Konya Shamsrumi Announces SAI Sabouke as Managing Editor

Abuja, Nigeria. Release: For Immediate Release

Nigerian poet, SAI Sabouke, has been appointed Managing Editor of Konya Shamsrumi, effective immediately. This decision was arrived at after extensive consultations within the Konya Shamsrumi collective following the departure of pioneer Managing Editor, Kechi Nomu, months ago. Prior to now, the collective has been managed in the interim by Richard Ali. Mr. Sabouke has previously served as a columnist.

Konya Shamsrumi, an Africa-centric, traditional-style, royalties-paying publishing house, was founded by the then five member #KSRCollective (Kechi Nomu, Umar Sidi, Richard Ali, Funmi Gaji and Rasaq Malik Gbolahan) in November 2017. It quickly gained continental attention with its 5 Questions series with emerging and established poets from Nigeria to the wider African continent and the African Diaspora. In February 2019, it announced the publication of two books—The Poet of Dust and The Anguish and Vigilance of Things by KSR Collective members Umar Sidi and Richard Ali. In March, 2019, it announced that Zimbabwean poet Tinashe Tafirenyika, Ugandan Harriet Anena, Nigeria’s Maryam Gatawa and Sai Sabouke, had joined the platform as columnist-bloggers.

SAI Sabouke holds a BA in English from the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and his interests lie in sufism, history and language. His writing has appeared in Dugwe: Online Journal of Abuja Writers Forum, Synchronized Chaos Magazine, Peacock Journal, African Writer and elsewhere. In responding to his appointment, he said, “I shall henceforth, in the most creative way, dedicate my heart and mind in making the press Africa’s poetry haven. As Managing Editor, I will put in all effort to make sure Konya Shamsrumi becomes the ‘capital’ of all major and minor conversations on poetry in Africa.”

Umar Sidi, on behalf of the Collective, said, “I am delighted to welcome Sabouke on board as our Managing Editor and we repose utmost trust in his abilities to streamline and lead the various related activities of Konya Shamsrumi. In the coming months, we expect to upgrade our website and services as well as release chapbooks by Funmi Gaji and Rasaq Malik Gbolahan and increase Konya Shamsrumi’s reach and impact within the African poetry community. Mr. Sabouke will be the engine for these activities. We request all our friends to support him.”