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October 5, 1954

Dear Mr. Adska:

Please forgive me for being so long in answering your kind letter,
but I have been away in the country for most of the summer and have
just returned to the city recently. I very much appreciate your
interest in writing me and I would be happy indeed to see two or
three of your stories - or one, if you have only one ready. These
should be fiction stories created by yourself, not folk tales or animal
tales, but short stories about men and women in Africa, past or present,

I would be interested in seeing some of your illustrations, but we can-
not use pictures in the book which I wish to have published. Never-
theless I would like very much to see some of them, if it is convenient
for you to send them, and I will return them to you later.

In great appreciation for your kind reply and all good wishes,

Mr. Jonathan A. N. Adska
Regional Adult Education Office
Zaria N. R.
Nigeria - BWA

February 22, 1955

Mr. E. A. Adeka,
Adult Ed. Hdqs.,
Zarie, Nigeria.

Dear Adeka, What a very nice surprise to receive
that amazing Christmas package—ground
nuts and paintings! Thanks immensely! Your drawings
are very interesting indeed, and I particularly liked
SELF PORTRAIT and HOW NATIVES TREAT THEIR WOUNDS, and
am going to have them framed to hang in my studio. It
is most kind of you to send them to me. And the peanuts
(as we call them here) are, what's left of them, on my
mantel piece right now, and my secretary and everybody
who comes around enjoys them. They came just about
Christmas time, but I've been so busy (too bad one has
to work so long and so hard!) that I've not been able
to write letters lately....And I've gotten so many good
stories from Nigeria and other parts of Africa that I've
not been able to read them all yet, or acknowledge all of
them, but I am trying to get off a half dozen or so letters
to Africa every day now. And I hope to have my book
ready soon. I wonder if you know any of these good
writers in your country: Tim Aluko, Amos Tutuola,
Mabel Jolaoso, E. O. Yemitan, C. O. D. Ekwensi, or
Adeboye Babalola—all of whom have sent very interesting
stories which I am using in my book. You'll get a copy
when it is ready, probably next fall. I wish I could
use pictures in it, as then I could include some of your
work......Meanwhile, I am sending you b y boat my new
little book on jazz music with some amusing drawings in
it by an American white artist who specializes in jazz
record covers, etc......A Nigerian artist, very good
painter, Ben Somebody (can't recall his last name right
now) was here in New York a few years ago and staid here
at my house for a few days and married an American girl,
but last time he wrote me from Lagos he said his marriage
didn't turn out very well.....Are you married? How far
is Zarie from Lagos?.....Write soon. Best wishes,

August 1, 1961

Dear Jonathan!

I have been out of town so much travelling around---California to see about my 85-year-old Uncle; New Orleans; Boston to narrate a Blues-Jazz Festival---that I don't believe I ever answered your very nice letter of some weeks ago. I enjoyed having it, and liked very much the lovely little GUIDE TO NORTHERN NIGERIA that you designed. It is charming. It wakes me want to come back to Kano---which I shall do someday.

Today I am mailing you by boat some American Negro magazines I think you will find interesting, MMthe photographs and ads are very nice. They will be a few weeks reaching you, but I trust will arrive safely. A smaller one I am sending by air. To send heavy things by air is, as you know, very expensive.

Tell me what book or books of mine would you like---poetry, stories, history, or what---and I will send you some for Christmas---since it would be almost Christmas before boat mail would reach you anyhow.

New York is HOT this summer, almost like Lagos was last fall when I was there. But I don't mind too much. I hate cold weather.

Take care of yourself, don't work too hard, and have fun.

Sincerely,

November 28, 1961

Dear Adeka: I am coming to Nigeria again---
for the American Society of
African Culture's Lagos Arts Festival in
December, arriving Lagos on December the
night of December 14 to be there a week.
About 20 American Negro musicians, writers,
entertainers, and Hale Woodruff, one of our
best painters, are coming. I'd like you to
meet Hale Woodruff, and for him to see some
of your work. And I would like to meet you,
too......Would it be possible for you to
come to Lagos during the time of the 14th
to the 20th? Could you get a holiday from
your work? If so, would you need some
money for your fare? Please let me know
IMMEDIATELY by return AIR MAIL now TODAY!

If you can't come to Lagos, perhaps I may
be able to stop in Kano for a day or two
on my way back to America. I'd like to
visit Kano again, if I can. But for you,
it might be interesting to come to the Lagos
programs and meet some of the Americans. If
I can help you do this, I'd be happy to do
so. Are you still with the advertising
firm? Or teaching?

I've a play in rehearsal now, and so much
else to do before leaving for Nigeria, that
I'm "head-over-heels" as we say here. Wole
Soyinka, your Nigerian poet and playwright,
was at my house last week. Amusing fellow.
So many Africans come to the States these days,
maybe it can be worked out for you to come, too
Forgive this hasty note. But please write me
return post, so I can hear from you before
that time to leave for Lagos. Do you have a
phone number in Kano? If so, send it, so I
can phone you from Lagos. I'll try to write
you more details before I leave. Sincerely,

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