If you have even the faintest interest in that complex and confounding country we like to call Nigeria, abeg take a minute or two away from your (understandable) excitement over Obama's victory to think about what also might be possible in the one-time giant of Africa. I've been saying this for a long time now - there is a Naija Renaissance underfoot and my friend if you sleep on this, na only you go siddon sobbing into your Samco. Three major opportunities below await your attention - if you have what it takes, get off your backside and step up to the plate. Never again do I want to hear, "Chimamanda is lucky" (as I've heard in the past even on this blog!) Sistergirl is a talented writer and not at all bad to look at but if you think her success is down to anything other than old-fashioned hard work, you must not know a lot about the business of art. The Americans have done a truly historic thing this week - why can't we?
* Timbuktu Media: Wowoweewow! Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dele Olojede is heading up a new venture that will totally revitalize the Nigerian and international media space. If you do a little Googling and still have doubts about getting involved in this thing, you are simply past prayer.
* Creative Writing Workshop led by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (w/ Dave Eggers, Binyavanga Wainaina & Marie-Elena John), August 19 to August 29 2008 in Lagos. Further details at Ore's Notes and on UKNaija.
* Farafina Magazine: Just finished my first copy and have no problems telling you this is easily the African sibling of Harper's or the London Review of Books. I have been waiting for a journal like this since the day I busted out of my diapers, sorry, nappies. More details on the About Us page, but submissions of up to 2500 words on any Africa-related topic are always welcome by email, in Microsoft Word format only, to submissions@kachifo.com.
For all my non-Nigerians, quit waiting on crumbs from the table of The New Yorker or Iowa/MFA - this is your chance to get in on the international literary scene while the getting's good. Snooze, you lose o!Me on @ IMDb: Just one click a day helps support a young actor's career!