The wife of the President of the Nigerian Senate, Mrs. Toyin Saraki has commended the initiative behind the establishment of the first Writers Residency in Nigeria, the Ebedi Writers Residency in Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Mrs. Saraki gave this observation when the founder of the residency, Dr Wale Okediran recently presented her with the second edition of the residency’s publication, the Ebedi Review in Abuja after the inauguration ceremony of Dr Okediran and other members of the Board of Directors of the West African Academy of Public Health.
Speaking to newsmen, Okediran observed that Mrs. Saraki, being a well known philanthropist and mentor, is also the Grand Patron of the White Ribbon Alliance as well as the President and Founder of Wellbeing Foundation, Africa, adding that with this background, her appreciation of an initiative for the use of writers from all over Africa such as the Ebedi Writers Residency is understandable.
“It is also on record that the mother of the late political icon, Dr Olusola Saraki who is Mrs. Saraki’s Father In Law was a native of Iseyin.
“The Ebedi Writers Residency which has hosted about 70 writers from six African countries since its inception six years ago currently enjoys collaborations with the Wole Soyinka Foundation as well as the Belgium based Arts Moves Africa among other international and local organizations,” Okediran added.
