Sueddie Agema

Su'eddie Vershima Agema is a Nigerian poet, editor and literary administrator. He is also a culture promoter. Author of two poetry collections, Bring our Casket Home: Tales one Shouldn’t Tell, and Home Equals Holes: Tale of an Exile, a short story collection, The Bottom of Another Tale and the NLNG Nigeria prize for literature 2022 nominated shortlisted book - Memory and the Call of Water. Agema is a past Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) (Benue State Chapter) as well as Council Member, National Teen Authorship Scheme. Early life He says, "I was exposed to Literature at an early age by a father who kept the tradition of the moonlight tales, complete with acting roles, local lore, and cultural songs. There was also a mother who bought the best of African literary titles, from Chinua Achebe to every famous writer of the Heinemann fame." Education Agema's early schooling were done between Abuja and Benue state culminating in a bachelor's degree in English at the Benue State University, Makurdi and a master's in Development Studies (Geography) from the same university. Between 2018 and 2019, under the coveted Chevening scholarship administered by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, he earned a second master’s, this time in International Education and Development at the University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, United Kingdom. While there, he was the Chair, Student Reps for the School of Education and Social Works and was the founding president of African Writers [Society]. In that period, he also attended workshops and seminars including with notable figures like Kwame Dawes and Nick Makoha. Some prominent teachers and figures who Agema has acknowledged as a core part of his learning journey and writing influences people that include Maria Ajima, Moses Tsenongu, Andrew Aba, Hyginus Ekwuazi, Mairead Dunne, Sean Higgins, his wife, Agatha, Daisy Odey, T. J. Benson, Romeo Oriogun, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Helon Habila, Chuma Nwokolo, Sam Ogabidu as well as his brothers, Gabriel Agema, Taver and Sever Ayede. Professional career Books and Writing