Experts Advocate New Narratives for Africa’s Creative Future
Among dignitaries present were Gbemisola Adeoti, Mr Awosemon Moriola, Professor Pastier, Alhaja Uzain, Miss Ipeolayo Olawo, and Dr Toyin Ogundeyin, Head of the Department of Dramatic Arts. Declaring the festival open, Professor Adeoti stressed the enduring relevance of the humanities despite increasing attention on science and technology. “We cannot do without humanity,” he said, noting that literature, culture, and the arts remain essential to shaping society and preserving identity.
Founded during a literary conference in 1981, ANA-OAU has grown into one of the foremost literary communities on campus. Through initiatives such as Reading with Nature and its annual Books and Arts Festival, the association has continued to promote literary culture and creative expression while nurturing notable writers, including Rasak Malik Gbolahan, Gbemisola Adeoti, Adebayo Ayobami, and Emmanuel Iduma. The festival opened with performances by Munrideen, David Ifeoluwa, and Oluwadarasimi, setting the tone for a day centred on creativity and artistic engagement.
A major highlight of the event was the keynote address delivered virtually by award-winning Nigerian speculative fiction writer Wole Talabi. Although unable to attend physically, Talabi engaged participants through a pre-recorded presentation. The author, known for works such as The Fist of Memory, Convergence Problems, and Incomplete Solutions, remains widely recognised for exploring African realities, mythology, memory, and futurity through Africanfuturist narratives.
Artistic performances continued throughout the festival, with Joy Adetaba performing I Am Africa, Adedini Morayo presenting Onidiri, Alhaja Uzain delivering The Raster, and Oluremi Oluwa performing When Do Our Sacrifices Become Enough? Alfred Olaiya also drew applause for his pidgin rendition of Brother Man by the Roadside. Music performances further enriched the programme as Opeyemi delivered guitar renditions of Awaise and Who Believes?, Naomi Olohun Iyo performed a Yoruba chant celebrating cultural heritage, and Idunu Ade entertained attendees with renditions of Be My Man and Ire.
The festival also featured the presentation of the 2026 Gbemisola Adeoti Poetry Prize. Organisers disclosed that 286 entries were received, with only ten making the final shortlist. Olaitan Abdulwasi’u emerged as the second runner-up, Alfred Olaiya was named first runner-up, while Joemario Umana won the overall prize. The Kòkọ̀rọ̀ Short Story Prize was awarded to Olaitan Joy Damilola and Olayinka Yaqub. Games and interactive activities were also organised, with books distributed as prizes to participants.
One of the most intellectually engaging moments of the festival was a panel session themed “The Image and the Text: The Radical Work of the African Future,” moderated by Joel Oyeleke and featuring Tomi Ojo-Fakuade, Editor-in-Chief of ANA-OAU, alongside film critic Seyi Lasisi. The discussion examined African literature, cinema, digital storytelling, and the changing landscape of African cultural production. Speaking during the session, Lasisi observed that African cinema has historically been shaped by political realities and social struggles, while Ojo-Fakuade argued that African literature should move beyond narratives dominated by colonialism, pain, and suffering to embrace more imaginative visions of the continent’s future.
The film segment featured screenings of Oba and Neptune Frost, reinforcing conversations on Africanfuturism, identity, technology, tradition, and reinvention. Additional spoken-word performances by Saheed Sunday and other creatives sustained audience engagement, while exhibition spaces showcasing artworks and books added visual and commercial dimensions to the event.
The festival concluded with closing remarks by Isaiah Adepoju, co-curator of the event, who thanked guests, performers, organisers, and participants for contributing to the success of the programme. The 2026 ANA-OAU Books and Arts Festival reinforced the growing relevance of Africanfuturism and creative innovation while providing a platform for critical conversations on the future of African literature, film, and storytelling.
Comments
Post a Comment