The Benue Book & Arts Festival 2025, with the theme “Home and A-Way” will be held in Makurdi, Nigeria from February 21 – 22, 2025.
The Benue Book and Arts Festival was first hosted in Makurdi, the capital city of Benue State, Nigeria in 2019. That first edition organised by the Su’eddie Vershima Agema-led Sevhage Literary & Development Initiative and Sevhage Publishers featured readings, workshops, panels, and performances. Since then, there has been an annual migration to Makurdi to attend the leading literary festival in the state. (read our posts on previous editions here).
For 2025, the festival was planned to be hosted on the continent and in the diaspora corresponding with the “Home and A-Way” theme. The diaspora edition was hosted at the Nottingham Central Library in Nottingham, UK on January 25. The event was held in partnership with Nottingham City Libraries, Goethe-Institut, the Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit), Small World Big Businesses, Authorpedia, and several other literary and cultural organisations. It featured an array of activities, including poetry readings, spoken word performances, and a thought-provoking panel discussion on the role of writers in shaping national development in Nigeria. You can read about that event from this report from our friends at JayLit.
The continental version of this year’s festival will be hosted in Makurdi, the capital city of Benue State, Nigeria starting on Friday, February 21. Those who attend will be treated to workshops, readings of poetry and prose, panel discussions, performances, and more.
Guests will include Dr Eunice Ortom, Professor Moses Tsenongu, Professor Dul Johnson, Dr Maria Ajima, Pa Isaac Yongo, Chuma Nwokolo, Bash Amuneni, T. J. Benson, past Presidents and Chairmen of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Dr. Charles Iornumbe, Igba Ogbole, Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto, Edentu Oroso, Terseer Sam Baki, Thaddeus Naor, Sam Ogabidu, Amara Chimeka, Alexander Emmanuel Ochogwu, Anselm Sesugh Ngutsav, Joshua Agbo, Umar Yogiza, Bentex Torlafia, Maik Ortserga, amongst other notable officials, development workers, commissioners, and writers from the length and breadth of the country.
Find information on the festival here.
Leave a Reply