FESTIVAL

Tourism Corporation Endorses Abuja Literary Festival

The NigerianTourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has endorsed the Abuja Literary Festival, an initiative of the AbujaWriters Forum (AWF), slated for June 28 to 30 in the nation’s capital.

The endorsement signed by Ms Funebi Otu-Umondak on behalf of the Director General, Folorunsho Coker states: “The Corporation believes that through the film screenings, drama performances and international art and photo exhibitions, the Abuja Literary Festival will be an avenue to showcase the rich tourist attractions and potentials of Nigeria thereby promoting domestic tourism in line with the Corporation’s Tour Nigeria brand.

“Furthermore, it will engage youths in the country to develop their intellectual abilities in the creative industry, which will reduce unemployment and project Nigeria positively.

“The Corporation expects that the Abuja Literary Festival will also have and invaluable impact on the Nigerian tourism sector.”

Meanwhile, Professor Idris Amali has been confirmed for the bookrama session titled In The Spotlight. A professor of oral literature and author of several poetry collections including Back Again at the Foothills of Greed and EFEEGA War of Ants, Amali is currently Director of Academic Planning at the Federal University Lafia.

Some others billed to be at the Festival include Professor Jamaine Abidogun (historian and scholar), Professor Okello Oculi (novelist, poet, and chronicler of rural African village life), Carlton Lindsay Barrett (novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist and photographer), and Sifa Asani Gowon. They will be on panel titled Outside, Looking In.

The festival programme and complete list of panellists will soon be made available on its website and arrangements have been concluded for the five-day drama writing workshop which will kick-start proceedings.