Will You Journey to Abeokuta for the Love of Literature?

The 2016 edition of the Ake Arts & Book Festival taking place in Abeokuta, Nigeria officially opened on Thursday, November 17, 2016. We talked about it for months unending and the names of some of the best African writers rolled off our tongues. Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Teju Cole, Sarah Ladipo Mayinka, and the list goes on. As much as we love arts and literature, it is a test of faith to travel down Nigerian roads.

Visitors drove for hours from all parts of Nigeria: Abuja, Enugu, Kaduna, Minna, Port-Harcourt. There were stories of delayed flights from airlines who will not be named but are notorious for such. Electronic devices were stolen in transit at airports, and some had to take a break to brave the journey the following day because of unrelenting traffic along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

I met up with a group of young professionals and we set out for the hilly city of Abeokuta on Tuesday morning, November 15^th. One of them had taken her official yearly leave to make it to the festival. Another had to wrestle with his immediate supervisor whose leave request clashed with his, and the stories of sacrifice continued. Still, the goal was the same, attend Ake Festival.

Sacrifices such as these come from a place of love and respect and it is heartwarming to observe these emotions channeled to African literature. The camaraderie among renowned writers, literature intellectuals, and book lovers could be felt in the air. Friendships formed during the earlier three editions of Ake Festival were reignited.

For the first time in Ake Festival History, a musical concert was organized the night before the official opening ceremony. Director of the Ake Arts & Book Festival, Lola Shoneyin said the goal is “to create a fusion of music with books”. There is indeed a connection as lyrics form literature. Once more, the Ake festival communal spirit came alive as musical artists Falana, Adunni and the Neferetti Band reminded the audience of the beauty that accompanies music good for the mind and soul.

The mood was now set for the scheduled book chats and panel discussions visitors from all over had braved the arduous journey for. Keep reading the Art and Travel section to discover more of happenings at the 4^th Ake Arts and Book Festival taking place from November 15 to 19, 2016 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.