The Enugu State Council for Arts and Culture has unveiled Harmattan on Rolling Hills, a new anthology inspired by the history, culture and lived experiences of Enugu, as part of renewed efforts to revive the state’s literary heritage, promote tourism and position the Coal City as Nigeria’s literary capital.
The 15-story anthology was unveiled on Friday at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, during an event organised by the Enugu State Council for Arts and Culture in collaboration with AFREADS and the Umuofia Arts and Books Festival.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the Council, Laurence Ani, described the publication as a significant milestone in the state’s ambition to establish Enugu as a future UNESCO City of Literature.
Ani explained that the anthology was conceived to restore Enugu’s long-standing reputation as a centre of literary excellence while creating publishing opportunities 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.
He disclosed that the project followed an open call for submissions which attracted dozens of entries from young writers within Nigeria and abroad.
According to him, the publication was deliberately designed as a work of fiction rooted in Enugu’s history, identity and cultural heritage rather than a government publicity document.
“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 said.
Ani also announced that Harmattan on Rolling Hills would become an annual publication, expressing confidence that each edition would attract more contributors and strengthen Enugu’s literary ecosystem.
Editor of the anthology, Ada Onwudiwe, said the editorial team deliberately made Enugu the central character of every story instead of merely using the city as a backdrop.
She revealed that over 72 manuscripts were received, with only 15 stories making the final selection after a rigorous editorial process.
“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 of the Coal City.
She encouraged writers to participate in future 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 stated.
Reviewing the anthology, renowned writer James Eze described Harmattan on Rolling Hills as a landmark contribution to Nigerian literature, noting that the collection presents Enugu as a living character through stories that capture its history, resilience, landscapes and people.
“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,” he said.
The anthology contains fifteen short stories arranged in five thematic sections exploring Enugu’s historical foundations, resilience, migration, identity and evolving cultural landscape, all written by authors whose lives have been shaped by the city.
Unveiling the book, the Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, said the publication captures the unique identity, history and experiences of Enugu through stories centred on iconic locations such as Iva Valley, Coal Camp and other cultural landmarks.
“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.
In separate goodwill messages, 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 Media, Hon. Dan Nwomeh; the Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Dr. Reuben Onyishi; and Robinson Odu, commended Laurence Ani for championing initiatives aimed at preserving Enugu’s literary and cultural heritage.
They expressed optimism that the anthology would stimulate literary tourism, inspire young writers and further establish Enugu as one of Africa’s emerging centres for arts, culture and storytelling.
