Clarification on Membership and Activities of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA)
Apparently, the crisis in ANA, precipitated six years ago during the Association's botched Enugu Convention and Elections, had led some ANA members, especially at the state chapter level, to adopt a somewhat lukewarm approach to the Association's programmes and activities. In a number of states, ANA witnessed the emergence of splinter chapters, with only one faction seeking due recognition by the National Leadership whilst the other operated in isolation.
Fortunately, the present ANA National Executive Council has now successfully unified 30 chapters in actuality, all of which are working diligently in close collaboration with the NEC. These recognised state chapters are becoming increasingly attractive by their regular engagement in vibrant literary pursuits and social media visibility.
Let me, therefore, reiterate for the records that it is not mandatory nor compulsory for every state of Nigeria to establish an ANA chapter; rather, the Association's approach is to encourage creative writers to form their own chapters without any obligation to do.The Association has come of age and occupies an enviable position within the literary world, owing to its longstanding promotion of a literary culture and the calibre of intellectuals behind its founding over four decades ago. This distinction has enabled the ANA brand to stand out and remain relevant, not only in Nigeria but across the African continent.
However, it is pertinent to point out that the Association is neither a government parastatal nor a regulatory agency; it is a loose assemblage of passion-driven creatives and thought leaders, and, therefore, a nonprofit voluntary forum for creative writers. As a result of this status, membership is not obligatory for all Nigerian writers now restricted to an academic discipline for that. Instead, the primary motivation for joining ANA should be a love of literature and a passion for creative writing, borne of a desire by an individual to connect and network with fellow writers.
Therefore, let it be known henceforth that individuals who wish to join ANA and benefit from its opportunities must be willing to belong and behave appropriately, by adhering to the stipulated terms and conditions for full membership. In other words, only duly registered and validated members at the state chapter level shall be recognised by the National Office, the fulfillment of which entitles such registered members to present themselves as bona fide members of the Association at annual Conventions and Congresses. Being a writer alone does not automatically confer ANA membership on anyone. Let us be guided accordingly.
Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi,
President, Association of Nigerian Authors
1st July, 2025