By Henry Akubuiro
Featuring notable Nigerian playwright and poet, Mallam Denja Abudullahi, the August 2025 Reading/Writers Dialogue of the Abuja chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) thrilled the literary community in the FCT and beyond with its rich intellectual and performative contents.
Held at the upscale Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape, Abuja, and hosted by ANA Abuja Chairman, Arc. Chukwudi Eze, on Saturday, August 30, the panelists – Professors Tunde Olusunle and Mabel Evwierhoma, and the dramatist, Oko Owi Ocho Africa – brainstormed on the theme of the gathering, “Celebrating the Embrace of Theatre and Poetry with Denja Abudullahi”. With expertise, the discourse interrogated the literary orbit where Abudullahi had superintended with passion for decades, winning him laurels and acclaim globally.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1718806029429-0’); });
In his opening remarks to fellow writers and friends of literature, Arc. Eze reminded all that the monthly outing “consistently brings the Nigerian literary community together to celebrate excellence, creativity, and the enduring power of the written and spoken word.”
While describing it as a landmark event in the history of the Abuja chapter, he said “we are not only hosting a literary icon, but for the very first time in our monthly series, are staging a live theatre performance.” With that, he said “this executive would have covered the three branches of literature, consisting of poetry, prose, and drama. And who better to mark this milestone with us, ladies and gentlemen, than the man whose art has long danced on the threshold between poetry and performance, our August Guest Author, Mallam Denja Abdullahi.
The genius of Abdullahi was applauded by Eze, who said he was “more than a name in the Nigerian literary space as a prolific poet, accomplished playwright, cultural advocate, essayist, and former president of our great association. Besides, “His work connects generations and genres, reminding us that storytelling is not just a craft but a cultural duty.
“In works like Mairogo, Death and the King’s Grey Hair, and A Thousand Years of Thirst, Denja gives voice to our shared histories, our cultural anxieties, and our collective hopes. He sees poetry not as a mere language but as a movement. He sees theatre not as mere performance, but as communal renewal. His career as both a creator and a builder, including his tenure at the National Council for Arts and Culture, reflects a lifelong commitment to using the arts as a vehicle for national transformation and human progress.”
Arc. Eze also noted that the gathering, centred around “Celebrating the Embrace of Theatre and Poetry,” had made it inevitable for the audience to experience “the convergence of the lyrical and the dramatic, as expressed in the life and works of this master craftsman.” He hinted, too, there would be performances, conversations, and readings — moments of deep reflection and artistic delight. It was a day to remember as voices floated in the air and electrifying performances on stage kept many on the edge of their seats.
The post Denja Abdullahi’s works connect generations, genres –Chukwudi Eze appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
