Adichie leads artists in “Things Fall Apart” Festival in Enugu

A famous Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adiche, will on June 29, lead a cast of artists and storytellers in Chinua Achebe’s inaugural edition of the ‘Things Fall Apart Festival’ in Enugu.

The organisers of the festival, Centre for Memories (CFM), Enugu, in a statement issued by the Executive Director, Iheanyi Igboko, on Thursday in Enugu, indicated that the event was a bold attempt to expand what the annual Things Fall Apart Day.

He said Adichie would also deliver the keynote address from the festival theme: “Masculine, Feminine, Human – The Dialogue of Complements in Things Fall Apart.”

Igboko  stated: “Adichie who has been on a globe-trot, promoting “Dream Count” her highly anticipated new novel after a decade-long hiatus, returns home to honour the memory of one of her greatest literary influences.

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“She will explore the “Achebean inheritance”, a powerful reflection on storytelling, cultural rootedness, and the timeless dialogue between history and identity.”

He said that the festival would critically look at the harmony and tension between gender ideals in Achebe’s work, anchoring it on contemporary conversations on identity, humanity, and cultural balance.

According to him, the week-long cultural immersion is designed to honour Achebe’s legacy through art, performance, technology and scholarship with a re-imagination and recreation of the Umuofia village experience.

“It will also present dramatic performances and staged readings, saloon conversations with cultural thought leaders and immersive tech installations.

“The festival will further feature art exhibition, an essay competition for students in senior secondary and tertiary institutions and the general public; film screenings and guided memory walks.

“There will be a special appearance by the leading actors in the major adaptation of Things Fall Apart into a television series in 1987, in which the Nollywood icon, Pete Edochie starred as Okonkwo,” he said.

The executive director said that iconic Ajofia masquerades, which played a prominent role in the book, would also make a grand entry into the re-imagined Umuofia village at the festival.

Igboko said that the festival would hold from June 29 to July 5 at CFM premise at Independence Layout, Enugu.

He called on schools, creative, literary societies, corporate organisations, businesses, traditional institutions, and the general public to join in celebration. (NAN)