EDUCATION. LITERACY. EMPOWERMENT… Heart of Programming Concept at LABAF

“A combo of Education, Literacy and Empowerment are the core virtues at the Lagos Book & Art Festival, otherwise called the grand ‘festival of ideas and life.’ This is the agenda we have pursued since 1999, when LABAF’s birth was instigated by the desire to help prepare the Nigeria citizenry for then impending era of political freedom… a relief from decades of wastefulness by the vagabonds in warrior attire.”

WITH the above, the Committee for Relevant Art, CORA, promoters of the Lagos Book & Art Festival, LABAF. affirmed their core mission, as they prepare to stage the 20th anniversary edition of the festival from November 5-11 at their traditional base, Freedom Park, by Broad Street, Lagos Island. Programme chair of the frontline culture advocacy group, CORA, Jahman Anikulapo, reiterated that the Festival “was born out of a desire to help facilitate the rise of the ‘intellect’ over ‘emotion’ in the affairs of peoples of our nation”.

“The LABAF signposted its mission with the dream to help deepen human capital development in the continent through a systematic spread of enlightenment through the written, painted, sculpted, crafted or spoken texts… that educate, enlighten, empower and develop the mind… all about erasing ignorance from the mind of men… eroding their powerlessness… wearing off their hopelessness in the capability of goodness to always trump the evil.

Speaking of what to expect at the 20th edition, Anikulapo, a trained performing artist, culture advocate/communicator and former newspaper editor, who has been director of the festival since inception, stated: “At CORA, we are more focused on the mind and mental development of the people of Africa, so they can proudly take their seat at the globalization discourse. We believe that this can only be accomplished through mass literary, using the instrumentality of the arts”.

He added, “significantly, the Book (knowledge and mental empowerment) must, going forward, be installed as the weapon of our engagement with the malfeasance that abound in global political arena. Education must be our shield against the acidic rain that hover above our collective consciousness due to the irresponsibility and irascibility of political and economic actors locally, and globally. Mental and mind development must be our wall against the reign of leprous beings that often/have appropriate(d) our collective consciousness. So, as you come to the festival ground, just remember that the BOOK is the megastar at the LABAF… the writer is as big as the idea contained his/her Book”.

Explaining further on the advocacy mission of the 27-year old CORA, he said, “For us at CORA, the core of our very VISION and MISSION is the protection, and implicitly, the sustenance and survival of our/the human race. We insist that no Human is greater than the Other. All is/are created equal, except where extraneous circumstances dictate that some are better privileged than the others; and such who could exploit such privilege to oppress the non-so-privileged. Essentially, the first instrument of oppression of the ‘lowly’ by the so-called High and Mighty is the hoarding of such essential civilising tools as Education, which ensures that important information circulates to all; Empowerment (mental and economical) which ensures that everyone is capacitated to be able to fully explore his/her potentials, and exploit same for his self-benefit and mutual benefit of his/her family and the community.

“The CORA insists that what the community of Humans needs is the flourishing and flowering of Literacy to/and among every member of the Human family; so they are well resourced to participate effectively in the conversations that affect their common interest; and the general wellbeing of the society. This is the way to deepen democratic values and guarantee that all will be effective participants in decision-making processes that lead to collective good, and better nationhood.

“This is why we insist on an open air fest of Ideas and Life, where every member of the community is a partaker; and an active actor in the socialisation process. This is the creed of our engagement at the programming directorate of the LABAF, which is running into its 20th anniversary on a blaze of glory. This edition is an extension of the ideas that we have pursued in recent editions of the festival that we love to claim as the “biggest cultural picnic on the continent…”

The theme for the 2018 festival, RENEWAL: Towards a World that Works for All, follows in the trajectory of the mission and vision of the festival, which is one of the longest running cultural/artistic project in the country. The theme is primarily inspired by the need to focus on the process of rebirth as the country enters its 20th year of democracy and conducts its sixth general elections. This Festival hopes to show several points of light in a dark, pessimistic world headlined by Herdsmen killings, Boko Haram sit-in, Biafra secession, kidnappings, and other convulsions in the polity that unsettle us all. Can we all, through books, imagine a world of better possibilities? LABAF 2018 will be spotlighting novels, poems, and dramas of opportunities, as well as non-fiction narratives about the birth and growth of successful nation states.

In all, the festival, which on its 18th edition two years ago expanded from its usual three-day programing to a full week-long affair, will feature about 51 events, including live book readings, panel discussions, conversations, authors’ assembly, publishers’ forum, colloquium, symposiums, seminars, drama, music concert, film screening, exhibitions as well as children and students creative sessions. To ensure stronger focus on its main mission – deepening the culture of reading and engagement with the written text to increase literacy level and knowledge acquisition, the festival is spotlighting four panels – Mentoring (for children and youths), Leaders as Readers featuring leaders in business circuit sharing their joy of reading. Three other panels focusing on Processes of Nation Building, another core objective of the festival, will have the famous poet and political activist, Odia Ofeimun, deliver the festival keynote; an intergenerational dialogue between older and younger Nigerians; and another on Processes of Change.

MENTORING SESSION

Theme: THE BOOK IN MY LIFE/MY ENCOUNTER WITH BOOK. An open air, TedEx kind of talk, in which a celebrity known to be both jovial and cerebral, addresses a gathering of young Nigerians on what Books have done to his or her life. This is CORA’s prime Mentoring project to increase mental capacitation of the young ones, and prepare them for a life of meaningful engagement with the written text. “In The Book in My Life, the speaker talks about how books have shaped their lives and helped them to be what they have become… The event was created to mentor children about the values of literacy. Over the 20 editions of LABAF, this major children/youth segment has featured such distinguished Nigerians as Africa’s first Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka; Pat Utomi, professor of the social environment of business at the Pan African University; Femi Osofisan, the country’s top playwright and professor of Theatre Arts; the irreverent Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; Nollywood veterans Richard Mofe Damijo and Joke Silva and the path breaking comedian Ali Baba, among several others.

DAY 5: FRIDAY 9TH NOVEMBER: 11am: The BOOK IN MY LIFE @ Foodcourt

Actress Kate Henshaw mentors children and students on importance of Reading and Education.

KATE HENSHAW:Actress, Social Activist:

The A-List actress, who in 2008 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film Stronger than Pain. She is now “The Face of Onga”. She judge on Nigeria’s Got Talent. She has starred in over 45 Nollywood movies; and her other screen credits include: Above Death: In God We Trust (2003); A Million Tears (2006); My Little Secret (2006); Stronger Than Pain (2007);Show Me Heaven (2007); Aremu The Principal (2015)

DAY 6: SATURDAY, 10TH NOVEMBER

11am: MENTORSHIP @ Food Court

Songwriter, Performer , Lanre Fasasi aka Sound sultan, mentors children and students on importance of Reading and Education. Under the theme: The Book In My Life/My Encounter With Book, the session is CORA’s prime Mentoring project to increase mental capacitation of the young ones, and prepare them for a life of meaningful engagement with the written text.

LANRE FASASI (Sound Sultan)

Fourth amongst six children, Lanre Fasasi (aka Sound Sultan) studied Geography and Regional Planning at the Lagos State University, LASU, graduating in 1999. His career started professionally in the 90s, when he started hosting shows in order to raise money for studio sessions. By 1999 he had won numerous local talent hunt shows, then he released his first single “Jagbajantis” in 2000, which went on to be an instant hit and a classic song around Nigeria and beyond. His music is known for its deep social consciousness, which is very rarw among his contemporaries. In 2015, he released another hit rap single, “Remember”, which also became an instant hit.

LEADERS AS READERS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

5pm: 1st READERS’ FORUM@ Kongi’s Harvest Art Gallery

Theme: LEADERS AS READERS: WHY I READ WHAT I READ

A notable Business Leader in Nigeria’s economic space, discussing

Why I Read What I Read.

Guests of Honour: i. Taofeek Adegbite, MD/CEO, Marine Platforms Limited

ii.. Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director, FATE Foundation

ii. Tony Atta, MD, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG

Moderator: Reuben Abati (PhD), Journalist, Ex-Editorial Board Chair, The Guardian

TAOFIK ADEGBITE

CEO, Marine Platforms Limited.

Recognised as one of Africa’s inspirational and influential leaders, Taofik is a major contributor to global discourse on Local Content. He equally engages his time in public speaking where he addresses issues on critical economic areas, entrepreneurship; and inspires budding entrepreneurs across Africa and beyond. Through his numerous public lectures and mentoring on entrepreneurship and self-development, Taofik has provoked thoughts on the action terms –“Paradox of Ignorance and Weakness of Knowledge” — that he developed to enable people challenge several normative tendencies.

TONY ATTAH; CEO/MD, Nigeria LNG

With over 20 years experience in the Oil and Gas industry, Attah, before current assignment as Managing director of Nigeria LNG, he served as the Vice President of Bonny Gas Transport. He was Managing Director of Shell Nigeria E & P Company SNEPCo, Vice President HSE and Corporate Affairs, Vice President Human Resources (HR) as well as other technical & non-technical roles in Operations and major projects including the Head of Joint Venture Economics in the commercial function.

ADENIKE ADEYEMI

Executive Director, FATE Foundation

Chief executive officer of FATE foundation, the frontline non-profit organisation for business and entrepreneurial development, her 15 years of work experience includes being Engagement Manager in KPMG Nigeria’s Development and Public Sector Advisory services working with Foundations, Non-Profit clients and Government Agencies in the education sector. Adenike currently chairs the Nigerian MSME Council’s Special Committee on Improving the regulatory Environment for MSMEs.

Moderator

REUBEN ABATI, Journalist, ex-chairman The Guardian editorial board

Abati earned Ph.D in Theatre Arts, specializing in Dramatic Literature, Theory and Criticism from the University of Ibadan (1990), and was Chairman Of The Guardian Editorial Board for over a decade, before leaving to serve as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2011-2015), to President Goodluck Jonathan. Between 2000 and 2011, Reuben Abati was a member and co-presenter of the television discussion programme, Patito’s Gang, and now Lead anchor on AriseTv. Abati is a recipient of many prizes for journalistic excellence.

REBUILDING NIGERIA: AN INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2018

5pm: SYMPOSIUM @ Kongi’s Harvest Art Gallery

Theme: INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE

Subject 1What was the Plan?

Featuring Prof. Akin Mabogunje, 85, author of A Measure of Grace,

Titus Okereke, 76, author of Our Father’s Land

NB: Interface with those born 30 to 10 years before Independence

Subject 2 What We Plan

Featuring:

Chude Jideonwo, author of Are We The Turning Point Generation?,

Eghosa Imasuen, author of To St Patrick and

Abubakar Adam, author of Seasons of Crimsons Blossoms

Interface: Those born 15 to 20 Years After Independence

Moderator: Kunle Ajibade, Executive Director, The News Magazine

AKIN L. MABOGUNJE (Prof)

A distinguished scholar is reputed as the ‘father’ of Geography and one of the ‘fathers’ of the Social Sciences in Nigeria, and is the recipient of about 20 Honours in various academic, professional and administrative fields both at the national and international levels. He is recipient of the Grand Medaille of the French Geographical Society (1993); recipient of the Gold Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (1994). His publishing credits include over 25 major books, single or multiple authorship and more than 100 journal articles and chapters of books. His contributions are all notable having consulted for such varied organizations as the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development in Geneva; International Council for Scientific Unions; the International Labour Organization (ILO); the Population Council, New York; the African Studies Association; UNCHS; UNDP and UNESCO, among others.

TITUS OKEREKE; Zoologist, Businessman

Okereke, was educated at Government College, Ughelli, Delta State; University College, Ibadan and later Moscow State University. At age 23, he had finished his first degree from University College, Ibadan and at 26 or so he had his PH.D from the University of Moscow. Prof. Okereke won many literary awards, as he should, and would have been a noted Parasitelogist had history not played havoc with his life. Prof. Okereke says he taught at the University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria Nsukka and University of Benin or read at the School of Tropical medicine, London, or at Cornell University, Ithaca. He was UNESCO, Fulbright and WHO Research Fellow in many institutions and was later Head of Zoology Department, University of Benin. He is at present Chairman/CEO of Honikomb Nig. Ltd; TP Crest Consulting Ltd and Taeno Projects Ltd. He is a member of the Commonwealth Ecological Society.

CHUDE JIDEONWO, Journalist and Media Entrepreneur

He is the founder of Joy, Inc., an American benefit corporation with a Nigerian subsidiary, which aims to make people happier. All of Joy, Inc.’s profits are invested in charities. Before Joy, Inc., he led African media group, Red Africa for 13 years, working on national elections and social movements in Nigeria, Kenya and Liberia. He is a co-founder of The Future Project, which is focused on inspiring leadership, building entrepreneurs, and using the media (traditional and new) as a tool for social change. In May 2014, his collection of essays, rhetorically titled Are We The Turning Point Generation was launched in Lagos; published by Farafina, it has toured Lagos, Abuja, Johannesburg, London, Paris and New York. He was selected as a 2017 Greenberg Fellow at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. In March 2018, he was selected alongside several other 17 other young leaders from all over Africa For the 2018 Tutu Leadership Programme.

EGHOSA IMASUEN, Writer, Medical Doctor, Publisher

He studied medicine at the University of Benin. His second novel, Fine Boys, which chronicles the voices of Nigeria’s post-Biafra generation, was published in 2012 by Farafina. He has worked in publishing since 2013 and is co-founder of Narrative Landscape Press, a publishing services firm based in Lagos. He runs a new publishing outfit called Narrative Landscape Press.

ABUBAKAR ADAM IBRAHIM, Journalist, Writer

Described by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle as a northern Nigerian “literary provocateur” his first novel, Season of Crimson Blossoms, was published in 2015 by Parrésia Publishers in Nigeria and by Cassava Republic Press in the UK (2016). Season of Crimson Blossoms won the 2016 $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature endowed by the NigeriaLNG. Ibrahim is the Features Editor at the Daily Trust newspaper. In May 2018 he was announced as the winner of the Michael Elliot Award for Excellence in African Storytelling, awarded by the International Center for Journalists, for his report All That Was Familiar, published in Granta magazine in May 2017. Ibrahim was a 2018 Ochberg Fellow at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. His other published works are:

RAZINAT T. MOHAMMED, Writer, Lecturer

Associate Professor of Feminist Literary Criticism and Theoretical Approaches at the University of Maiduguri, Razinat in 2005, published her first book, a collection of short stories, A love Like a Woman’s and other Stories, which won the Maiden ANA/ Lantern Book prize. Her novel, Habiba, was a finalist for the ANA prize for prose 2014; she is also, author of The Travails of a first Wife (2015). Her other works have appeared in some national and international anthologies like Camouflage: The Best of Contemporary Writings from Nigeria, The Gong Books, For Women Collective: A Tribute to Nina Simone (USA). She is the author of Intra-gender Relations between Women (Germany); Female Representation in Nigerian Literature (www.africanwriter.com) among others. She was a Resident Writer in El-Gouna, Egypt May /July, 2011.

Moderator

KUNLE AJIBADE; Journalist, Writer

Executive Editor of TheNEWS and P.M. News, Ajibade in 1998, was a scholar of the Feuchtwanger Fellowship. In 1995, he was framed up and arrested by the military junta of Sani Abacha, and was sentenced to death. There was international outcry and the sentence for Ajibade was reduced to 15 years. On 8 June 1998, General Abacha died in office. Ajibade was released on 18 July of that year by General Abdulsalami Abubakar. He has since documented his experience in the famous memoir, Jailed for Life: A Reporter’s Prison Memoir. He is also author of the book, What a Country!

EBIEGBERI JOE ALAGOA (Prof) , Historian, Academic

Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa, has in his illustrious career, held several administrative positions, including Archivist, National

Archives of Nigeria, Ibadan; Archivist-in-Charge, National Archives, Enugu, Alagoa is a specialist in Oral Traditional History, he has contributed a large number of articles to learned journals within and outside the country. These include Odu, Tarikh, Ikenga, Oduma, Journal of African History, Journal of Historical Society of Nigeria, African Notes, Cahiers, Kiabara (of which he is also the co-editor), the Research Review published in Ghana, Journal of American Folklore, American Journal, Daedalus, among others. Much of his academic endeavours have focused on recovering, through oral traditional method, a substantial part of the early history of the Ijo. His objective has been to document the history of the people of the Niger Delta in particular and Rivers State in general.

ALHAJI LATEEF KAYODE JAKANDE, Journalist, Publisher, Statesman

He began a career in journalism in 1949, first with the Daily Service and then in 1953 he joined the Nigerian Tribune, where in 1956, he was appointed editor-in-chief by the owner Chief Obafemi Awolowo. His editorials were factual and forthright, and were treated by the colonial powers with respect. After leaving the Tribune in 1975, Jakande established John West Publications and began to publish The Lagos News. He served as the first President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN). Encouraged by Awolowo, he ran for election as executive governor of Lagos State in 1979, on the Unity Party of Nigeria platform. His administration was effective and open and implemented the cardinal policies of his party. He established the Lagos State University.