Africa Writes 2019 returns on July 5-7, 2019 and will star the New Daughters of Africa, and Chigozie Obioma.
The Africa Writes festival is a celebration of contemporary literature from Africa and the diaspora, brought to you by The Royal African Society and presented in partnership with the British Library. Previous headline speakers have been Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ngugi wa Thiong’o with son Mukoma wa Ngugi, Wole Soyinka, Ama Ata Aidoo, Ben Okri, Nawal El Saadawi, and Alain Mabanckou.
Like in previous editions of the shindig, Africa Writes will offer the usual mix of panels, readings, and other interactions between African writers and the lovers of their books. One of the most anticipated events is a session featuring the newest sensation in town that is the “New Daughters of Africa.” For the uninformed, the New Daughters of Africa is a landmark anthology that has been brought to your by Margaret Busby. The anthology which features some of the most important female writers working today is a sequel to the Daughters of Africa which came out 25 years ago to universal acclaim. In the “New Daughters of Africa” event, four contributors to the new anthology, Bernardine Evaristo, Nadifa Mohamed, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ and Namwali Serpell, join Margaret Busby in conversation to celebrate the global sweep, diversity and extraordinary literary achievements of Black women writers.
Another highlight is Man Booker-shortlisted novelist Chigozie Obioma discussing his writing, Igbo mythology and stories of the everyday. The event goes on to be described thus; “In a conversation with readings from The Fishermen and An Orchestra of Minorities, we explore blurred lines between myth and reality, thoughts on fatherhood, and reworking ancient Greek classics with Igbo cosmology. The evening opens with an evocative staged reading of The Fishermen, adapted by Gbolahan Obisesan.”
For more information and booking about the headliners for this year click here.
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