Ake Festival Promises Lavish Return with ‘Homecoming’

Yinka  Olatunbosun

Africa’s leading literary festival, Ake Arts and Book Festival 2022 is set for its 10th anniversary edition after a two-year hiatus. Running from November 24 to 26 at the Strong Tower Events Centre, Ikoyi, the three days of cultural immersion will feature book chats, interviews, panel discussions, concerts and more. At a recent press briefing held at Ouida House in Ikeja, the convener of the festival and author, Lola Shoneyin expressed her excitement at the return of the cultural event to its physical form.

For her, it is a delight to host the 10th edition in Lagos although its traditional home was Abeokuta. Expectedly, visitors will relish stimulating panel discussions on brain drain, climate action, economic growth, emerging feminist identities and sexual revolutions. With support from Sterling bank, the festival has as its theme ‘Homecoming.’

“Our African arts continue to influence our arts and our creative expression,’’ Shoneyin said while explaining the rationale behind the theme. “We hope to formalise the ritual of coming back to our roots in order to interact with people that are here and bring back knowledge and whatever it is that they have learnt and join it with what we have here already”.

“This festival has been in partnership with Sterling bank, our loyal backbone. Sterling bank has been synonymous with out- of-the-box thinking and support for the arts and cultural and educational landscape. We also have MTN that will provide internet service for us at the venue. The experience of attending Ake festival is so memorable in that we put in everything that we receive by way of funding into the experience. We love it when people say great things about us after experiencing the festival. We want African creatives to feel valued; to feel cherished when they are on the African turf.’’

Commenting on why Sterling Bank has consistently sponsored the festival in recent times, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of the bank, Mr. Ibidapo Martins said, “Storytellers are the custodians of our collective truths and they must be protected and supported at all times.”

Last year, the headliner was the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature for 2021, Abdulrazak Gurnah. For the 2022 edition, the headliner will be author, artist and academic from Cote d’Ivoire, Veronique Tadjo to be interviewed by Ghanaian booklover, Kinna Likimani.

Alongside the Palm Wine and poetry night is a special screening tribute to the late filmmaker and cross-media storyteller, Biyi Bandele featuring behind the scenes of his last flick ‘Elesin Oba’ while two actors from the movie, Shaffy Bello as well as Deyemi Okanlawon will be in conversation with the audience as the culture buffs reflect on his contribution to the Nigerian cultural landscape.  The poetry night will feature the South African Poet, Lebo Mashile Maryam Bukar and the Sudanese poet Logain Ali while the festival concert will feature Nefretiti, Brymo, Ade Bantu, Salawa Abeni and Ria Sean.

The festival is supported by Luminate, US State Department, Heinrich Boll Foundation Nigeria, the French Cultural Institute, British Council, Spine&Label, Rite Foods and others.