A former Senator representing Kaduna Central Zone and renown activist, Malam Shehu Sani, will on Thursday, January 15, perform the public presentation of his two plays.
The books are: The Councillor, The Perilous Path to Europe, and The Sahara Odyssey.
The event is being organised in collaboration with the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Abuja chapter, and will take place at 10 a.m. at the national secretariat located at the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape, Abuja.
In a press statement, ANA described the plays as “poignant” and Sani as “a prominent voice in Nigerian literature.”
The event will feature a stage performance directed by Alhaji Denja Abdullahi, a former national president of the association who curates the literary outing.
Abdullahi, a prolific author, is the founder and chief executive officer of the Orpheus Literary Foundation, an organisation noted for its sustained efforts in promoting literature, theatre, and critical thought in Nigeria and beyond.
The ANA media team said the event promises to hold as a major literary and intellectual engagement that interrogates migration, governance, and the human condition.
The programme also features a stage production of the play, The Village and the Vigilante, reinforcing the enduring relevance of theatre as a medium for social commentary and civic reflection.
According to the association, the central theme of the event, “The Socio-economic Implications of Unbridled and Irregular Migration,” situates the books and the theatrical performance within contemporary debates on youth dislocation, poverty, insecurity, and the perilous journeys undertaken in search of better opportunities.
It said: “Through literature and performance, the programme seeks to illuminate the human costs of irregular migration while stimulating policy-relevant conversations.
“A robust panel discussion will form a core part of the programme, featuring Dr. Kabura Zakama, Dr. Lois Adams, and Owi Ocho Afrika as panelists.
“The session will be moderated by Esther Adelana, whose facilitation is expected to guide a balanced and engaging exchange of ideas, drawing from academic, cultural, and advocacy perspectives on migration and development.”
The event will further be enriched by a keynote address to be delivered by Prof. Emeka Aniagolu, a distinguished scholar whose intervention is anticipated to provide intellectual depth and contextual grounding to the discourse.
“His address will underscore the intersections between creative expression, social policy, and sustainable development.
Senator Shehu Sani is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most prolific writer-activists, with an extensive body of work spanning documentary source books, plays, and poetry.
His published books include Killing Fields (2007), Poverty in Northern Nigeria, Political Assassination in Nigeria (2007), Scorpion Under Pillow (2007), Civilian Dictators of Africa (2008), Always Wrong, Can Yar’Adua Get It Right (2009), Betrayal and Society (2009), The Children of Kaduna (2011), The Children of Jos (2011), Protest and Freedom (2012), Rebellious Ideas (2013), Nigeria and Ethiopia: An Analysis of Historical Ties (2013), and Hatred for Black People (2013).
His creative repertoire also includes notable plays such as Phantom Crescent (2009) and Thugs at the Helm, as well as poetry collections like Prison Anthology (2007) and The Poem of Peace in the Season of Bloodshed.
ANA said: “Across genres, his works consistently engage themes of justice, oppression, resistance, and human dignity.”
Born on October 29, 1967, in Tudun Wada, Kaduna, Sani is a former Nigerian senator, author, playwright, and human rights activist.
He serves as President of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria (CRCN) and Chairman of Hand-in-Hand Africa, roles that reflect his lifelong commitment to civil liberties and social justice.
“A leading figure in Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle, Sani endured repeated arrests and imprisonment under successive military regimes and was released from life imprisonment following the restoration of democracy in 1999. He later contested and won the Kaduna Central Senatorial District seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 28, 2015.
“Beyond politics and literature, Sani has rendered extensive public service at national and international levels.
“Under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, he served on numerous committees, including the African Union African Peer Review Mechanism, the United Nations Reform Committee, the Presidential Committees on Prison Reforms, National Security and Civic Responsibility, Conflict Resolution, Petroleum Products Prices, and the Control of Violent Crimes and Illegal Weapons, among others, as well as on the Board of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI).”
