出版社：Glendora International im African e-Journals Project
摘要：AT a time when many observers and critics cry out that the Nigerian literary scene needs a fresh vitality, new voices and new vision have been injected into our literary production. The new anthology of short stories Breaking the Silence is a unique addition to existing anthologies of African short stories and a turning point in the nation's literary canon. Its uniqueness is revealed in the title as w*ll as the editors, two emergent female talents and the publishers, Women Writers of Nigeria. It is a landmark in diverse other ways. Since the emergence of women pioneers in the 60s, the previously male dominated literary scene has revealed the quest for feminine self-expression. The first generation of women writers including Flora Nwapa, Zulu Sofola, Molara Ogundipe- Leslie and Mabel Segun have progressively attempted the crusade of self-assertion to bring to life the famous Yoruba proverb, 'Owo ara eni la fi ntu iwa ara eni se.'A second generation followed in the steps of their precursors to highlight the female intervention in Nigerian literature. Ifeoma Okoye, Tess Onwueme and Zaynab Alkali punctuated the creative arena to continue the womanist tradition. The third phase of Nigerian women's writing has begun at a crucial moment. With the death of Nwapa and Sofola, some critics are beginning to hold their breath as they wonder about the continuity of women's literary creativity in Nigeria to fill the gaps.
