8th Lagos Book & Art Fest

FROM Thursday, September 14, through Sunday, 17, 2006, the Committee For Relevant Art (CORA), will host its 8th Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) on the open lawns of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

A statement from CORA indicates that all exhibitors are expected at the venue on Thursday, September 14, and to set up their wares for the formal opening the following day.

Specifically, the first day, (Thursday, September 14) will host the second edition of the Lagos Comics & Cartoons Carnival & Exhibition with the theme, Literature and the Niger Delta Conflict beginning from 4p.m. The venue is the Agip Hall, MUSON Centre. Speakers are James Marriot, co-author of The Next Gulf and Oronto Douglas, co-author, Where Vultures Feast.

There will be reading excerpts by Nimo Bassey, author, We Thought It Was Oil, Kaine Agary, author, Yellow Yellow, E.C. Osondu, author For Ken For Nigeria.

On Friday, which is the formal opening ceremony, exhibition opens at 8a.m. with children workshops, and keynote by Rasheed Gbadamosi, economist, playwright, former chairman of NIDB. The theme is Book and the National Consensus. It holds at the festival ground (National Museum, Onikan).

At 12noon, there is going to be a roundtable on What Do Women Write? (The Female Narrative Voice in Nigerian Fiction). It will feature books and speakers such as Crossroads by Peju Alatishe; Splendid by Mobolaji Adenubi; No Sense of Limits by Aracelli Aipoh; The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi. Moderator is Omowunmi Segun.

At 4p.m. is a workshop on reporting the arts. Speaker is Gerd Meuer, former African Correspondent, German Public Radio, ARD. Participants are arts and culture journalists. Venue is festival ground (Courtyard). In collaboration with Goethe Institut, Lagos, at 6p.m. is film show. The title is The Edukators directed by Hans Weingartner, Germany, 2004. Venue: Goethe Institut, Lagos.

Day two is feast of celebration. At 8a.m, exhibition opens. At 9a.m: Children Workshops/Comics & Cartoons carnival continues. 10am: Lecture on Book in My Life by Prof. Pat Utomi.

At 1p.m. at the festival groug is "Feasting the 2006 People", with celebration of the landmark birthdays of the members of the arts and culture family. Short tributes by associates of the celebrants, highlighting their contributions to the development of the arts and culture sector of the economy. Steve Rhodes at 80, Mats Da Silva at 70, Benson Idonije at 70, Biodun Jeyifo at 60, Femi Osofisan at 60, Tarzan at 50. At the Bandstand is Fatai Rolling Dollar.

Seminar and roundtable on Is African Literature More Abroad than at Home? is secheduled for 3p.m. Speaker is Gerd Meuer, with Prof. Manthias Diawara of New York University, USA as discussant. At 5p.m., Moremi Rsv, a play written by Ayo Arigbabu will be performed by the Crown Troupe of Africa. At 7p.m. is film show, Go for Zucker! directed by Dani Levy in Germany, 2004 at the Goethe Institut, Lagos.

Day three is Wrap Up. Exhibition opens as usual. At 12 noon, Children Workshop/Comics & Cartoons carnival continues till 1p.m. "Festival Bouquet on 15 years of CORA: An Appraisal", with Odia Ofeimun and Bisi Sylva speaking. At 1.45p.m. is Family Blues, a stage adaptation of the soap opera by "Just For You Media Outreach."

Art Stampede comes up at 2p.m. Theme is :20 Years After The Nobel Prize. Issues to be examined include Impact on Nigeria Literature by Prof Biodun Jeyifo; Impact on African Literature by Prof Manthias Diawara; Impact on Global Cultural Discourse by Gerd Meuer; and Impact on African New Cinema Culture, by Awam Amkpa. Venue is Festival Ground.

CORA is a club of arts enthusiasts who are keen on improving the literary appreciation of the average Nigerian as well as increase the literacy rate in the country through non-governmental, informal intervention.

Since inception in 1999, LABAF has become a culture picnic primed to attract families and a public that seeks entertainment. All the last seven editions have been filled with fun and thrills, with a full band performing, galleries displaying art, theatre performances, and a series of art, craft, textile, dancing workshops focused on kids happening all over the open field.

The festival features scores of book stands, symposiums on literature and book parties. There are at least four drama skits and full theatre productions on the festival grounds throughout the three-day duration of the festival.

The idea, reasoned the organisers, "is to make 'The Book' have mass appeal. Ours is not a Book Fair. It's the city's prime culture picnic, an arts festival with a high book content."

• Culled from The Guardian, Lagos.
• The 7th Lagos Book & Art Festival - a report