The Benue Book and Arts Festival is here again and promises to be spectacular! We have an impressive list of star writers, artists and people from all over coming together to provide such beautiful literary and engaging fun as you have not seen before.
This year’s edition is billed for June 20th to 25th 2022, and is themed ‘ART AND THE CONVERGENCE.’ The theme is open-ended but can also be seen as how art converges with other things for results: whether it be history, activism, development, anarchy, or just about anything. It can also be looked at in the light of art surrounded by the convergence of people, things or a state in any context. Some of the projected panels including some on publishing and editing, the metaverse, and the role of arts in various spheres. There will be a slam competition worth a hundred thousand on the night of June 25th 2022. On the same day, there is also meant to be a competition for secondary schools that will feature drama, on-the-spot writing, and a spelling bee. It will also feature the book unveiling of the talented and popular poets, Umar Sidi and Oko Owi Ocho Afrika (who is a co-director of the festival for this year).
There will be virtual sessions throughout the festival, with daily critique and writer sessions by 4:30pm at Metroprime Hotel (from 20th to 23rd June 2022 with a palm wine reading on the 23rd where we hope to have a high-profile conversation on ‘Deconstructing the Canon: Literature, Language, Theories, Politics and Nationhood’ featuring Professors Dul Johnson and Egya Sule, with other scholars). The major part of the festival will be held at Steam Lounge, Old GRA, Makurdi, Benue State, on the 24th and 25th June 2022 (from 9am to 9pm).
There will be three keynote addresses from three acclaimed veteran scholars who are multiple award-winning writers across the genres. Professor Hyginus Ekwuazi discusses the convergence of the Nigerian film story with modern undertones via Zoom on 22nd June 2022, Professor Dul Johnson looks at the convergence of things at the opening ceremony on 24th June 2022 by 10am in Makurdi, and Professor Egya Sule (a.k.a E. E. Sule) will dissect literature, activism and the contemporary quest for a leadership revolution in society on 25th June 2022 in Makurdi.
Confirmed guests for this edition (virtually and physically) include Professors Hyginus Ekwuazi, Professor Dul Johnson, Professor Egya Sule, Professor Idris Amali, Dr Maria Ajima, Dr Soji Cole, Bash Amuneni, Umar Sidi, Jerry Adesewo, Benjamin Bentex Torlafia, Umar Yogiza, Amara Chimeka, Azafi Omoluabi, Iquo DianaAbasi, Raymond Anyasi, Kukogho Iruesiri Samson, Nana Awere Damoah, Bizuum Yadok, Romeo Oriogun, Aondosoo Labe, Dr. Chika Onyashiyiwa Ose-Agbo, and Dr. Peace Sorochi Longdet, Minoli Salgado and Emma Newport, among others.
This year’s edition is put together by SEVHAGE Literary and Development Initiative, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, the University of Sussex, Sussex Writes, and Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative, Sankofa Initiative, Mr Tine Agernor, SEVHAGE Publishers and Purple Shelves publishers, with support from Goethe Institut.
For inquiries, send an email to benuefest@gmail.com or call +2348069481524 or +2347030285995.
Once more, it is our pleasure to bring to you an excellent festival that joins in bringing much-needed change to the world.
Su'eddie in Life n' Literature 