us a cross-genre potpourri of brilliance that I am certain will resonate among lovers of literature.
—Sylva Nze Ifedigbo, author of Believers and Hustlers & winner of the 2022 Chinua Achebe Prize.
A Mouthful of Rivers is a collection of compelling short stories and poems by aspiring writers with potential for growth. The anthology is a powerful re-imagination of the Nigerian state together with its fraught contradictions and resilient hopes. Straddling both the private and the public spheres, the work navigates the conflictual contours of tender love and the violence of abuse. United in an enchanting lyricism, the collection serves as a sophisticated critique of the Nigerian political dystopia through tales of broken friendship and betrayal, penitence and forgiveness, avarice and retribution, and certainly, fragility and the imperative of empathy.
—Senayon Olaoluwa (PhD, Wits), Senior Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies at University of Ibadan and AfOx Fellow, 2023-2024 at University of Oxford
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Omale Allen Abdul-Jabbar, also known as “Masaihead,” is a renowned poet and civil servant residing in Abuja, Nigeria. He has authored a poetry collection titled “Behold, Your Scented Daughters” (2011). Omale Allen Abdul-Jabbar has held significant positions within the literary community, including Chairman, Ex-officio, and Ex-Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). He was recently elected as the National Vice Chairman of the Northern Nigerian Writers Summit (NNWS).
Seun Osho is a writer and creative entrepreneur hailing from Abuja, Nigeria. His literary pursuits primarily revolve around poetry and short stories. Additionally, Seun is a stylist, a freelance editor, and serves as the creative director of his own fashion brand. He also leads an online lifestyle project called Underbridge. Recently, Seun relocated to Lagos in search of fresh challenges and a change of scenery from his hometown, Abuja.
Ayo Oyeku is a fellow of Ebedi International Writers Residency. He made an early mark in 2004, when his first chapbook was selected by World Bank for distribution across schools and libraries in Nigeria. Subsequently, his poems have appeared in several anthologies and journals, including Brittle Paper, AFREADA, VINYL, Kalahari Review, The Sky is Our Earth, According to Sources (Writers Project of Ghana, 2015), Experimental Writing: Volume 1, Africa vs Latin America Anthology. In 2015, his young-adult novel, Tears of the Lonely, won the Ezenwa Ohaeto Prize for Fiction, by the Society of Young Nigerian Writers. In 2016 and 2018, he was a finalist of the prestigious Golden Baobab Prize, in the Early Chapters category. In 2019, he won the Association of Nigerian Authors prize for children’s literature, for his book, Mafoya and the Finish Line. In 2021, he published his eighth children’s book, Queen Moremi Makes a Promise.
Nosakhare Collins (he/him) is a Nigerian poet, writer, publisher, editor, literary critic, documentary photographer, researcher, and tutor. He is a fellow of the Ebedi International Writers Residency. He was awarded in the 3rd Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Prize by The Society of Young Nigerian Writers, and also, he was longlisted for the 2020 Prof. Idris Amali Ekphrastic Poetry Prize by Nasara Creative. His works have appeared in national and international journals as well as in print journals, newspapers and anthologies such as Salmon Creek Journal, Wingless Dreamer Publisher, Odd Magazine, Journal of erato, Openwork Magazine, Libero America Poetry, Rejection Letter Journal, Ebedi Review, The Newcastle Review, New Telegraph, Least Bittern Books, Poetry Festival, Indian Periodical Journal, Writers Space Africa, Antarctica Journal, Litpoint Africa Magazine, Alabama’s Best Emerging Poet Anthology 2019, Best “New” African Poets Anthology 2018, 2019 & 2020, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Africa vs Latin America Anthology 2020, A Collection of poems; For Ikeogu, For Poetry: Anthology of Poems in Honour of Ikeogu Oke, 84 Delicious Bottle of Wine for Wole Soyinka Anthology, InnerChild Press Anthology 2020, Songs For The Weaverbird: An Anthology of Writing and Art in Celebration of Christopher Okigbo, and several others. He is the author of “a pilgrim of songs”, “a song of endless flames”, and most recently “When Ravens Become Flowers”. His upcoming collection of poems titled “a symphony of existential profundity” is forthcoming. His works have been translated to French, Italian, Spanish and others.
“A Mouthful of Rivers” will be available for purchase through LIBRETTO Publishers, Libretto Bookstores, and other major bookstores nationwide.
To explore the exceptional literary contributions of Omale Allen Abdul-jabbar, Seun Osho, Ayo Oyeku, and Nosakhare Collins, visit our social media pages. For media inquiries, author interviews, or review copies, kindly contact our Communication/Publicist Department at contact@librettong.com or call 08130446615. You can also reach out to Libretto Publishers and Bookstores via sales@librettong.com or WhatsApp at +2348078346790.
Thank you!
Signed,
Management.
