More Pictures from the Festival...

The Book and Art Festival featured Seyi Solagbade, the 'Palongo' exponent, and his band, The Black Face. 

The Children at the Festival present a drama skit. 

The Comic Book Stands at the Book and Art Festival. 

Artists were on hand at the Lagos Book and Art Festival to do 'real-time' sketches of willing customers for a small fee.  

A stand at the Book and Art Festival. 

Former Ambassador to Ethiopia, Olusegun Olusola (left), sits with Iquo Eke as the German Radio Presenter, Gerd Meuer, engages him in conversation- location-The Book and Art Festival. 

The Actor, Richard Mofe Damijo, meets with the children at the Lagos Book and Art Festival. Also standing is the 80-year old music icon, Steve Rhodes. 

On the 2nd day of the book and arts festival, Sola Alamutu, author of the children's book, Cate saves the rain-forest (seated in cap), and Elder Steve Rhodes, pose with some young ones.  

The Nigerian-born Benin Republic-based percussionist, Segun Olabisi, lends variety to his art by attempting to eat a fire brand. Like the compere, Chris Ihidero, said: "Don't try this at home, folks.  

The Industrialist and University Don, Pat Utomi, who gave a lecture on the topic-'Book in my life', chats with a child at the Festival during his talk. 

Adunni (far right) and some members of her group, Nefertiti, perform at the festival 

The TV Producer, Amaka Igwe (left) chats with the music maestro, Steve Rhodes. 

Mobolaji Adenubi, author of the novel, Splendid (left), sits next to the General Manager of the Muson Centre, Gboyega Banjo at the festival. Extreme right is the stage and tv actress, Jennifer Osammor. 

The Director of the Goethe Institute in Lagos , A. Schneider, discusses with Toyin Akinosho, Sec. General of CORA at the first day of the 8th Lagos Book and Arts Festival on the grounds of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

Women Writers

The Writers (from left, in glasses) Veronica Uzoigwe and Araceli Aipoh, author of No Sense of Limits. Araceli's book was one of the 4 chosen for discussion. 

Two Generations

The Writer and Economist, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi (left), discusses with Peju Alatishe, author of Oritameta 

Gerd & Jahman

Gerd Meur, former African Correspondent for the German Public Radio (ARD) stresses a point to Jahman Anikulapo, Programme Chair of CORA 

A Finn at the Festival

The writer from Finland, Rita Dahl, was at the first day of the 8th Book and Arts Festival. 

A new breed at CORA

From left, Godwin of House of Klass, Remi Adegbite of Poetry Potters and Chude Jideonwo-writer and tv producer amongst many other things. 

WRITA.

Women Writers of Nigeria (WRITA) published a new anthology in collaboration with the British Council titled The Wings of Dawn.

At the event in the premises of the Council was the Chairman of CORA and Editor of the Guardian on Sunday, Jahman Oladejo. In the picture, he stands with Sola Alamutu, PRO of WRITA. 

Wings of Dawn

At the WRITA event, Veronica 'Ronnie' Uzoigwe (left), who edited the book alongside Professor Akachi Ezeigbo, stands chatting with one of the contributors to the anthology, Jumoke Verissimo. 

LNG Prize

At the short-listing of the LNG Prize for Literature (Drama) last Thursday the 7th of September

- Venue: Ocean View restaurant, Victoria Island.

Some of the judges of the 77 entries (3 were disqualified thereafter) included (from left- Chief Joop Berkout-Publisher of Spectrum Books, Professor Ayo Banjo-former V.C. of the University of Ibadan and Professor Theo Vincent).

The three shortlisted books were Hard Ground by Ahmed Yerima, C.E.O. of the National Arts Theatre, Ajayi Crowther by Professor Femi Osofisan, Professor of Drama at the University of Ibadan and Esoteric Dialogue by Emeka Egwuda, former Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors-Lagos State Chapter. 

The Festival...

The Lagos Book and Art Festival promises many things including a ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION on "what women write".

Books to be discussed include Crossroads by Peju Alatishe, Splendid by Mobolaji Adenubi, No Sense of Limits by Araceli Aipoh and Helen Oyeyemi's Icarus Girl.

The event will be moderated by Omowunmi Segun. Venue is the Festival Ground (The National Museum, opposite the Muson Centre) on the 15th of September. 

8th Lagos Book & Art Festival

 

MAMA, NA BOY!

Met Solomon Mac-Aulay, the actor in the controversial MTN advert, "Mama, Na Boy" (left of picture) in which a man calls his mother in the village via a mobile phone from far away and announces his wife/partner has delivered a male child. His mother and the other village women erupt in ecstacy.
Source of controversy- Feminists insisted MTN shouldn't have favoured the male gender. And they didn't take the matter lightly.
It erupted on TV and on the pages of newspapers.
Still, not sure"Mama, it's an offspring" would have worked as well.
Alongside him in the picture are the Actors, Joke Silva (Centre) and Uche Ama-Abriel, who is also the author of the stage play, "A past came calling".