By Our Correspondent
All is now set for the 11th edition of the Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture, scheduled to hold tomorrow, Friday, November 13, in Awka, the Anambra State capital, with Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, prominent traditional rulers, government officials, writers and other dignitaries expected at the annual literary gathering.
The event, organised by the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Anambra State Chapter, will take place at the Anambra State Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), behind the Central Bank of Nigeria and close to Roban Stores, Awka, beginning at 10am.
The State Coordinator of the literary organisation and host of the event, Izunna Okafor, disclosed this while giving an update on preparations for the 2026 edition, which is organised annually in honour and memory of the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, celebrating his life, works and enduring literary contributions.
Now in its 11th edition, the festival was initiated in 2016 and has continued to provide a platform for promoting literature, encouraging creative writing and introducing younger generations to the works and philosophy of one of Africa’s most celebrated writers.
Okafor disclosed that this year’s edition is themed, “The Writer as a Nation-Builder: Achebe’s Literary Philosophy and the Quest for a Better Society”, reflecting the place of writers and literature in shaping public consciousness, preserving cultural identity and contributing to societal development.
He further revealed that Governor Soludo would attend as the Chief Guest of Honour, while the traditional ruler of Obosi and Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, H.R.H. Igwe Chidubem Iweka (Eze Iweka III), would serve as the Royal Father of the Day.
The 2026 Chinua Achebe Memorial Lecture will be delivered by author, publisher and media personality, Tobenna Obiano, popularly known as Ìfè Nibo; while author, media executive and former Managing Director of the Anambra State Information and Communication Technology Agency (ANCISRO), Sir Chuka Nnabuife, will chair the occasion.
Other prominent personalities expected at the event include the former Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Uche Ekwunife; the Vice President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene; the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor; the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ekene Ogugua; the Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba; the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Barr. Udoji Amedu; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Reformation, Nelson Omenugha.
Also expected are the MD/CEO of Anambra Broadcasting Service, Youth Wing President of the Anambra State Association Town Union (ASATU), Comrade Ken Okoli; NUJ Chairman in Anambra, Odogwu Emeka, author and literary enthusiast, Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, among other government officials, prominent writers, cultural advocates and literary enthusiasts.
According to Okafor, the event will feature the Chinua Achebe Memorial Lecture, dramatic presentations, poetry performances, announcement of winners of the 2026 Chinua Achebe Essay Writing Competition, award presentations and the unveiling of the 11th Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology, alongside entertainment and other literary activities.
He explained that the anthology, titled “Achebe: A Voice of the People”, is the latest international collection of poems and essays published by the organisation in honour and memory of Achebe. The publication forms part of the association’s efforts to preserve the literary icon’s legacy while providing a platform for writers to express their thoughts and creativity through poetry and essays.
The annual essay writing competition, which is also part of the festival, is designed to encourage young people, particularly students, to develop their writing abilities and engage with literary ideas, while the award presentations will recognise outstanding contributions and performances.
The Coordinator called on writers, students, literary enthusiasts, cultural organisations and members of the public to attend the event, describing it as an opportunity to celebrate Achebe’s literary heritage and reflect on the responsibility of writers in the building of a better society.
Born on November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, Anambra State, Prof. Chinua Achebe was a renowned novelist, poet, critic and essayist whose works earned him international recognition. His celebrated novels include Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God, among others. Through his writing, he explored African history, culture, colonialism, identity and the complexities of social change.
Achebe died on March 21, 2013, at the age of 82, but his literary works continue to attract readers and scholarly attention across the world. The annual festival in his honour remains one of the ways the Society of Young Nigerian Writers seeks to keep his memory alive and inspire emerging writers to make meaningful contributions through literature.
