The Benue Book and Arts Festival 2022 kicks off June 20.

The Benue Book and Arts Festival 2022 runs in Makurdi, Nigeria from June 20-25, 2022. The festival theme is “Art and The Convergence.”

The first edition of the Benue Book and Arts Festival, organised by the Su’eddie Vershima Agema-led Sevhage Literary & Development Initiative and Sevhage Publishers, was hosted in Makurdi, the capital city of Benue State, Nigeria in 2019. After a successful run, it has hosted many of the leading names in the Nigerian literary ecosystem like Chuma Nwokolo, T. J. Benson, Amara Chimeka, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Pelu Awofeso, Servio Gbadamosi, and Niyi Osundare in proceeding years.

The 2022 edition of the festival, with Su’ur Su’eddie Vershima Agema and Oko Owi Ocho as directors, is set to run in its traditional home of Makurdi from Monday, June 20 to Saturday, June 25. Some of the venues that will host events will be the Metroprime Hotel and the Steam Lounge, Old GRA with some sessions running virtually. The events on offer will be panels, readings, workshops, a poetry slam competition, and a competition for secondary schools that will feature drama, on-the-spot writing, and a spelling bee.

This year’s edition is themed “Art and The Convergence” which is open-ended but can also be seen as how art converges with other things for results: whether it be history, activism, development, anarchy, or just about anything. It can also be looked at in the light of art surrounded by the convergence of people, things, or a state in any context. Some of the panels will address publishing and editing, the metaverse, and the role of arts in various spheres.

There will be three keynote addresses from Prof Hyginus Ekwuazi, Prof Dul Johnson, and Prof Egya Sule on a variety of topics.  Other confirmed guests are Prof Idris Amali, Dr Maria Ajima, Dr Soji Cole, Bash Amuneni, Umar Sidi, Jerry Adesewo, Benjamin Bentex Torlafia, Umar Yogiza, Amara Chimeka, Azafi Omoluabi, Iquo DianaAbasi, Raymond Anyasi, Kukogho Iruesiri Samson, Nana Awere Damoah, Bizuum Yadok, Romeo Oriogun, Aondosoo Labe, and Dr Peace Sorochi Longdet, Minoli Salgado, Emma Newport among others.

The events are put together by Sevhage Literary and Development Initiative, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, the University of Sussex, Sussex Writes, and Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative, Sankofa Initiative, Tine Agernor, Sevhage Publishers, and Purple Shelves publishers, with support from Goethe Institut.

For more information about taking part if you are in the area, which includes everywhere if you include the virtual space, please click here.

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