BENUE BOOK AND ARTS FESTIVAL HOLDS IN MAKURDI 20th to 25th June 2022

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).

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LITERARY BUZZ: PURPLE SILVER OPEN MIC SESSION (25th May, 2013): DISCUSSION

DISCUSSION BUZZ: The Symbols Cuisine Gallery. 7pm. We walked in, Maik Ortserga (Executive Editor with Aboki Publishers and Secretary of Benue Association of Nigerian Authors) and I. There was Anselm Ngutsav, Apine Kenneth and Stephen Aba. I was still wondering if I had made the right choice of forfeiting my Abuja trip for this session – … Continue reading LITERARY BUZZ: PURPLE SILVER OPEN MIC SESSION (25th May, 2013): DISCUSSION

MOVING (A Children’s Short Story) by Su’eddie Vershima Agema

Dad’s Mercedes wagon appeared from nowhere. We squeezed our two bedroom apartment into the car. Soon, its stomach was touching the ground from the load it carried. By the time the entire luggage had found space, we discovered we couldn’t find any for ourselves. Terngu and I exchanged glances. The car looked overfed. Makurdi was … Continue reading MOVING (A Children’s Short Story) by Su’eddie Vershima Agema

UNOMA NGUEMO AZUAH COMES HOME TO BENUE TO CHEW HER EDIBLE BONES

Unoma Azuah…Unoma Azuah… Who the hell is she? Right? Well, she’s one of Nigeria’s finest writers and academics. She got the Hellman/Hammett award, the Urban Spectrum award, the Leonard Trawick award and the Association of Nigerian Authors/NDDC Flora Nwapa award for her debut novel Sky-high Flames. Her short story collection, The Length of Light though … Continue reading UNOMA NGUEMO AZUAH COMES HOME TO BENUE TO CHEW HER EDIBLE BONES

THE BENUE UNIVERSITY SAGA AND JUNGLE JUSTICE by TERNENGE TOROUGH

Yesterday, 2012 29th March, a Dangote trailer crushed a final year student of the Benue State University, Makurdi to death in front of the school premises. Students in a mad rage over this burnt down the Benue Internal Revenue Service headquarters situated opposite the university. Two more lives were lost in further protests. The school has … Continue reading THE BENUE UNIVERSITY SAGA AND JUNGLE JUSTICE by TERNENGE TOROUGH

CITATION IN HONOUR OF CHUMA NWOKOLO JNR by Su’eddie Vershima Agema

Chuma Nwokolo Jnr is not a stranger to these parts nor our literary community having done a workshop here at the State University alongside Geoff Ryman as well as having readings at the university’s Writers’ League and this great body too – all with Geoff. He is known to most of us personally but permit … Continue reading CITATION IN HONOUR OF CHUMA NWOKOLO JNR by Su’eddie Vershima Agema