Chimamanda Adichie to Lead Artists and Storytellers at Inaugural ‘Things Fall Apart Festival’
The literary world is abuzz with excitement as renowned Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie is set to lead a cast of artists and storytellers at the inaugural edition of the ‘Things Fall Apart Festival’ in Enugu, Nigeria. The festival, organized by the Centre for Memories, will take place from June 29 to July 5 and promises to be a unique celebration of art, culture, and literature.
According to Mazi Iheanyi Igboko, Executive Director of the Centre for Memories, the festival is a bold attempt to expand on the annual Things Fall Apart Day. Adichie, who has been touring the globe to promote her highly anticipated new novel “Dream Count”, will deliver the keynote address, exploring the theme “Masculine, Feminine, Human – The Dialogue of Complements in Things Fall Apart”. This theme is particularly significant, as it reflects on the harmony and tension between gender ideals in Chinua Achebe’s work, anchoring it on contemporary conversations on identity, humanity, and cultural balance.
The week-long cultural immersion is designed to honor Achebe’s legacy through a range of activities, including dramatic performances, staged readings, saloon conversations with cultural thought leaders, and immersive tech installations. The festival will also feature an art exhibition, an essay competition for students, film screenings, and guided memory walks. A special appearance by the leading actors in the major adaptation of Things Fall Apart into a television series in 1987, including Nollywood icon Pete Edochie, is also scheduled.
One of the highlights of the festival will be the grand entry of iconic Ajofia masquerades, which played a prominent role in Achebe’s book, into the re-imagined Umuofia village. This promises to be a unique and unforgettable experience, as the festival aims to recreate the Umuofia village experience through art, performance, technology, and scholarship.
The Centre for Memories has called on schools, creatives, literary societies, corporate organizations, businesses, traditional institutions, and the general public to join in the celebration. With its rich and diverse program, the ‘Things Fall Apart Festival’ is set to be a milestone event in the literary calendar, honoring the legacy of Chinua Achebe and providing a platform for artists, storytellers, and cultural enthusiasts to come together and celebrate the power of literature and culture.
