Accra called out to us from all over the world for a five-day feast of words, companionship and one of the biggest symposia on the continent this year, bringing writers of class across Africa’s breath and the diaspora for a top class literary production. The cast for the event was a scheduled thirty-seven all-star ensemble that grew into a larger gathering of legends. Topping the headlines for the NYU Accra Lagone Dialogue was the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka and the keynote speakers, Chris Abani, Aminatta Forna, and Jennifer Makumbi – people whose names all speak for themselves. I found my name on the list, courtesy of an invitation by the Director of the NYU Accra site, Chike Frankie Edozien, seasoned journalist and author of The Lives of Great Men. He had pursued me with his invitation from Abuja to London and Nottingham, ensuring in his magnanimity that my costs of travel were fully covered, even if I was to come in from the North Pole. Well, that is where my story starts…like every journey, at the point just before I got to the bus park.
I stayed up all night so I would catch a night bus to go to the airport. As the devil knows how to work overtime, I started feeling sleepy a few minutes to the time when the taxi was meant to pick me. Trust na, I shouted Devil is a liar plenty while using one eye to watch The Continental on Amazon Prime with my sister and using the other eye to concentrate on packing my box. The cab came in as scheduled and we drove to the bus park, with me double-thinking everything – should I have taken this? Should I have dropped that? I nearly told him to turn back but thankfully did not. I had barely settled my small bumbum into my chair when the bus started moving.
I was excited and stayed alert through the journey to Heathrow. I thought of how a week prior, I had honoured an invitation to perform at the London School of Economics, thanks to my friend, Tosin Adebisi, and was en route Accra, courtesy of another friend. I arrived the airport and at the boarding gates got the first taste of what I was going to enjoy for the next few days. Scattered around were my friends from long ago that I had not seen in forever, Dami Ajayi and his beautiful bride, Seun; ‘Leye Adenle, and Socrates Mbamalu whom I had last seen in his grandmother’s house in Nigeria six years prior! There was also Chris Abani who I have adored for long due to his passion for poetry and promoting Africans in the genre, his literary activism, fine writing and other accomplishments. I gisted with my friends, throwing yabbis around and getting the same back till it was time to board. I nearly kept hugging all of them, my heart was full. ‘Leye was a delight, and though we were meeting for the first time, it seemed like I had known him for forever! The gist I heard as we waited was so yummy, I nearly told the British Airways people to give us extra time. We sha boarded the plane that was as big as ten whales and filled to the brim. By the time I got to my seat, I had lost at least ten kg. It took us another millennium to clear the runway and get into the skies but las las, we did with plenty grammar from the pilot which I didn’t hear. I watched two movies, Encanto and Mission Impossible, ate their small chops and snoozed some seconds, then gbam, we were touching down.
We landed and had to wait for our luggage which took their quality time to arrive. In the period as we gisted – Dami, Seun, Socrates, Leye and I – we were joined by Troy Onyango! I was excited and hugged him. The guy had kept disappearing from my view since 2019 when I went to the University of East Anglia where he was a student and met his absence. Troy had come in from London with another airline and looked every bit like Sean Diddy Combs, giving out very positive vibes in great smiles.
Everyone got their stuff eventually and we followed the NYU staff who had been patiently waiting for us to their luxurious bus. Our tiredness made the road stretch longer than its true length but the lovely chatter in the bus made it liveable. We got to our hotel and after some more talk, went to refresh. I came down a bit later and went to the poolside as we had been instructed by our host who warmly hugged us all in pleasant welcome. At the poolside, I met Wanawana, Zukiswa Wanner, James Murua, Femi Kayode, and in the distance, Wole Soyinka. Chike introduced me to Aminatta Forna too. I talked to as many people as I could but soon had to retire upstairs because the day had sure been too long. Chike had asked me at some point if I was nervous but omo, the only thing I was feeling was super exhausted! I explained and he let me go.
I took a bath, then got into bed, made a few calls and thought of the whole day. I marvelled at the whole event and the chance to finally be in Accra. As I fell into sleep’s sweet embrace, I thought of the lineup for the coming days. There was so much to look forward to the next day and I knew I was not going to dull myself.
I will continue with the gist of the super exciting Day 1 of plenary tomorrow because for now, it seems my eyes too are beginning to fight with me…
Keep a date for Sunday, will you?
Su'eddie in Life n' Literature 