– By ANA Media Team
The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has warmly congratulated its Vice President, Prof. Obari Gomba, on his appointment as the Director, Academic Planning, Research and Control (DAP), University of Port Harcourt.
The appointment, which reflects his outstanding academic credentials, intellectual contributions and commitment to human capital development, is a recognition of his years of dedicated service to scholarship, literature and the university community.
ANA described the appointment as well-deserved and expressed confidence that Prof. Gomba would bring his wealth of experience, vision and intellectual leadership to the new office.
The congratulatory message was contained in a statement jointly issued by the ANA President, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, and the Acting General Secretary, Wole Adedoyin, on behalf of the National Executive Council and the entire membership of the Association.
They congratulated Prof. Gomba on the significant appointment, wished him wisdom, strength and remarkable success in his new office, and expressed confidence that his tenure would contribute significantly to the advancement of academic planning, research, quality assurance and institutional development at the University of Port Harcourt.
Prof. Gomba, who until his new appointment served as the Associate Dean, Faculty of Humanities, University of Port Harcourt, is an Honorary Fellow in Writing of the University of Iowa, USA, and has served as the TORCH Global South Visiting Professor and Visiting Fellow at All Souls College, University of Oxford, UK. He is a recipient of several prestigious literary honours, including the Rivers ANA Distinguished Writer Award, the Kangaroo Poetry Festival Poet of 2018, and the Best Literary Artiste Award and First Prize for Drama of the English Association of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, which he won twice. His literary accomplishments include The Lilt of the Rebel, winner of the PAWA Prize for African Poetry 2022 and listed for the Nigeria Prize for Literature; Guerrilla Post, winner of the ANA Drama Prize 2018; For Every Homeland, winner of the ANA Poetry Prize 2017; and Thunder Protocol, winner of the ANA Poetry Prize 2016.
The Association noted that Prof. Gomba’s contribution extends beyond his literary achievements to teaching, research, mentorship, cultural development and international literary engagement. He has curated international literary projects, facilitated writing workshops, moderated major literary events, served as a conference and festival coordinator, judged literary competitions, reviewed and edited books, and participated in various academic and development initiatives. His poetry and other writings have received international recognition and have appeared in journals, anthologies and publications across Nigeria and abroad. His extensive engagement with institutions and literary platforms in Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom demonstrates the breadth of his intellectual and professional influence.
ANA particularly commended Prof. Gomba’s commitment to human capital development and his belief that a knowledge-based society is fundamental to sustainable development in the 21st century.
The Association expressed confidence that his experience as a scholar, writer, teacher, administrator and literary advocate would be invaluable in his new responsibility as Director, Academic Planning, Research and Control. It described his appointment as not only a personal achievement but also a source of pride to the Nigerian literary community and members of ANA, who have continued to benefit from his leadership and contributions to the growth of literature and scholarship.