The Aké Arts and Book Festival has been described as the African continent's biggest annual gathering of literary writers, editors, critics, and readers.
[2] The festival is named after Aké, a town in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where Africa's first Nobel Laureate in Literature, Wole Soyinka, was born in 1934.
[6] The official opening ceremony was held on 18 November 2016, and featured speeches from the Executive Governor of Ogun State Ibikunle Amosun, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS Michel Arrion, as well as Baji Nyam of Marine Platforms.
Other notable writers at the festival included Helon Habila, Binyavanga Wainaina, Mona Elthahawy, Chris Abani, Véronique Tadjo, Pierre Cherruau, E. C. Osondu, Taiye Selasi, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma, and Nnedi Okorafor.
[7][8] The edition featured exhibitions of photographs titled Margins and Marginalisation by Andrew Esiebo and Shadows and Dreams by Tyna Adebowale.
It also featured a play, Iyalode of Eti, adapted for the stage by Debo Oluwatuminu and directed by Moji Kareem and Femi Elufowoju Jr.
The screening was followed by an interview with Clément Abaifouta, president of the Chadian Victim's Association, which fought to bring Hissène Habré to justice.
This edition featured several events, including the launch of Saraba magazine's inaugural print issue[9] and the presentation of prizes for the Nommo Awards.
[13] The eighth edition of the festival, themed "African Time", took place in Lagos, 22–25 October 2020, and was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The poets in attendance at the 2020 edition include Jubir Malick, Vanessa Kissule, Titilope Sonuga, D'bi Young Anitafrika, Samira Negrouche, Ndukwe Onuoha, Sitawa Nawahe, Yomi Sode, Poetra Asantawa, Vangile Gantsho, Afura Kan, and Ola Elhassan.
The panel was chaired by Yinka Adegoke, and its members were Yemisi Akinbobola, Wale Lawal, and Chude Jideonwo, who spoke on "The Media and Their Duty to Africa's Youth".
There was also an uncredited interview with Jude Kelly, artistic director of London's Southbank Centre and a founder of the Women of the World Festival (WOW).