Promoting a Unique Collection:

the MU

Ken Saro-Wiwa Archive

Helen FallonDeputy Librarian, Maynooth UniversityHelen.b.fallon@nuim.ie

Leading Nigerian WriterBusinessmanActivist

Collaboration with Communications Office & External Media Company

• Getting on the radar– Unique collection– Major international figure– Alignment with MU’s commitment to social justice

• Total Library Commitment– Preparation of information for speeches, press releases etc– Available outside of normal hours for radio interviews– Ability to supply information and photographs quickly– Ability to communicate effectively with external media company– Ability to market the Library and its collections– Ability to respond immediately– Ability to organise a major event with short notice– Ability to organise filming of event for iWitness

• Collaborative effort between Library, Sister Majella, University and others

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Inspiration for Book

• Massive national and international media coverage of handover of letters

• Idea of bringing letters to a wider audience including Saro-Wiwa’s home state

• Collaborations– with Sister Majella

– Saro-Wiwa family – their wishes and copyright of letters and poems

– between three editors

– with publisher

– annotating letters to give context and meaning

– University, University’s legal advisers, Legal issues

Collaborative Publishing• Book Proposal (1 member of team)

• Daraja/CODESRIA headquarters in Senegal

• Not-for-profit

• Distribution Rights in Africa

• Trócaire Grant – distribution to NGOs and in Nigeria

• Nnimo Bassey – Oilwatch International

• Sister Majella and Saro-Wiwa family

Contents

• Annotated letters

• Poems

• Contextual essays– Library context, natural resources,

literature

• Images

• Foreword

• Archival classification

• Bibliography & resources list

Collaboration to produce the Audio Archive

Kairos Communications & MU Library

Series of recorded interviews of people connected with Ken Saro-Wiwa

Book and Audio Archive Launch

Book Launch Abuja, Nigeria

Collaboration on publicising and marketing

• Media invited to event

• Radio – RTE Five Seven Live, Global Village on Newstalk, University of Ibadan Radio

• Local, national & international newspapers

• Three editors – different disciplines and different contacts –digital/social media

Other Collaborations

• Bursary – collaboration with MU Research Office

• Archival Literacy - Ken Saro-Wiwa Audio Archive integrated into a Development Studies module on MU BA in Community Studies

• Development Education Week

• Exhibitions & Events

• Digitisation

Reflection

• Ken Saro-Wiwa’s collaboration with Sister Majella was the inspiration for the Letters

• MU transformed the letters into a book, the audio-archive, digital and print exhibitions, course module, a resource for students and activists nationally and internationally

• MU Library collaborated with many people and institutions to ensure Ken Saro-Wiwa’s voice would be heard

Resources

• Images from the archive

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22668824@N07/sets/72157636927385056/

• Audio Archivehttps://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library/collections/ken-saro-wiwa-audio-archive

• Book – available from Helen Fallon & booksellers

helen.b.fallon@nuim.ie