A snapshot of the Ake Festival 2014 in Nigeria

The Ake Arts & Books Festival was hosted in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria from 18-22 November. The festival organised by Lola Shoneyin and her team had a huge number of very cool artists attend a literary festival if this list is anything to go by. This is one of the festivals where I couldn’t find a single complaint from the guests who had attended which was a bit disconcerting as bloggeratti like myself need controversy. Drama and mishaps are the things that drive traffic and none seemed to be forthcoming and for this, I salute the team.

The festival supported by the governor of Abeokuta State Ibikunle Amosu and his administration itself had many events. There were films and plays galore for those who want to experience the written word as acted by thespians who know their craft. No Nollywood-type fare with ghosts looking left and right before crossing the road or mermaids which had brooms for the tails were on offer. The films and documentaries included Yeepa a filmed play by Tunde Kelani and October 1 by Kunle Afolayan and The Art of Ama Ata Aido by Yaba Badoe. Then there were plays like Qudus: My Exile is in My Head and the musical Call Mr. Robeson.

This blog is not one dedicated to all the arts but has a focus on literature from the continent and there was a lot on offer on this for those lucky folks who love African lit in Abeokuta State. There were book chats with fans of books chatting with authors like Okey Ndibe, Nnedi Okorafor, Zukiswa Wanner, Nike Campbell-Fatoki, Yejide Kilanko, Barnaby Philips, Chude Jideonwo. And Olusegun Obasanjo who was president of Nigeria and has several books of the memoir type to his name. There was also the launch of Beverly Nambozo‘s poetry anthology A Thousand Voices Rising. Also in the house was Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka who we are all celebrating as he goes through Soyinka @ 80.

There were many panel discussions where authors of prose and poetry discussed such topics as Mutation and Mutilation: Feminism in Africa, What are publishers looking for in fiction, Poisonous Gas: The Crude Oil Politics in West Africa, and many more.

There were also important announcements on the Caine Prize judges for 2015, the new Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili prize, and the new Writivism mentees were unveiled.

After the whole conference, without any drama to tout I sadly add, the evening ended on Saturday with a shebang that was so loud (maybe the neighbours complained hopefully?) that we could hear the stomping of feet to Dorrobucci from Nairobi where we were mourning the “mauling” of Arsenal by Man United. And some other more national matters.

Here are a few other views from the people who were actually there;

Here are some images from the events of the festival courtesy of artists and organisers of the events.