A book chat audience at the 2016 Ake Arts and Book Festival.

 

Ake Arts and Book Festival is happening in Abeokuta, Nigeria—has been happening since 14 November, to end on 18 November. And Brittle Paper is right there to cover it with features, photos and tweets.

Founded in 2013 by Lola Shoneyin, Orange Prize-longlisted author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives and director of Book Buzz Foundation, the Ake Arts and Book Festival is the biggest annual gathering of African literary writers, founders, editors, critics, readers, everybody on the continent. It is, quite simply, the Met Gala of African literature.

The festival is held in Kuto Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, and has proved quite the attraction for activists, musicians, dancers, actors, illustrators, and a range of artists and thinkers who storm the event to share their ideas and work.

Thursday, 16 November, is the formal Welcome Ceremony. Expect our coverage of that and also of:

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