From 30 October to 3 November 2019, Lagos will play host to a wide array of poets, performers, and industry-related professionals at the fifth Lagos International Poetry Festival, #LIPFest2019. Themed “A Wild Beautiful Thing,” the festival will include performances, panels, book launches, readings, exhibitions, film screenings, and workshops. Among the star-studded guests for #LIPFest2019 are:

  • Media/publishing professionals and critics Ayodeji Rotinwa, Deji Akinpelu, Ebenezer Agu, Enajite Efemuaye, Otosirieze Obi-Young, Richard Ali
  • Musicians Brymo and Lady Donli
  • Poets/writers/performers Bash Amuneni, Bassey Ikpi, Belinda Zhawi, Bernadine Evaristo, Bukola Sawyer-Izeogu, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Chika Jones, Itiola Jones, JK Anowe, Kaveh Akbar, Logan February, Momtaza Mheri, Natalia Molebatsi, Rachel Long, Salma El Wardany, Tanya Evanson, TJ Dema, Tobi Abiodun, Tolu Agbelusi, Victoria Adukwei Bulley, and Wana Udobang
  • Scholars/writers Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún, Obari Gomba, and Nathan Suhr-Sytsma
  • Writers/activists Chitra Nagarajan, Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, Upile Chisala

Below are the events happening between 30 October to 3 November 2019 at Freedom Park, Lagos.

Wednesday, 30 October

  • 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Poetry Workshop with Itiola Jones
  • 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM In a Life of Want: A Workshop on the Poetics of Desire with Logan February
  • 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM Opening Ceremony: Performances by Wana Udobang, Belinda Zhawi, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Momtaza Mheri, Tobi Abiodun, Chika Jones, and Lady Donli

Thursday, 31 October

  • 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Fusing Poetry and Fiction: A Workshop with Bernadine Evaristo
  • 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Poetry Masterclass with Kaveh Akbar
  • 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM In Conversation: Kaveh Akbar with Rachel Long
  • 7:00 PM – 9:00PM Soft Magic: An Evening with Upsile Chisala, Busiswe Mahlangu, Tolu Agbelusi, and Tanya Evanson

Friday, 1 November

  • 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM In with the New: A Conversation with Logan February, Ebenezer Agu, JK Anowe, and Otosirieze Obi-Young
  • 12:45 PM – 2:15 PM Urban Innovators: Deji Akinpelu
  • 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM The Hassles of Getting Published: Enajite Efemuaye, Bernadine Evaristo, Obari Gomba, Richard Ali, and Otosirieze Obi-Young
  • 4:15 PM – 5:30PM In Conversation: Richard Ali and TJ Dema
  • 7:00 PM The Concert: Performances by Kaveh Akbar, TJ Dema, Natalia Molebatsi, Wana Udobang, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Bassey Ikpi, Tanya Evanson, Itiola Jones,Tobi Abiodun, Chika Jones, Rachel Long, Logan February, Tolu Agbelusi, and Brymo

Saturday, 2 November

  • 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Film Screening: Mother Tongues by Victoria Adukwei Bulley
  • 1:15 PM – 2:30 PM Wild Geographies: A Conversation with Nana Darkoa and Salma El Wardany, moderated by Chitra Nagarajan
  • 2:45 PM – 4:00 PM Telling Your Truth: A Conversation with New York Times Bestselling Author and Poet Bassey Ikpi, with Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún
  • 4:15 PM – 5:30PM A Life in Words: Bernadine Evaristo in Conversation with Otosirieze Obi-Young
  • 5:45 PM – 7:00 PM All the Magic We’ve Made: Looking at a Blazing Generation of Black Creativity, with Ayodeji Rotinwa, Momtaza Mheri, Wana Udobang, and Bukola Sawyer-Izeogu
  • 8:00 PM Poetry After Dark

Sunday, 3 November

  • City Tour – more details to be announced.

 

Registration for workshops can be found here.