Book O’Clock Calls for Submissions for Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ, an Anthology on Non-Indigenous Nigerians in Northern Nigeria

A new literary collection from Book O’Clock invites essays, short stories, and poetry from Nigerian writers whose lives have straddled origin and the North.

Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ: Stories from Another Home is a forthcoming anthology from Book O’Clock that explores the lived experiences of Nigerians who were born in, migrated to, or live in Northern Nigeria despite originating from other regions of the country. The collection invites submissions from writers whose lives reflect this duality, and whose experiences meaningfully inform their creative work.

Submissions are expected to be original, unpublished, sincere, reflective, and nuanced. The collection will prioritize narratives that hold space for complexity and intersectionality, presenting the good, the bad, and the ugly, on the understanding that no single narrative can adequately define these experiences.

“Amid Nigeria’s contemporary sociopolitical climate, where ethno-religious tensions and conflict increasingly dominate public discourse, Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ seeks to interrogate these realities by foregrounding shared humanity without erasing differences.” 

— Uchenna Emelife, Founder/Director, Book O’Clock & Co-Editor

What Does Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ Mean?

The title loosely translates to “an Igbo-Sokoto person” in Hausa, a label for Igbo Nigerians who have resettled in Sokoto for business, education, or family and have become so embedded in local life that they are perceived as fellow indigenes. 

As a literary project, the anthology reclaims and reframes this label: the compound form gestures toward recognition and shared belonging rather than othering, disarming the perceived malice of “Nyamiri” as a standalone term. The anthology is situated within this context of dual positionality and cultural negotiation.

Submission Guidelines

What to submit:

• Prose (essays and short stories): maximum 1,000 words
• Poetry: maximum 20 lines
• One submission per writer only

How to submit:

• Format: 12-point Times New Roman; double line spacing for prose, single for poetry
• Send as an attached DOCX file to submittobookoclock@gmail.com 
• Email subject: “Submission: Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ – [insert Genre & Surname].”
• Include a bio of no more than 100 words, noting your state of origin and the Northern Nigerian city your work reflects
• A confirmation email will be sent within 24 hours

Deadline: August 31, 2026

Successful contributors receive a complimentary copy of the anthology and an honorarium of ₦20,000.

About the Editors

Ifeanyichukwu Eze (Editor) is a writer, editor, and writing instructor based in Northern Nigeria. His work has appeared in The Rumpus, Guernica, Joyland, The Offing, Adda, and The Dark. His short story “In Another Country” was shortlisted for the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

Uchenna Emelife (Co-Editor) is a curator, bookseller, and Erasmus Mundus scholar. He founded Book O’Clock in 2020 to promote critical and transformative literacy in Nigeria, and co-founded the Sokoto Book and Arts Festival, which has engaged over 1,000 participants in cultural discourse and creative performance.

About Book O’Clock

Book O’Clock is a Nigerian literary organization promoting critical and transformative literacy. This project is funded by the Open Arts Development Foundation.