The prestigious Adeleke University in Osun State has struck a partnership with the Maritime Writes Project for the upcoming 3rd edition of the Creative Writing bootcamp to hold at the school.
Adeleke University is a private-owned institution, in Ede, Osun State, southwestern Nigeria, regarded as one of the reputable tertiary institutions in the country.
The partnership between the university and the Maritime Writes Project offers the varsity students an opportunity to join in the training which exposes participants to writing literature for the maritime industry at no cost.
Commenting on this development at the weekend, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Solomon Ajayi Adebola described the partnership as one that would empower students and other participants from outside with requisite life skills, opening them up to opportunities in the maritime industry.
“Adeleke University is delighted to partner with the Maritime Writes Project this 2023 edition. The creative writing bootcamp will offer our students and other participants from across the State exposure and ample opportunity to learn and meet with the maritime sector which developing their writing skills”, the Vice Chancellor stated.
The colloquium will take place at Adeleke University on August 20th, 21st and 22nd, 2023 is expected to avail 100 Nigerians from within and outside the school free tutorials on becoming excellent writers and an exposure to the nation’s rich maritime heritage.
The Maritime Writes Project 2023 will hold in three locations in Nigeria; Lagos, Osun, and Rivers States with participants slated to visit the Tin Can Island Port and Apapa Port in Lagos; the famous Osun Grove; as well as some historic maritime assets in Bonny, Rivers State.
In order to qualify for the 2023 Creative Writing Boot Camp, applicants are expected to submit a 250-word entry essay on MARITIME HERITAGES with the deadline slated for July 31, 2023. Interested participants in LAGOS & OSUN can register on https://forms.gle/re4LCRe4oavBT2ea7 while those in BONNY are expected to register using https://forms.gle/vpriWeQzJnoWT5dBA.
Speaking ahead of the event, the Project Coordinator, Ezinne Azunna expressed optimism that the 2023 edition and consequent literary works from participants will showcase real time maritime heritages that can be found in locations where the trainings will hold.
Her words: “Interested participants are expected to send in an entry essay and following selection by our faculty, they can join our highly intensive Creative Writing Boot Camp at either of the venues.”
“Besides the training, participants have the chance of interacting with captains of industry who will serve as mentors during the training. We also offer each participant an opportunity of becoming published authors as the best five works from each state will be selected for publishing.”
While revealing that the literary works will be published in a compendium to be exhibited locally and internationally across maritime outings, she announced that the best 18 projects from 2021-2022 participants are currently being published into a compendium of maritime fiction.
The Maritime Writes Project is a Creative Writing programme that trains and guides children, youths, men and women within Nigeria to author fiction that are set within maritime communities/industry and convey themes from the sector. An initiative by Media Traction, owners of Maritime TV Africa, this project debuted in 2021 with 21 participants making it to the first four-day creative writing boot camp.
The Maritime Writes Project Faculty insists that while Africa has constantly produced world-class authors, less than one percent of available works of literature have maritime/marine themes, and so, driving early exposure to literature with maritime themes can influence the career choices of children, with many unconsciously nursing career dreams in maritime professions and offer the industry in Africa exposure and leverage.
