37 innovators establish a civilized dialogue in… "Sharjah African Literature"

Sharjah, January 7 / WAM / The first Sharjah Festival of African Literature, organized by the Sharjah Book Authority in the University City of Sharjah during the period from 24 to 27 January, brings together an elite group of intellectual and cultural figures, including Wole Soyinka and Abdul Razzaq Qaranah, winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, along with 37 others. Emirati and African creators of writers, writers, and novelists, including 30 African writers from 10 countries.

The festival constitutes a platform to celebrate African creative heritage and promote cultural exchange between Africa and the Arab world through interactive dialogues that highlight the depth and diversity of African literature.

The first Sharjah Festival of African Literature witnesses the participation of a group of Emirati writers who represent the literary renaissance in the Emirates. They are Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, head of the Sharjah Heritage Institute, Dr. Maryam Al-Hashimi, who specializes in literary criticism, the writer Saleha Obaid, the poet and writer Sheikha Al-Mutairi, Dr. Ali Al-Abdan, and the media poet Muhammad Al-Habsi. And the writer Iman Al-Youssef.

Among the most prominent names participating in the festival are the Nigerian lawyer Ifeoma Esiri, who founded the “ZODML” libraries to provide knowledge for all and contributed to enhancing education and making reading available to deprived communities, and Chika Onigwe, the Nigerian novelist whose works were translated into several languages ​​and through which she explored human relations and women’s issues.

The festival will host from Nigeria the writer and publisher Lola Shonyin, founder of Oyeda Books Publishing House to support contemporary African voices, and the literary coordinator Emmanuela Aminat Bawa-Allah, a content consultant, and from Zimbabwe, Tendai Hucho, one of the most prominent science fiction and fantasy writers who has won prestigious literary awards for his works published in major literary magazines, will participate. .

The festival will witness the participation of Neddy Okorafor, the American-Nigerian writer who topped the New York Times list for her science fiction works and who won the Hugo and Nebula Awards and the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa for her first novel, “Flower Seeking the Wind.” Wana Odobang from Nigeria, who has excelled in the fields of poetry, will also join the festival. And artistic performance, known for her creative projects, and from Uganda, Jennifer McCombie, author of the famous novel “The First Woman,” which won the Galack Prize and reached lists of international awards, participates.

Among the participants in the first Sharjah Festival of African Literature is Mara Menzies from Kenya, who specializes in writing stories that blend Kenyan oral traditions with contemporary theatre, and who won the Stage Award for Excellence at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022.

The festival highlights prominent names representing the African literary scene, including Wole Talabi from Nigeria, the engineer and writer whose novel “Shigedi and the Brass Head of Opalophone” appeared among the top 10 science fiction books. Wendy Njoroge from Kenya, co-founder of “Soma Nami Books,” who led initiatives To promote African literature.

The festival celebrates Deborah Johnson, the Nigerian poet and performance artist, who is known for her influential works on youth and societal issues and has won several awards, in addition to the Kenyan writer Yvonne Owor, who sheds light on the history and culture of Africa through her novels, along with Abdulkarim Baba Aminu, the Nigerian writer and painter who is distinguished by his creativity in novels. Illustration and African Futurist literature, with contributions extending to journalism and television.

The first Sharjah African Literature Festival brings together prominent literary voices, including Dami Agyei from Nigeria, the poet and psychiatrist, whose works explore issues of identity and humanity. Along with him, Cheryl Ntumi from Ghana, who shines in speculative fiction and whose works have been published in the most prominent international literary magazines, also participates. As for Nnamdi Ehirim, From Nigeria, he is known for his political novels that dealt with issues of maturity and identity in complex contexts.

The festival is enriching its program with the participation of Peter Kimani from Kenya, the author and literary critic known for his novel “The Jacaranda Dance,” which was chosen by the New York Times as one of the most prominent books of 2017. Kinano Fili from Botswana, co-founder of the Gaborone Book Festival, will also participate.

The festival attracts Nigerian Fatima Bala, who is known for her works such as “Broken” and “Hafsa Baby.” Dr. Olakun Soyinka, who combines medicine, public health, and writing, will also participate, along with Bettina Gabaha from Zimbabwe, the writer who combined literature, law, and diplomacy and is famous for her works such as “The Book of Memory” and “Rotten Row.”

The first Sharjah Festival of African Literature adds a distinctive dimension to its activities with the participation of inspiring artistic and literary figures, as Anne Makaizi, the famous soprano singer who has excelled in international artistic productions, will attend from South Africa, alongside the artist and film producer Adi Bantu from Nigeria, leader of the famous BANTU band. Maryam Bukar Hassan, a poet, will also participate. The international performance known as “Alhan Al-Islam” leads initiatives to promote creative culture and empower African youth, especially girls.

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