By Emmanuel Onoja
The author of Your Church, My Shrine Mr Law Eze, has described Nigeria as a country with countless writers and few readers, adding that government and organisations need to improve the reading culture among its people.
Mr Eze whose book is among the 11 shortlisted books for the CORA -Nigerian prize for literature made the disclosure during the book party for Nigerian prize for literature organized by the Nigeria LNG Limited in partnership with Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) yesterday, in Lagos.
‘’ A lot of writers have a lot to write but because of the challenges with publishing, they shelve their ideas. Government should assist writers by funding their publications as it is obtainable in overseas but in Nigeria, you pay publishers and do marketing yourself which is not easy’’, he noted.
Speaking at the event, the Corporate Affairs Manager of Nigeria LNG, Mrs Sophia Horsfall, thanked the authors for investing their time and resources to write and for submitting their entries while also urging Nigerians to read their books. According to her, over 200 entries were submitted but only 11 books were shortlisted after which a winner will emerge.
The programme held at EKo Hotel & suites had the authors of the shortlisted books in attendance, including book lovers, artistes, among others. It featured book reading, presentation and dance drama.
