The inaugural Abuja International Poetry Festival (AIPFest) 2024 curated by Nasara Creative draws on hope and the possibilities of another important cultural platform with partnerships from The African School of Economics, Abuja Literary Society, Jeje Riders, Spine & Label Bookshop, Konya Shamsrumi, All Africa Intellectual Property Rights Summit–Rwanda 2024, amongst others, at a time crucial to the evolution of poetry and understanding the interplay of poetry, intellectual property, digital economy and the future. This comes with many unanswered questions, even as creatives plough ideas and engage with a fast and evolving world. The festival organizer’s believe there is magic to be created where these elements meet, and they are excited to be sharing this experience with guests and attendees.
This year’s festival, with a working THEME: “Afro Futurism and Digital Culture”, will celebrate, across various venues within the city of Abuja, the meaning and measure of what it means to be an African Poet in the matrix of a digital revolution; what it means when it is said, magic happens where Art & Technology intersect. The guest list includes notable names like Prof E. E. Sule, Richard Ali, Itiola Jones, Caroline Brennan, Abubakar Sidi, BM Dzukogi, JAY Lit Managing Editor, Ibrahim Babátúndé Ibrahim, and many more.
The festival is curious to explore these expansive dynamics, and will do this both virtually and in-person in 3 days, from Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 November, 2024, with established and emerging poets from across the world through Knowledge Diffusion Sessions, Poetry Master-classes, A Village of Languages, Panels/Readings and Feedback Sessions, the traditional Poetry Concert, a Poetry Party (poems apostle should not hear) and a Ride-for-Climate-Change activity with Jeje Riders. The festival will end with a Poetry Slam named after Efe Paul Azino, one the most important performance poet to come out of the continent of Africa, as the organizers also look to creating relevant cultural market access for young poets.
The inaugural Abuja International Poetry Festival promises to be cultural mix and safe space for poets, dreamers, researchers, intellectuals and adventurers. The festival’s Opening and Closing events will hold at The Exhibition Pavilion of the International Conference Centre, Garki, Abuja.
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
