ABSTRACT
My central argument in this chapter is that literature in English from northern Nigeria – since the inception of modern written Nigerian literature in European languages – has suffered a minority status. It is not only a belated entrant to the literary space in Nigeria, it has had to face a regime of domination by literature from the southern part of Nigeria, a situation that has elicited responses from writers, scholars and literary enthusiasts from the north in forms of an association and an annual conference, among others, dedicated to northern Nigerian literature. While in recent times, literature from the north has penetrated the global literary space, having developed steadily over the years, I contend that there is a lot more to do, in terms of institutional support, improved aesthetics and publishing outlets, for the literature to attain the desired level of visibility and recognition.
