“The session, essentially exploring themes from her novels and essays, ranging from colonialism’s enduring shadows to Africa’s timeless storytelling traditions, will also spotlight Owuor’s profound reflections on history, memory, colonial legacies, and the haunting presence of the past in Africa’s present and future.”
FRIDAY, September 26, award-winning Kenyan author and literary activist, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, will be guest of the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) at the CORA Library & Resource Centre, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, where she will be reading from her famous book, DUST, and engaging in conversation with a roomful of young literary enthusiasts.
The event, titled A Conversation with Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor,” being held under the CORA BOOKTrek signature, the literacy campaign project of the organisation, is in collaboration with the AIESEC Alumni Nigeria – the global platform for young people to develop their leadership potential through international internships and volunteer opportunities. (https://aiesec.ng/).
The event is part of the visit of Owuor to Nigeria on the invitation of AIESEC Alumni Nigeria, during which she will deliver the 2025 Omolayole Lecture OML Series, on the topic “Plotlines of Prosperity: African Stories, African Rights & African Returns” on Thursday, September 25 at the Metropolitan Club, 13 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Time 2 pm.
A press release signed by Olakunle Fadairo, one of the lead hands of the CORA BOOKTrek, hinted that the event will feature “the author reading from her award-winning book, DUST (pub. 2014), as well as engaging in conversation on literature, history and the fortune of the continent with a roomful of young literary activists and enthusiasts.
“The session, essentially exploring themes from her novels and essays, ranging from colonialism’s enduring shadows to Africa’s timeless storytelling traditions, will also spotlight Owuor’s profound reflections on history, memory, colonial legacies, and the haunting presence of the past in Africa’s present and future.”
“It is part of the build-up to the CORA flagship programme, the Lagos Book & Art Festival, LABAF, holding November 10-16 at the Freedom Park, Lagos on the theme: “CHANGE: “Imagining Alternatives” (www.lagosbookandartsfestival.com).
The event enjoys the Support of Freedom Park and Hawthornden Foundation.
Fadairo states further, “Join us for an unforgettable literary evening which promises to be a thought-provoking gathering for writers, readers, scholars, and culture enthusiasts. This literary and conversational gathering continues CORA’s tradition of fostering dialogue around the arts, identity, and history, creating a space where stories shape understanding and inspire new generations.
Profile: Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (born 1968) is the author of novels, short stories and essays. She won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story “Weight of Whispers”. She is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Dust (2014) and The Dragonfly Sea (2019). Her works interrogate the intersections of family, history, trauma, and the resilience of African stories in the global narrative. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Adhiambo_Owuor)