Damiete Braide
To bring back the memories of storytelling beyond conventional practice, LOOSE media, in collaboration with African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), has announced a five-month grant initiative to support the launch of a Loose Conversations for aspiring writers.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, LOOSE Media Limited, Valentine Ohu, said, “The grant provides important funding to support aspiring writers, further important conversations and invest in online communities through writing.”
“It is an initiative designed to challenge one’s mindset; storytelling based strategy to give a voice to conversation that the society is afraid to have, hence, challenging the status quo and allowing for new standards of thinking.
He also stated that storytelling had been a cherished cultural heritage in Nigeria and, before the advent of western civilisation, was one of the effective ways of entertainment back then was by telling a story.
Ohu disclosed, from March, 2019, the organisation would grant one lucky winner $1,000 for five exceptional stories and $1,000 to one writer every month until July 2019. He said the initiative was dedicated to empower writers from all backgrounds to express themselves in unorthodox ways. Loose Media assured it would employ various offline and online promotional tools to support this work and enhance outreach.
In the same vein, Uzoamaka Umeh, Creative Director, Loose Media, said plans had been put in place to ensure a-hitch-free contest. She said that the competition cut across all categories of writer with no age limit, but stated that it was only compelling creative contribution that conforms to the set rules will be qualified for the grant.
Nguveren Ahua, Development Manager at AAF, also reiterated that the collaboration was in consonant with the foundation’s initiatives in promoting art and culture in Africa. She mentioned that loose conversation is similar to “Talk Your Own” programme anchored by the foundation.
Miss Umeh concluded that it was one-off project that would engage and empower young aspiring writers to explore their potentials for posterity.