USMAN OLADIPO AKANBI RELEASES MANIFESTO : ANA 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS
Dear Esteemed ANA members,
We, the ANA-KWARA chapter, are proud to endorse and present our candidate : Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, for the position of ANA National President. We kindly request your unwavering support for his aspiration. Additionally, we would like to share his preamble manifesto for your thoughtful consideration.
Beloved ANA members,With utmost respect and humility, I wish to formally inform the entire membership of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) that I am vying for the esteemed position of President within our organization.
My motivation to contest stems from a burning desire to be counted among those who tirelessly work to advance not only the cause of this prestigious association but also the creative arts industry as a whole. I assure you that I am fully prepared to offer the best of my abilities to accomplish the objectives relevant to this association.
The President of any association significantly influences its progress, regression, or even outright failure. Thus, it is crucial for us to exercise great care in selecting the most qualified candidate for this exalted position.
Fortunately, ANA has been blessed with a number of capable leaders in the past, beginning with its founding president, the late Prof. Chinua Achebe, who will always be remembered with reverence. Furthermore, the association currently benefits from the dynamic leadership of Mr. Camilus Ukah, who successfully guided ANA towards the realization of the vision set forth by the founding fathers during its inception.
However, I must acknowledge that the task of elevating ANA to its current status has been far from easy. It is equally important to recognize that it can be easily undone if the association makes the wrong choice in electing a President incapable of effectively managing its affairs. ANA is not immune to this risk, and it is in our best interest to make the wisest selection from the pool of capable candidates available to us.
Therefore, I humbly request you to consider my well-established track record, built upon capacity and integrity, and bestow upon me the considerable honor and responsibility of leading ANA as its President. I intend not only to build upon the admirable achievements of past administrations but also, more importantly, to elevate this Association to even greater heights.
With my extensive experience and unwavering passion for making a difference, I firmly believe that I possess the requisite leadership abilities to guide our esteemed Association during this momentous period in our nation's history.
Please find below an itemization of some of my significant contributions to the literary world and society at large.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANA
*Member of ANA Niger Chapter (1998–2001).
*Member of Lagos ANA (2002–2004).
*Member of Kwara ANA (2004 till date).
*Chairman of Kwara ANA (2010–2014).
*Chairman of Electoral Committee Kwara ANA 2021.
*Member of ANA Peace Committee 2022.
PUBLISHED WORKS Prose:
*Tales Across the Plains (2001).
*Connecting With My Past: A Mid-life Memoir (2020).
Poetry:
*Weevils On Grains (2001).
*Suppletunes In Tightangles (2003).
*Verdant Verses.
*Drama: Labake Isale Eko & Other Plays (2018).
Anthologies:
*Cramped Rooms and Open Spaces, ANA (1999).
*Unique Madmen and Other Stories, ANA Niger (2000).
*Midland Echoes, Kwara ANA (2006).
*Symphony of Harmony, Kwara ANA (2008).
*Harmonious Chronicles, Kwara ANA (2018).
*Wreaths for a Wayfarer – An Anthology In Honour of Prof. Pius Adesanmi.
MISCELLANEOUS
●Book reviews and interviews in leading Nigerian newspapers, including The Nation, Guardian, The Nigeria Xpress, Blue Print, The Nigerian Herald, among others.
●First Runner-up for 2009 ANA Poetry Prize.
● Founded a pioneer residency programme for writers, first of its kind in Northern Nigeria: The Imodoye Writers’ Residency in Ilorin, Kwara State Nigeria.
WORKING EXPERIENCE:
*Youth service at Government College, Ibadan, 1993.
*First Bank of Nigeria PLC, 1995 to 2001 (left as Relationship Manager, Agric & Food, in charge of Kwara, Niger & Abuja FCT).
*Senior Staff of Nigerian Maritime & Safety Agency (NIMASA) 2002 – 2004
*State Project Coordinator, Kwara State Fadama Development Project 2004 – 2013.
*Adjunct Lecturer, Entrepreneurship Centre Kwara State University, Molete, 2014.
*Staff, Technical and Entrepreneurship Centre, University of Ilorin, 2014 – 2016.
* Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics & Farm Management, University of Ilorin, 2016 till date (Currently a Senior Lecturer and the Department's Post-graduate Programme Co-ordinator).
OTHER SOCIETAL CONTRIBUTIONS
● Former Chairman of Federal Government College Ilorin Alumni Association, Ilorin Chapter.
● Chairman, Accommodation, Logistic & Security Committee, Federal Government College, Ilorin 50th Anniversary Celebrations.
● Director, Mustapha Akanbi Foundation, Ilorin.
● Member, Balogun Gambari Community Strategic Committee.
● Former President, Coremates Club of Ilorin (Socio-cultural Group).
● Consultant to Kwara State People's Democratic Party, (2014).
● Former President, National Association of Agricultural Students (NAAS) University of Ilorin Chapter, 1991.
● Former Students Union President, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, 1991.