They say time flies when you are having fun. Get ready for some massive fun at Nigeria’s biggest book and arts fiesta, Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF), which will hold from November 4 – 10 at Freedom Park, Lagos. The 21-yer-old festival will feature poetry, jazz, art projects, a festival for children and much more. You don’t want to miss out on the fun and here are 5 reasons why you shouldn’t.
- ART PROJECT @Kongi’s Harvest
The exhibition with the theme: Wole Soyinka: Timeless Memories: Elastic Effects, which celebrates the Nobel Laureate @t 85 will open from 4 pm on Monday, November 4, 2019. Curated by Damola Adebowale for ASIRI Magazine, the exhibition project seeks to understand and showcase from the perspective of the Icon, 25 most important defining moments. The exhibition will feature Art Pieces, Video Installation and Virtual Reality.
- CHILDREN ARE WELCOME TO THE GREEN FESTIVAL
When it comes to LABAF Children are never left out. On Friday, November 5, 2019 at 9 am, the Green Festival, which is the segment for kids, will welcome hundreds of pupils and students from as many as 50 schools from around Lagos as they converge on the festival grounds to participate in the “Feast of Life and Ideas”. Through the sessions curated by the Care for the Environment (CATE), founded by the Environmental author and activist, Sola Alamutu aka Green Queen (GQ), the young ones will partake in mentoring and workshop sessions that help them discover their talents and/or sharpen their skills through creative activities such as writing, reading, storytelling, spelling bees, drama, dance, poetry and music.
- PUBLISHERS’ FORUM @Goethe Institut
The 9th edition of Publishers’ Forum, in association with Quramo Publishing Limited is perhaps the only event of the festival not taking place at freedom Park. Scheduled to hold at 10 am on Thursday, November 7, 2019 under the theme: How to Capture 200 Million Readers in Five Years, it is for publishers, writers and book enthusiasts as well as activists to discuss emerging opportunities and stubborn challenges in the publishing eco-system. The Nigeria Copyright Commission will make a special presentation on Digital Publishing and copyright imperative. The session is in continuation of the NCC’s Creative Industry-outreach programme in its 30th-anniversary celebration.
- POETS FOR CHANGE @Food Court
On Sunday, November 10, 2019, beginning from 8 pm performing poets across ages, styles and orientation will gather at the literary party that will close the week-long festival. They will dwell mostly on the theme of the festival but are allowed to riff on subjects and issues around our collective human conditions.
- JAZZ’n CONVERSATION @Food Court
The final event for Friday, November 8, 2019 begins at 7 pm. It is for lovers of music especially jazz, highlife and afro-fusion and will feature conversations produced by Peter Fisher for the PF Music Group.
- NIGHT OF THE ANCESTORS
While LABAF2019 is dedicated to the memory of the artist, David Dale, there will be further tributes and eulogies for other creatives of various stripes who transited from this realm in the past year. LABAF will be honouring the memories of newly minted ancestors like Bisi Silva, Okwui Enwezor, Pius Adesanmi, Paul Emema, Eddie Ugbomah, Molara Ogundipe, Stella Oyedepo, Jide Ogungbade, Frank Okonta, and Idowu Nubi. It will take place on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at the Food Court.
