June 12 is a special day in contemporary Nigerian history and to commemorate this year’s edition Screen Out Loud will feature In the Footsteps of Mamani Abdoulaye (2018) directed by Amina Abdoulaye Mamani (Niger Republic).
To take place Sunday 12 June, the event will also host a conversation with renowned journalists Kunle Ajibade and Molara Wood.
“For the post-screening conversation, we are privileged to be joined by renowned journalists Kunle Ajibade and Molara Wood. Mr. Ajibade is an acclaimed journalist, activist, executive editor of The News/PM News, and author of What A Country and Jailed For Life: A Reporter’s Prison Notes. The latter is an account of his time in prison while serving a life sentence during the regime of the late General Sani Abacha.
Ms. Wood is an award-winning writer, journalist, and host of the Art For The People podcast. She is the author of Indigo, a collection of short stories, and will moderate the conversation with Mr. Ajibade.
Time for the event is 5 pm prompt at the Alliance Française Lagos, 9 Osborne Road, Ikoyi.
Ajibade and Wood, according to a statement announcing the event, will have a discussion that revolves around culture, politics, democracy and surviving dictatorships.
“Many remember June 12 as the date of the 1993 elections that would be annulled. Amongst the countless activists, who protested the cancellation of the results, were writers, journalists and poets. With national elections coming up in Nigeria less than a year from now, we remain mindful of how voting outcomes can shape a nation’s future.
“Globally, writers and journalists remain at the forefront of condemning oppressive and repressive leadership, and they are at the centre of our upcoming screening,” says the organiser.
The film is a documentary about Mamani Abdoulaye, the late Nigerien poet and novelist who fought for Niger Republic’s independence from France. He would also condemn the poor governance by postcolonial Nigerien politicians, and was imprisoned for his activism.
Decades after his passing, Amina Abdoulaye Mamani, an actor and filmmaker, presents a profile of her father – the poet, philosopher and politician. As she gets to know more about his political activism, we also get to know more about the man whose novel Sarraounia was adapted for screen by Mauritanian filmmaker Med Hondo.
What is more, entry is free.
This event is organised with support from Alliance Française de Lagos, and the Embassy of France in Nigeria.