The 18th Lagos Book & Art Festival (LABAF) is ready to roll from November 10 to 13 at Freedom Park, Lagos.
JahmanAnikulapo, who is programme chair, for the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), which organises the annual event, said ‘The Terror of Knowledge’ is this year’s theme.
Through this, he stated, we hope to address rising extremism against acquisition of knowledge and development of the mind.
“The inspiration derives from the immortal words of the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka that:‘Books and all forms of writing are terror to those who wish to suppress the truth’,” he stated.
The idea of LABAF has always been to make ‘The Book’ have mass appeal. Hence it is not a book fair, but “an art festival with a high book content”.
This year, there are a total of 35 events at the four-day culture picnic, 31 Books of the Festival, one book trek, one pre-festival cocktail to open the festival, one Publishers’ Forum, one Visual Art Exhibition and one Festival Colloquium. LABAF will also feature one Festival Conversation, 10 book events, 11 Children’s workshops, three workshops for teachers, two festival plays and three music concerts/art parties (one hip-hop, one jazz, one high-life).
Pre-festival events take place in several venues in the town, in the four days leading to the festival, showering Lagos with a week-long fun-filled activity focused on The Book.
LABAF is a culture picnic primed to attract families and a public that seeks cultural entertainment. The first edition of LABAF was held in 1999. The festival has since grown to be a world class – albeit home-grown – cultural event that has since become a highpoint in the nation’s cultural calendar.
The festival is the one book event with high children participation. Last year, it hosted over 1,500 children to workshops on painting, reading, photography, a range of experiences and, most crucially, discussions around books.
All the last 17 editions have been filled with fun and thrills, with a full band performing, galleries displaying art, theatre performances, and a series of art, craft, textile and dancing workshops focused on kids in the open field.
The book and art festival is established in 1999, the year Nigeria returned to democracy, to draw attention to the importance of literacy. Organised by CORA, it is CORA’s homage to the written word.
The festival features scores of book stands, symposia on literature and book parties. There are at least four drama skits and full theatre productions on the festival grounds throughout the three days of the Festival.
Organisers say they are expecting over 30 publishers taking stands and at least 10 art exhibiting groups and sundry craft shops.
