A first-timer at Aké Festival’s first in Lagos
The annual Aké Arts & Book Festival was for the first time ever held in Lagos this year, and an eclectic roster of Nigerian and international guests and participants, as well as rich content, made for a stunning outing.
At the opening of this year’s Aké Arts & Book Festival, there were many goodwill messages presented by a number of guests of honour. But the most electrifying had to be the one given by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. In it, he declared “Politicians are the scum of the earth,” to screaming laughter from the audience, after which he gave added context which reduced the causticity of the statement. He proceeded to tell a story, of how he as a youth wrote poetry for a love interest, much to the chagrin of his parents when they discovered it. He ended by adding that he made it up, declaring that he, too, might as well have been a writer. The audience, made up of guests, international and Nigerian, was spellbound.
A little earlier, and after the welcome address by the Founder/ Festival Director Lola Shoneyin, Ugandan poet Nick Makoha recited some of his work to set the tone for what was to be a laden day. Famous Kenyan-American dancer Wanjiru Kamuyu performed a set, after which Nigerian rising dance star Agaba Ochai performed a routine which saw him, with famous writer Molara Wood, present this year’s Aké Review. There was music, vocal and from a masterfully-played keyboard, by Chibundu Onuzo, also a writer. Just before lunchtime, with the opening done and dusted, the festival began in earnest.
But first, a little backstory: Aké has its roots in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State. Shoneyin had also hinted that the festival, holding for the first time in Lagos this year, could be a moving event, possibly being held in many other cities in the coming years.
For the three days of Aké, held at the Radisson Blu in Ikeja, the staggering amount of activities included panel discussions, movie screenings, interviews, book chats, music performances, food tastings, and art exhibitions. Visitors milled into the various rooms, halls, and screening rooms to get their fill of the cultural feast laid before them. There also was available a digital edition of the British Library’s West Africa: Word & Symbol exhibit in the Memory Room, which featured recordings of Fela Kuti’s grandfather, an Ifa text sung by 35 Babalawo priests in 1964, and more.
Visitors of all ages trooped in; families, couples, groups, all went round, sampling the literary and artistic offerings. Many writers also came, among them Hadiza El-Rufai, whose book ‘An Abundance of Scorpions’, was released last year. A few conversations could be overheard, about Aké’s move to Lagos, and the virtues of the erstwhile Abeokuta venue. But a little while later, it was all about the Radisson Blu venue, and how it ties up all threads for a more solid experience.
A number of documentary films by young Nigerian filmmakers, were screened. ‘Uprooted’, directed by Ummi Bukar, about how gender roles are changing in the insurgencywrought North-East of Nigeria, generated a lot of interest. ‘Awani’, directed by Aderonke Adeola, about the evolution of the role of Nigerian women from precolonial days to the present, also sparked many conversations. Other films, including topical dramas like ‘Call Me By My Name’, ‘My Mother’s Stew’, ‘1745: Untold Story Of Slavery’, and others, were also screened to packed halls.
The art exhibition, featuring the works of Nigerian artists, also generated buzz. Featured, were the works of the wunderkind Eloghosa Osunde, rising star Isma’il Shomal, and others. A number of the works were snapped up by eager patrons before the first day was done, with some even generating bidding battles of sorts.
The panels, a major mainstay of Aké from inception, were numerous. One of them, tagged ‘The Future of Poetry’, was moderated by superstar poet Dami Ajayi, and had on the panel such stellar talent as Wana Uduobang, Ishion Hutchinson, Theresa Lola, Inua Ellams and the prodigy Logan February. Their discussions centered on the different ways poetry is promoted on the African continent.
Book chats, another of the festival’s mainstays, were featured substantially. One, hosted by writer Toni Kan, was supposed to feature Nigerian author Sefi Atta (‘The Bead Collector’) and Ghanaian writer Bisi Adjapon (‘Of Women and Frogs’), but had only Adjapon present. The pairing of the witty host, and the charismatically frank guest proved to be a hit, leading to cheers in the packed-full room and sold-out copies of the author’s book at the venue.
The next book chat, hosted by Isabella Akinseye, had guests Odafe Atogun (‘Wake Me When I’m Gone’) and Cynthia Jele (‘The Ones With Purpose’) discussing their works. A book signing followed, and long lines soon formed, with fans eagerly awaiting a chance to meet and greet the writers and get their books signed.
That evening, after the panels, chats, signings, and dinner, was the concert: Held at Ijakadi Hall, it featured the alternative rock songs of Clay and her band, Tomi Sereetsi, and Adedeji. Legendary
A first-timer at Aké Festival’s first time in Lagos
Nigerian singer, Salawa Abeni, was supposed to close the night, but a late-running Brymo saw the ‘Queen of Wakawa’ take the stage earlier than expected. She dazzled the audience with a set that included some of her biggest hits, and also performed a new one featuring her son, who it was revealed, is a rapper. Also joining her on stage for a couple of tracks, was surprise guest Kunle Afolayan, and the filmmaker blindsided many with his singing. The audience went haywire and flooded onto the stage, making the performance a very interactive one. At a point, Salawa went to special guest Nuruddin Farrah and coaxed him to reply some of her lyrics.
Finally, Brymo made it onstage. After apologising, he began. After a rather mellow song, probably to get the audience in the mood, he began to belt out track after track from his oeuvre of work. Again, the audience flooded the stage area, as the concert became a calland-response affair, underscoring the importance of the singer to Nigerian youths. When he wrapped up about eight songs, fans groaned that he should perform some more. Sadly, he couldn’t. But he did oblige them selfies and even a couple of interviews before he ran away.
The next day, Saturday, had a number of Nigeria-centric and Africa-centered panels, including ‘Recollections of The Biafra War’, hosted by Louisa Egbunike, and featuring guests like retired General Paul Tarfa, Chude Offodile, and Elizabeth Bird. The panel discussed, among other things, material that has been written about the war, and why, fifty-eight years after, Nigeria is still struggling with the notion of nationhood. Other noteworthy panels include ‘What Do Women Want?’ hosted by Wana Udobang, with guests Elizabeth Uviebinene, Yomi Adegoke, and Egyptian writer Mona Eltawahy.
Another panel which proved popular, was ‘Music As Vehicle for Social Change’, hosted by Dami Ajayi. Featuring guests Salawa Abeni, Tomeletso Sereetsi, and perpetual latecomer Brymo, they focused on the use of music beyond entertainment and aesthetic purposes. They also explored how effective music can serve Africans in the collective realisation of social change.
From ‘A Chat With Film Directors’ and ‘The Documentary Makers’, both moderated by TJ Benson, directors also enjoyed the spotlight via a number of discussions centered around their work, and around the art of filmmaking.
This year’s headliner for Aké is none other than Nuruddin Farrah, who wrote his first novel in 1970. In an hour-long interaction, the Somali author was interviewed in front of an audience, by journalist Kunle Ajibade. Dubbed ‘The Life And Times Series,’ they discussed the guest’s published works, his writing process, and what it means to still be writing 48 years after his first book. Afterwards, he signed copies of his latest, ‘Hiding In Plain Sight’.
Festival Director Shoneyin is also famous for her book, ‘The Secret Lives Of Baba Segi’s Wives’. After a sumptuous dinner for guests at the Ouida Bookstore, a short walk away at the Jevinik Centre, an adaptation of the book was performed. Directed by Femi Olufowoju, the play featured a fantastic cast whose performance was described by a guest as “a 4D experience”. By the end of the 2-hour show, the clapping audience gave the cast and crew a standing ovation.
This year’s theme for Aké is ‘Fantastical Futures’. And while some historical, and contemporary issues were dealt with, there was also a heavy presence of science fiction, fantasy, and the sub-genre called ‘Afrofuturism’. On Sunday, one of the guests, superstar writer Nnedi Okorafor, along with comic-book creator Roye Okupe (‘Malika: Warrior Queen’), and animation director Kolawole Olanrewaju (‘Dawn of Thunder: Legacy of Sango’), were all hosted by Oris Aigbokhaevbolo in a panel to discuss ‘The Black Panther Phenomenon’. It proved to be a rather heated topic, and comicbook fans were, as usual, divided by a number of opinions shared by panellists and audience members alike.
Nigerian-American writer Okorafor, whose science fiction novels are increasingly popular, also writes the ‘Shuri’ comic-book for Marvel, publishers of ‘Black Panther.’ For the book chat on her smash-hit book ‘Binti’, she was joined by Tochi Onyebuchi (‘Beasts Made Of Night’), also a Nigerian-American who writes well-received Afrofuturism. Their chat was hosted by Afopeluwa Ojo, and the writers dissected what their books mean to them, and just how much of their own personal experiences are woven into their fantastical stories.
Sunday being the festival’s final day, saw an upsurge of visitors. The closing event, a poetry performance, featured riveting performances by Saddiq Dzukogi, Nii Ayikweei-Parkes, Dami Ajayi, and many more. By the time it was all over, Shoneyin got up the stage to thank her team, mainly young people whose talents she grooms. She also thanked major sponsors, and named particularly Sterling Bank, and the mystery-backer called ‘Annoying Logo’. And as a crowd milled out of the swanky venue - even though happiness was clearly written on guests’ faces - they were sad to leave the wondrous, fantastical experience that was 2018’s Aké. It was the same for this first-timer at the festival, even as many of the guests hollered goodbyes: “See you next year!”