THE Quramo Festival of Words or QFest 2021, with the theme “TRANSCENDENCE: Words Defying” which began yesterday, will end tomorrow, Sunday, October 3 at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island. It is the third edition of the festival produced by the publishing house, Quramo.
Aspects of the festival will also be virtual and feature a variety of events dotting on the theme, according to the organisers.
Executive Publisher of Quramo Publishing and convener of QFest 2021, Mrs. Gbemi Shasore, said, “This year’s theme ‘Transcendence: Words Defying’ is apt, as it captures the struggles of creatives who, though amongst the worst hit and the most stifled during and after a pandemic, are constantly seeking meaning and restoration through all the traditional and alternative modes of creative expression that words allow.”
Explaining the theme further, Mrs Shasore, said, it “will unravel how storytellers and creatives around the world have modified words for enlightenment and restoration, and as an effective tool in the fight for social justice and equality.
“We look at a dynamic range of human issues in the throes and aftermath of a pandemic, and how different artists explore these issues and cope with the harsh impacts of the pandemic on the creative industry, which is hinged on words.
“With the popularity of Podcasts, Zoom, Instagram, ClubHouse, WhatsApp spaces, and many other virtual platforms for expression, words have taken on different forms; from written texts, to audio documents and visual texts, as such, this festival will explore how effective these new forms of expression are.
“The Quramo Writers Prize – our flagship prize – which is currently in its fifth year, has since 2019 been incorporated into the Quramo Festival of Words. As is tradition, the prize winner will be unveiled at the festival.”
In a statement recently, the Festival Director, poet, and novelist, Iquo Diana-Abasi, stated: “This year’s edition of Quramo Festival of Words (QFest) will explore its theme through poetry, book chats, panel discussions, film, and more. The guest lineup of 50 artists includes Professor Ahmed Yerima, Dike Chukwumerije, Karen Jennings, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Femi Odugbemi, and many more exciting creative voices.
A programme outline for the festival spotlighted the following:
QFest 2021 Spoken Word Competition
Think you’ve got the lines and flow to knock the wind out of our sails at QFest 2021?
Think you can win N100, 000 with your spoken word poetry?
Register, and make it a date at the Quramo Festival of Words QFest 2021
The Q-Conversation:
This year, we will spotlight a man who has accomplished spectacular and laudable feats in the theatre industry. We are honoured to have as our guest the renowned Nigerian movie maker, Femi Odugbemi.
The Seat with spotlight on Oyinkan Braithwaite, and she will be in conversation with three young writers, critics and book enthusiasts.
Author’s Chats:
– C.M. Okonkwo will be in conversation with Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (author of Dreams and Assorted Nightmares, Season of Crimson Blossoms)
– Nzube Nlebedim will get into the mind of Booker Nominated Author Karen Jennings (Author of An Island).
Book Chats
- Innocent Ilo will find out what the big deal is in Alex Kadiri’s Sunshower
- Jerry Chiemeke will delve into the issues in Tope Folarin’s A Particular Kind of Black Man, and TJ Benson’s The Madhouse.
Panel Discussions.
- Panel 1: Transcendence – Words Rise, Words Defy, Words Restore
- Panel 2: The Art of Exit – Migration, Human Trafficking & Africa’s Brain Drain
- Panel 3: Writing to the Future, Today (Children’s Literature in Nigeria)
Drama
Theatre Night: The Movement written and Directed by Jude Idada
The Quramo Festival of Words was first hosted by Quramo Publishing in Lagos, Nigeria in December 2019. For the period of the festival, Lagosians were treated to masterclasses, book readings, workshop discussions, film, theatre, and an open mic. It ended with the announcement of Vivian Onyekachi Ibe as the winner of new literary award the Quramo Writers Prize.
The 2020 edition of the festival was a virtual affair because of a global pandemic preventing people meeting as in the past. In spite of its virtual nature, those who attended still got to participate in workshops, conversations, panel discussions, film and documentary screenings, book chats, and open mic performances. Just like in the previous year, the festival ended with the announcement of the Quramo Writer’s Prize 2020 winner.
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