The first-ever Sharjah Festival of African Literature has celebrated a milestone in African arts and culture by presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
The award was conferred by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, recognising Soyinka’s extraordinary contributions to African literature and his impact as a global literary icon.
The January 24-27 event is co-curated by the Book Buzz Foundation, founded and directed by Lola Shoneyin, a prominent literary figure renowned for curating the Ake Arts and Book Festival and the Kaduna Book and Arts Festival.
The festival has brought together a stellar lineup of African literary voices, including Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Abdulrazak Gurnah, Alain Mabanckou, Jennifer Makumbi, Petina Gappah, Nnedi Okorafor, Peter Kimani, Yvonne Owuor, Chika Unigwe, Tendai Huchu, Wole Talabi, Cheryl Ntumi, Fatima Bala, Nnamdi Ehirim, Umar Abubakar Sidi, and poets Wana Udobang, Maryam Bukar Hassan, and Deborah Johnson, Dami Ajayi (author and poet), Ann Masina (South African singer), and notable guests like Ifeoma Esiri, Mara Menzies, Ade Bantu, Amyn Bawa-Allah, Kenanao Phele, Wendy Njoroge, Abdulkareem Baba-Aminu, and Dr. Olaokun Soyinka.
