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By Henry Akubuiro
Africa’s premium literary and arts fiesta, Aké, has hit the ground running today at BON Hotel, Ikeja Residence, 51 Sobo Arobiodu Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos. Holding from Thursday, 20 November to Saturday, 22 November 2025, it is the 13th edition in the series.
As has been the tradition over the years, the festival brings authors, poets, artists, storytellers, thinkers, film producers, musicians, and thinkers from Africa and beyond for a three-day cultural immersion.
Themed “Reclaiming Truth,” Festival Director, Lola Shoneyin, explained at a recent press conference announcing the festival at Ouida Books, Ikeja, Lagos, that “it urges us to rediscover the power of authenticity and the courage of integrity in a time when misinformation spreads faster than facts, and narratives are engineered to obscure realities.”
She informed us that Aké Review, the popular event publication, “presents new writing and art that interrogate truth, challenge dominant narratives, and reflect on how we construct meaning in an increasingly polarised world.”
Visitors to Aké Festival who are already in Nigeria for the festival will be thrilled with inspiring panel discussions featuring eminent guests. Conversations include “Whose Truth Is It Anyway?”, featuring leading authors and thinkers; “The Stories That Matter,” with Mazzi Odu, Paul Okuego, Kiisa Soyinka, and Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie—authors of children’s books; and “The Rise of Romance,” with Fatima Bala, Adesuwa Nwokedi, and Oreva Olujimi.
Shoneyin added: “In ‘What Is Truth?’, Adania Shibli, Kunle Adebajo, and Dr Olaokun Soyinka explore the nuances of truth and authenticity. Other panels include ‘Global Media and Selective Empathy,’ featuring Adrian Harewood, Zeinab M. Salih, and Jonas Kiriko, moderated by Joseph Ike, as well as ‘Mainstream Media and the Loss of Trust,’ with Tolu Ogunlesi, Colombe Schneck, and Myroslav Laiuk.”
The festival will also host “Why Speculative Fiction Matters,” highlighting the genre’s power to reimagine reality and challenge perceptions. Together, these conversations will ensure that attendees leave Aké Festival feeling inspired, reflective, and more connected to global experiences.
In all, nine Book Chats will be held at this year’s Aké Festival, featuring in-depth conversations with leading African and international writers whose latest works, said Shoneyin, “transport readers into unforgettable worlds full of memory, meaning and magic.”
Multi-award-winning authors Bernardine Evaristo; Adania Shibli, the acclaimed Palestinian writer; and Nkereuwem Albert are expected to make the festival thick in Lagos. The latter’s debut novel, The Bone River, published by Ouida Books, is set in Calabar and explores the power that flows through ancient bloodlines and the secrets of the Four Houses ruling the unseen.
A special Book Chat around one of Ouida Books’ bestsellers, Mrs Kuti, a memoir of Remilekun Kuti, the wife of Fela Kuti, featuring Femi Kuti, Yeni Kuti, and Made Kuti, will be hosted by the organisers.
Other News
Aké’s Romance Book Chat lineup has expanded this year to include Fatima Bala, author of Broken: Not a Halal Love Story, who will be presenting her latest novel, Hafsatu Bebi, and Bolu Babalola, with her new book, Sweet Heat.
Other notable names to be hosted by Aké this year include Alain Mabanckou, Bofane In Koli Jean, Louisa Onomé, Femi Kayode, Olufemi Terry, Olayinka Yaqub, Marvellous Michael, Iris Mwanza, Andie Davis, and Lola Shoneyin, who recently won the Akada Children’s Book of the Year Award for Tunde the Chess Champion, illustrated by K. R. Onimole and inspired by the life of Tunde Onakoya.
This year, Aké Festival will celebrate cinematic excellence from Nigeria with a film that resonates with the festival theme. Producers Ema Edosio and Adebayo Oduwole will screen their film, When Nigeria Happens, and afterwards engage in a conversation with Omotoke Solarin Sodara.
The trademark Palmwine and Poetry segment has been designed as the highlight of the annual festival. “This dynamic blend of cultural elements fuses the refreshing tang of palm wine with the energising artistry of performance poetry to create an exhilarating evening for our festival-goers,” said Shoneyin.
Attendees will also be entertained with captivating performances by Momtaza Mehri, Yashika Graham, Maryam Bukar, Abubakar Umar Sidi, Dami Ajayi, Chukky Ibe, Zaynab Bobi, and Bash Amuneni. This segment will be hosted by Wana Udobang.
The festival is set to captivate audiences with musical brilliance as The Recurrence, a boy band formed in Lagos by three young music graduates, fills the atmosphere with uplifting and inspiring classics from the coast of West Africa.
This year marks the second Bedtime Stories series at Aké. Audio recordings of two of the guests reading from their books will be played to soothe audiences at the end of each day as they head to their bedrooms. Featured authors include Fatima Bala, author of one of Nigeria’s most trending novels, and Adedapo Adeniyi, a filmmaker.
This year’s festival is in partnership with Sterling Bank, Lagos State Government, and Open Society Foundation.
This year, Aké Arts & Book Festival is partnering with Sterling Group and Open Society Foundation (OSF), who have consistently supported the goal of celebrating and promoting creativity, while facilitating discussions that empower the arts. Guests from all over Africa and beyond will also be taken round Lagos for a tour.
