Book & Arts Festival to extol Niger Delta in yenagoa

The inaugural Yenagoa Book & Arts Festival (YEBAF), organized by the 1402Book Lounge Initiative in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, is set to be a transformative cultural event. Scheduled for September 23–26, 2024, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the festival will explore the theme “Resilience: How Storytelling Shapes Our Lives.” YEBAF aims to celebrate the Niger Delta’s rich cultural heritage while promoting creativity and engagement in a region known for its oil wealth, natural beauty, and environmental issues.

The festival’s core objective is to revitalize the cultural and artistic landscape of the Niger Delta. Over three days, YEBAF will feature a dynamic mix of literary events, visual arts, performances, and panel discussions, offering an immersive experience to attendees.

The theme of resilience underscores the power of storytelling to inspire hope and perseverance amid adversity. Storytelling has historically been a means of preserving history, traditions, and lessons in the Niger Delta and beyond. YEBAF seeks to foster community and empowerment while emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation.

In addition to YEBAF, Yenagoa will also host the Yenagoa Book City 2024, which will include the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria (NBRP) Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM). The NBRP conference, themed “Loving Books and Securing the Critical Edge in the Running of Book Clubs,” will bring together book club organizers and reading promoters from across Nigeria to enhance the reading culture in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta.

The festival will honor two prominent cultural figures from the Niger Delta: historian Professor E.J. Alagoa, who recently turned 91, and renowned poet Dr. Gabriel Okara. Professor Nimibofa Ayawei, Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, will deliver the keynote address at the festival’s opening, focusing on resilience and storytelling.

Confirmed guests include Jahman Anikulapo and Toyin Akinosho, veteran organizers of the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF). The festival will also feature stage and screen actor Bimbo Manuel, award-winning poet Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, and journalist-author Anote Ajeluorou, who will discuss the intersection of science fiction, African culture, and storytelling. Publisher Mr. Othuke Ominiabohs will address the complexities of publishing in Nigeria.

The NBRP conference, held concurrently with the festival, will feature a keynote by Josef Nengi Ilagha on running successful book clubs. Jahman Anikulapo will chair the conference, while NBRP president Richard Mammah will oversee the proceedings and AGM.

Source: Damiete Braide