It’s 1pm and I’m planning my trip to Abeokuta – I leave on Wednesday.  Yessss, the 2016 edition of Ake Arts and Book Festival is loading…. I’m so excited, I have butterflies, the pit of my stomach is always warm because

That is me up there, scheduled to host a book chat with NoViolet Bulawayo and Jennifer Makumbi!  Ms. Makumbi is the author of Kintu, which qualifies as the most recent addition to my all time list of favorite African fiction ever. I’m so stoked.😆😆😆.

I will also moderate this:

Laila Lalami, fellow book lovers!

Finally, I’m also on this:

It’s all very glorious!

#AkeFest16 comprises 12 panel discussions, including:

(I get to meet Sarah Ladipo Manyika (InDependence) finally…

9 Book chats such as:

Also on the schedule are film screenings, a play and a concert:

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o will headline. In boxing parlance, he is the main event and will be interviewed by Okey Ndibe.

This year’s theme is ‘Beneath the Skin”.  With 70 guests participating, I’ll be taking loads of pictures and generally stanning! 

There’s an app (Andriod and iOS) for y’all to follow events which will be live streamed. Check the Apple Store and the Google Play store.

Oh, let’s not forget the books. Here’s a sampling of the books on sale at the Ake Bookstore:

Last year, I came back home with 27 books. I may do better this year 😉.

Visit the festival site at akefestival.org for the entire program and info on how to register/attend if you are able to.

The hashtag is #AkeFest16. I hope I remember to post pictures on my new Instagram account @kinnareads. I’m really bad at doing social media while in the midst of exciting happenings. I’ll try to do better than I did last year. But who can blame me? AkeFest is grand!

(Yep, Ake has brought me back here at last!)