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Take a seat, you are now in the village square. Enjoy!
Gathering Myself Together

The Village Square Journal brings to you the winning story of the 2019 Paula Chinwe Okafor Prize for Creative Non-fiction – a literary prize administered annually by The Crater Library Festival. The 2019 Prize was won by Temitayo Olofinlua. “You may have learned from your mother or any other hunted woman. Smiling at devils is a useful learned thing. Swallowing discomfort down in spades. Holding it tight in your belly. Ageing on the inside only. Keeping it forever sexy.”…

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Nothing to be Done by Dermot O’ Sullivan

I was in London that summer when my father let slip the news of my mother’s condition to my relatives. My aunt Sadie was the only one with a phone, MACaulay 3286. ‘I don’t understand it Jerry. This is going on for years and there’s no improvement. Are the doctors over there any good?’             ‘There is nothing to be done.’             ‘Sorry? ’             ‘Nothing to be done.’ There was silence at both ends.             ‘Is it true…

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Dar es Salaam: Memories of the City of Peace by Dr. Wale Okediran

    The Africa Night dinner and dance at the residence of the Vice Chancellor, University of Dar es Salaam was in top gear as scholars, students, diplomats and other guests tucked into the barbecued chicken, potatoes, plantain and fish dinner amidst clinking of wine glasses. Laughter, light hearted jokes and merriment rented the air to the background of melodious music under the June starry night. And as the DJ later changed the disc to a popular song by…

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The Separation Wall by Helon Habila

    1.THE WALL In history and in literature, walls have always appealed to the popular imagination. In his short story “The Great Wall of China,” Kafka shows this abiding popularity of walls using the example of the building of the wall in China. The wall was ostensibly built as protection against “raiders from the north.” It took many generations over many dynasties to build, and it involved the entire Chinese nation, making the people who actually engaged in…

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