This year, Sharjah will celebrate the dynamism of African literature. The first Sharjah African Literature Festival, which will be held from January 24 to 27 at the University City of Sharjah District and organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, will host two Nobel laureates – Nigerian Wole Soyinka and Tanzanian-British writer Abdulrazak Gurn – to discuss their work and oeuvre from the continent, reported by The National.
They are joined by Kenyan author Mara Menzies and Nigerian Wole Talabi, the latter best known for her science fiction novel The Copper Head of Obalufon. Wendy Nyoroge, co-founder of Kenyan publisher Soma Nami Books, and Nigerian literary lawyer Ifeoma Esiri will also be in attendance.
Program Highlights
The festival will also celebrate authors, including Nigerian poet and performer Deborah Johnson, whose work focuses on the socio-political issues of her homeland. The career of Kenyan Yvonne Owuor will also be highlighted through her rich and compelling historical novels. The festival will feature musical performances by South African soprano Anne McKesie, as well as Nigerian musicians Ade Bantu and Maryam Bukar Hassan. All sessions are open to the public, with times to be announced soon.
Program highlights include three panel discussions exploring African literary traditions, from writing techniques to storytelling. Guinean writer Cheryl Ntumi, Nigerian writer Wole Talabi, and Zimbabwean writer Tendai Huchu will come together for Much More Than Wakanda, a session that examines Africa’s impact on the global literary map.
UAE writer Salhi Obeid
Meanwhile, Nigerian authors Fatima Bala, Chika Unigwe and Nnamdi Ehirim will join UAE writer Salhi Obeid in “Creating Timeless Characters,” a discussion on creating literary characters that embody both African and Middle Eastern cultures. Youth and children can take part in a variety of workshops, including African jewelry-making, poetry and storytelling.
Foodies can also look forward to some exciting cooking sessions. For now, the Sharjah Literary Festival, which ends tomorrow at the same venue, Sharjah University Campus, is a more local affair. Organised by the Emirates Publishers Association, it brings together authors and publishers to explore the development of the Emirati publishing industry and literature.