The Enugu State Council for Arts and Culture has unveiled Harmattan on Rolling Hills, a new literary anthology designed to revive the state’s rich literary heritage and strengthen its bid to become Nigeria’s literary capital and a future UNESCO City of Literature.
The 15-story anthology, inspired by Enugu’s history, culture and lived experiences, was unveiled on Friday at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, in an event organised by the Council in collaboration with AFREADS and the Umuofia Arts and Books Festival.
Speaking at the unveiling, the Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Council for Arts and Culture, Laurence Ani, described the publication as a landmark initiative aimed at restoring Enugu’s reputation as a leading centre for literature, arts and creative expression.
According to Ani, the project also provides an important publishing platform for emerging writers.
“Harmattan on Rolling Hills was born out of the quest to revive what I consider the writing culture and literary tradition for which Enugu was once renowned.
“One of the greatest challenges facing young writers today is the lack of publishing opportunities, and this anthology provides that platform,” he said.
Ani disclosed that the anthology followed an open call for entries that attracted dozens of submissions from young writers across Nigeria and abroad.
He stressed that the publication was conceived as a work of fiction inspired by the Coal city rather than a government publicity project.
“We didn’t set out to produce government propaganda. These are works of fiction inspired by Enugu. Books have the power to immortalise cities and preserve memories for generations. We want Enugu to become a destination not only for investment and tourism but also for literature and the arts,” he stated.
The Executive Secretary further announced that Harmattan on Rolling Hills would become an annual publication, expressing optimism that future editions would attract more contributors and deepen the State’s literary ecosystem.
Editor of the anthology, Ada Onwudiwe, revealed that the publication received more than 72 manuscripts, with only 15 stories making the final selection after a rigorous editorial process.
She explained that the editorial team deliberately positioned Enugu as the central character in every story.
“We wanted readers to feel Enugu. We deliberately made the city the protagonist of the book. Every contributor has lived in Enugu and understands its stories, its red dust, its people and its memories,” she said.
Onwudiwe noted that contributors came from Enugu, Abuja, Lagos, Owerri, Awka and the United States, all connected by their experiences in the Coal City.
She urged writers to participate in subsequent editions while renewing the campaign for Enugu to attain UNESCO City of Literature status.
“My dream is for Enugu to become a UNESCO City of Literature. With our literary heritage, we have every reason to aspire to that recognition if we continue to invest in storytelling and reading culture,” she added.
Reviewing the anthology, renowned writer James Eze described the publication as a significant contribution to Nigerian literature, saying it successfully presents Enugu as a living character rather than merely the setting for fictional narratives.
He praised the quality of the stories and said the anthology preserves the city’s collective memory while introducing a new generation of talented writers.
“Harmattan on Rolling Hills reminds us that cities are like human beings—they have histories, moments of innocence and pain, and an enduring determination to live and breathe again. Enugu’s story has now found a worthy literary home,” Eze said.
The anthology is divided into five thematic sections exploring Enugu’s history, resilience, migration, identity and evolving cultural landscape through 15 short stories written by authors with strong ties to the state.
Unveiling the book, the Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, said the anthology captures the essence of Enugu through stories centred on its people, history and iconic locations.
“It’s about the things happening and that happened in Enugu; what Enugu is known for. These are experiences of different people, but the difference is that they are experiences about Enugu.
“As the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, every story is about us. It is our duty to collate these stories into a book, and that’s exactly what we have done,” she said.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State, and Chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Area, Hon. Sydney Edeh, represented by Francis Nwankwo; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mainstream Media, Hon. Dan Nwomeh; the Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Dr. Reuben Onyishi; and the Chairman of the Enugu State Civil Service Commission, Robinson Odo.
The dignitaries commended Ani and the Council for championing literary development in the state, expressing confidence that the anthology would promote literary tourism, inspire young writers and reinforce Enugu’s position as one of Africa’s emerging centres for arts, culture and storytelling.
