The Akure Feast of Books and Culture drew writers, students, and book lovers to a packed hall at the Akure Tech Hub in the Federal University of Technology, Akure. The festival, which was held on the 30th of November 2024, headlined fast-rising author, Chukwuemeka Famous as guest author. His debut novel titled, We Will Live Again, was formally reviewed before an engaged audience, and he later led a hands-on masterclass titled “Mastering the Art of Storytelling.”
The day opened with a brisk literary parade—readings, short performances, and a cultural interlude—before the focus shifted to Chukwuemeka Famous. Moderators guided a conversational review of his novel, examining its themes, narrative style, and character development. Reviewers praised the clarity of his prose and the representation of Nigerian realities before, during, and after the Nigeria Civil War. The highlight of the review was the engaging discussion about the representation of the Nigeria Civil War in his novel. When asked why he chose to set his story against the backdrop of the war, Famous narrated a story of how his students were unable to answer a question about the war and how he found that unimpressive. “It became clear to me that not many kids and young adults knew basic details about this very vital part of our history as a nation,” Famous explained, hence, his decision to incorporate it into his novel.
Speaking about his writing process, Chukwuemeka Famous emphasized discipline and close observation. “Stories live around us,” he told the audience. He added that revision, not inspiration, is where most stories find their voice.
The afternoon workshop shifted tone from celebration to craft. Over two intensive hours, Chukwuemeka Famous taught storytelling techniques and explained concepts such as character development, triggers and hooks, narrative styles, point of views (POVs), etc. Thereafter, he tasked participants to draft micro-stories which he evaluated and offered helpful edits. After the workshop session, there was another session where participants asked questions about the writing craft. Chukwuemeka Famous provided useful responses to all questions and the session ended with participants feeling satisfied. In his closing remarks, Chukwuemeka Famous encouraged the participants to treat their writing with so much care so as to let it flourish.
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
