Sharjah Festival of African Literature: Key sessions not to miss

Two Nobel laureates will be in attendance at the emirate's newest book fair

Nobel laureate for literature Abdulrazak Gurnah is coming to Sharjah. Ruel Pableo for The National

The dynamism of African literature will be celebrated in Sharjah this year.

The inaugural Sharjah Festival of African Literature, being held from January 24 to 27 at University City of Sharjah district and organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, will host two Nobel laureates – Nigeria's Wole Soyinka and Tanzanian-British novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah – for discussions about their work and those from the continent.

Joining them is Kenyan author Mara Menzies and Nigeria's Wole Talabi, the latter best known for the science fiction novel Brass Head of Obalufon. Wendy Njoroge, co-founder of Kenyan publishing house Soma Nami Books and Nigerian literary advocate Ifeoma Esiri will also be in attendance.

The festival will also honour authors including Nigerian poet and performer Deborah Johnson, whose work is focused on sociopolitical issues of her homeland. The career of Kenya's Yvonne Owuor will also be highlighted for her rich and compelling historical novels.

The festival will feature musical performances from South African soprano Ann McKayzie, as well as Nigerian musicians Ade Bantu and Maryam Bukar Hassan. All sessions are open to the public, with timings to be revealed soon.

Highlights from the programme include three panel discussions exploring African literary traditions – from writing techniques to storytelling. Guinean author Cheryl Ntumy, Nigerian writer Wole Talabi and Zimbabwean author Tendai Huchu will come together for the session Much More Than Wakanda, which examines Africa’s influence on the global literary map.

Meanwhile, Nigerian authors Fatima Bala, Chika Unigwe and Nnamdi Ehirim will join Emirati writer Salha Obaid in Creating Timeless Characters, a discussion on crafting literary characters that embody both African and Middle Eastern cultures.

Youth and children can take part in a variety of workshops, including sessions on African jewellery-making, poetry and storytelling. Food enthusiasts can also look forward to engaging culinary sessions.

A more local perspective is currently the focus of Sharjah Literature Festival, ends tomorrow at the same venue, University City of Sharjah. Organised by the Emirates Publishers Association, it brings together authors and publishers to explore the growth of the Emirati publishing industry and literature