Some members of the Association of Nigerian Writers (ANA) are engaged in a sex predation scandal. According to reports, some female members of the organisation accuse a poet, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi of behaving inappropriately towards them at the 2014 Writivism Literary Festival.
One of the accusers, Mary Ajayi wrote a blog post titled "Of Kisses, of Sexual Predators, of Chijioke Amu-Nnadi" for 9jafeminista on Monday, January 18, 2016. (read the full blog post republished below this story.)
Following these revelation, prominent writers like Ikhide Ikheloa and Okey Ndibe have taken to Facebook to express their concern and outrage over the allegations.
Tuesday morning, Amu-Nnadi has posted an apology on his Facebook page. He doesn’t admit to any specific allegation or address any particular accuser.
“With sincerity I accept responsibility for the hurt a writer’s excesses have caused you all,” he wrote. He tagged the Denja Abdullahi, the president of ANA and Ikheloa in his post.
Kisses, of Sexual Predators, of Chijioke Amu-Nnadi
Mine didn’t start with poetry.
I didn’t know him beyond his name, his posts, on Facebook.
I was in Uganda for 2014 Writivism Literary Festival as the festival’s blog editor; he was there too, as a guest to hold a masterclass on poetry.
He checked in at midnight with Sadiq Dzukogi. I was working at a section of Ministers’ Village –the hotel we were lodged- dining hall when he arrived. Mukoma wa Thiong’o, Pa Ikhide, and Aaron Bady had arrived not long before and I’d gone to the reception to greet them so when Ssekandi – the festival’s official chauffeur – pulled into the driveway, I went out to see who else had come in.
As I greeted him and introduced myself, he hugged me. Then one of the minders and I accompanied them upstairs to settle in. After we found their rooms, we all made to leave. I was going back to the ground floor to continue work; he offered to see me off a bit. When we got to the first floor (his room was on the third), we stopped to wrap up our chit chat. I didn’t see what happened next coming. It just did.
He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me.
I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t even processing. I just said, “Goodnight,” turned around and walked back to where I was working. As I sat, it began to hit me. Chijioke-Amunnadi kissed me. He kissed me…he…kissed me? He fucking kissed me?
Irritation. Anger.
This was the man I had never interacted with personally, not even on Facebook. We had just met and he’d kissed me. I didn’t even know him! As I processed, I began to calm myself. I had work to do, Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire and the Writivism team did not bring me to Uganda so I could spend time sorting feelings at Ministers’ Village hotel. As I continued working, he came downstairs to give me an autographed copy of his book. I thanked him and kept working.
The next days at Uganda found me avoiding him and getting irritated when he tried to come close or call me daughter. My roommate, Nneoma, knew my irritation for the man.
One night, he asked us to move into his room which was bigger than ours so he could move into ours, because a “friend” had come in and needed somewhere to stay. I disagreed but Nneoma calmed me and said it was just for the night. When we got to his room, he looked around and said it was big enough and we all could share. We disagreed.
Adeola would later see the massive doze of ‘attitude’ I dished him regularly. And even the night she and Nneoma asked me to go with them for a dinner that Chijioke ended paying for, I had mental workings to do and ensured nothing drew he and I close.
.
I have heard things.
I don’t know Chijioke. I don’t know him at all.
Perhaps kissing me – without so much as a simple by-your-leave, may not count much in the scope of all that’s been blowing up for days but I heard the old man has been saying the girls he tried things with seduced him, they were cheap…I hope he hasn’t mentioned my name because the result will take the host of heaven to settle. My blood is that hot.
There are a few more things to say about my encounter with this man.
I hosted a project on 10 October 2015 for World Mental Health Day at University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Some of you may know about it. The Curator of the project invited Chijioke to perform as we were interpreting mental health issues through art. I had given the Curator sole right to decide on who got invited, so I chose to let things slide.
In the course of planning, we ran short of funds and she turned to Chijioke for help. He did. She was one of his “daughters” but as I’ll later discover, one of the few “daughters” he hadn’t tried to touch… Yet.
He gave a total of about 35,000 naira towards the event. I thanked him. And I kept him far.
But the old man still did not know his place and went on to attempt something with our Welfare Coordinator. He wanted to kiss her; he wanted to give her head. I wasn’t there when he said those things but she came back from performing her official duties and told me this.
It is important to mention the money part because I heard he said these girls – the ones he’s tried things with – were after his money.
Dem too love money.
– Mary Ajayi
The Trent
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