David Mungoshi invited to Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.

Zimbabwean writer, David Mungoshi has been invited to be guest speaker at the 3rd MBA National Literary Colloquium, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria on November 12, 2013.

Part of the letter to Mungoshi from Professor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya, the Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Communication and Integration dated October 17, 2013 reads: “…as a universal scholar whose voice appeals to the global audience, on behalf of the Government and people of Niger State, we write to invite you to be the Keynote Speaker at the event. The theme for this year’s edition is CREATIVITY, YOUTH AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. This is central to young people who will be desirous of listening to your inspiring presentation for the future of our country, Africa and humanity in general.”

Dr.Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (MBA) is the Governor of Niger State, Nigeria, who has since 2007 continuously made contributions towards the literary development of the country. He is also the Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum comprising the 19 Northern States of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation which he co-founded with his governor-colleagues of the North. The foundation was established to immortalise the late icon, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardaunan Sokoto and Premier, Northern region.

In 2007, he sponsored a reading campaign, ‘Read-To-A-Child’ programme in the 25 Local Government Areas of the state, sponsoredthe 1st Northern Nigeria Writers Summit in 2008 as well as the Annual International Conference of the Association of Nigerian Authors in 2009. He followed it up with a Ten million Naira grant for the association to establish Nigerian Writers Series (a replica of the defunct African Writers Series). Similarly, he donated a 23 hectare land for the construction of a Writers Village. His wife is currently sponsoring teen authorship scheme in 5 states of the federation. To further institutionalize the business of creative writing in the state, he created Niger State Book Development Agency in December, 2012, which is charged with appropriating book and literary matters in the state. This is the only of its kind in Nigeria.

The MBA National Literary Colloquium is another platform he established in 2011 to promote ideas, discourse on literature, leadership and intellectualism in governance. The first edition had poet Odia Ofeimum as the Guest Speaker while Prof Wole Soyinka was the 2012 Guest Speaker. This year's edition comes up on November12 in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.

David Mungoshi's novel, The Fading Sun won Zimbabwe’s National Arts Merit Award (Nama) in the Outstanding Fiction category in 2010. David Mungoshi was born in Bulawayo in the enriching vicinity of some of the key exponents of township Jazz music of Zimbabwe. Some of his major literary works are Broken Dream and other Stories and Stains on The wall. His forthcoming novel is called Catalogues.