….The society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) in her bid to immortalize Prof. Jerry Agada invites writers from all over the world to submit poems revolving around his personality and works.
The President of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Wole Adedoyin has expressed shock over the death of Prof. Jerry Agada, a renowned educationist and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
Adedoyin said in a statement issued by the publicity directorate of the society that, “Nigeria has lost one of its finest citizens who distinguished himself as an accomplished author, educationist and administrator par excellence.”
SYNW described the deceased as a “mentor and father to many young writers across the country”.
Prof. Jerry Agada was an energetic, dogged and a committed writer and book promoter who used his political positions to fight for the rights of Nigerian writers. I am particularly pained that we lost an elder statesman and an accomplished author who can be described as the heartbeat of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Adedoyin said.
He added that Benue State had lost one of its most illustrious sons, who served not only the state, but Nigeria meritoriously in various capacities, including as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He condoled with Governor Samuel Ortom, the immediate family of the deceased, and his friends and associates.
While urging his family members, colleagues and the entire members of the pen profession to take solace in the fact that Prof. Jerry Agada lived an eventful and impactful lifetime, Adedoyin prayed the Almighty God to forgive his shortcomings and grant him Paradise, as well as give the family the courage and fortitude to bear the great loss.
Adedoyin finally called on Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue state to immortalize the great author to ensure that he did not die in vain.
Born on 11 November 1952 at Orokam in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, Jerry Agada, started his career in 1974 as classroom teacher in charge of Business Education subjects in Government College, Keffi. He returned to Government College, Makurdi in 1985 as Head, Business Studies. In 1988 when he was formally appointed Principal of the College.
By 1999, Jerry Anthony Agada was again elevated to the position of Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture.
In 2013, the European American University, Commonwealth of Dominica now an affiliate of the Western Orthodox University, appointed him as a Visiting Professor in Education. He has also been the chairman, Advisory Board, Presidential Schools Debate, Nigeria since 2013, Vice-Chairman, Advisory Board of the Nigeria Prize for Literature of the Nigeria LNG NLNG. In November 2016, he was appointed Chairman of the Benue State Civil Service Commission.
Jerry Anthony Agada was a Fellow, British Society of Commerce, Member, Institute of Marketing and Member, Nigeria Association of Business Educators, Member, Nigeria Association of Educational Administration and Planning. He is also a Fellow, Association of Nigerian Authors, Member, Nigeria Institute of Management and Member, Institute of Industrialist and Corporate Administration. In February 2012, he was selected as one of fifty men of integrity in Nigeria by the editorial board of the Guardian Newspaper of Nigeria. On 17 August 2017, he was honoured with the title of Africa’s Patriotic Personality of the Year by the African Students Union Parliament, (ASUP).
Jerry Anthony Agada has held several other positions in government and associations.
Selected books
- The Secret Deal and Other Stories (1998)
- Rage and Tears (2002)
- The Soothsayer (2003)
- The Secret Deal (2003)
- The Honourable Chairman (2003)
- The Magic Year: (a Poetry in Prose and Rhymes)
- The Successors (2007)
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES for the Poems:
- Only one entry is allowed per entrant (Poem).
2. Only works revolving around Prof. Jerry Agada will be accepted.
3. Entry must be written in English Language
4. Entry should be brief: a maximum of 40 lines for poetry
5. Author’s information -Name, age, gender, location, phone number, school, permission to publish your work in one or two sentences, and a short bio of no more than 40 words should be included in the submission.
6. Entry must be type-written and sent in the body of the mail; NOT AS AN ATTACHMENT. Entries sent as attachment will be automatically disqualified.
7. Entry must be the original work of the entrant. Any indication of plagiarism leads to disqualification and must not be published in any other anthology(ies)
8. All entries should be sent on or before January 15, 2021. Late entries will be disregarded.
9. Entries should be submitted to:societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.comand also copy woleadedoyin@gmail.com
10. The subject of the email should be ‘POETRY ANTHOLOGY IN HONOUR OF PROF. JERRY AGADA
Please note that only works that comply with the submission guidelines will be selected and published.
BENEFITS:
- All successful and shortlisted entries will be published in the proposed Prof. Jerry Agada Poetry (Electronic) Anthology.
2. Certificate of participation will be awarded to all entrants.
3. Certificates of excellence will be awarded to only the shortlisted/published entrants.
4. Automatic/free membership and admission into the Society of Young Nigerian Writers for the published entrants.
