A bill titled, National Endowment for Arts and Literature (2015) seeks to unearth a new generation of Nigeria’s world-renowned writers and authors to walk the paths followed by Professors Chinua Achebe and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, among other Literature greats.
Sponsored by Senator Shehu Sani, who represents Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Senate, sponsored the bill which passed through the first reading during last Thursday’s plenary.
Sani told newsmen that when passed into law the fund would revolutionise the sponsorship and promotion of the arts and literary creativity in the country.
In his words, “This is a very good aspect of our national life that has been neglected. The Endowment Fund, when established will avail authors, artists and literary gurus, the opportunity to fund their works.
“The sole aim of the bill is to support a new generation of Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka in the country. Many young authors and artists possess the literary skills to excel in the world; but their setback is funding and the bill addresses this,” he said.
The fund will also assist lecturers in the various higher institutions in the country to finance their thesis and other research works.
Sani, who is an activist, said he would pursue the bill to its logical conclusion, adding, “I’m sure the bill will sail through because it is in tandem with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda for the country.”