* Volunteer Corps honours CORA Chair, Aderinokun, at closing plenary session, ART STAMPEDE
While there have been a mix of hope and despair that characterise the nation’s socio-political and cultural landscape, Mr. Akinosho said it was time to instil some form of repair to the national psyche with a theme that reflects positivity while being mindful of the dystopia that still pervades, hence ‘The Work-Over Starts, Now’ cautious theme for next year with its potential for a positive turn of events.
By Anote Ajeluorou
AFTER a remarkable 7-day culture feast that brought together some of Nigeria’s finest creatives in all spheres of the culture ecosystem, the 27th edition of Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) 2025 came to an end on Sunday, November 16, 2025, on a high note. Among the many activities that were celebrated on the last day was the unveiling of the festival theme for next year, 2026, by the Secretary-General, Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), organiser of LABAF, Toyin Akinosho. This was after the usual explosive Art Stampede series on ‘The Creative Economy in the Renewed Hope Era’. It had as panel members former Federal Director of Culture, Babajide Ajibola, professor of Theatre Studies in the US, Segun Ojewuyi, writer and broadcaster, Lady Ejiro Umukoro and journalist and writer, Anote Ajeluorou, with Prof. Ojewuyi calling for the outright scrapping of the culture ministry in its entirety and investing the precious funds that maintain indolent ministry officials and infrastructure like vehicles into a revolving fund that artists can tap into for cultural production.
Akinosho explained that the festival committee was forced to come up with a hopeful theme for the 2026 edition after its series of dark themes in the past few years that aptly mirrored the recurring dystopia that Nigeria and most parts of the world had relapsed into. In 2020, it was ‘A State of Flux’, ‘A Fork in the Road’ in 2021, ‘Pathways to the Future’ in 2022, ‘The Reset: History on a Darkling Plain’ in 2023, ‘Breakout: Hope is a Stubborn Thing’ in 2024 and ‘Change: Imaging Alternatives’ in 2025.
In 2026, LABAF will have ‘The Work-Over Starts, Now’ as the theme, as the festival will be held from November 16 — 22, also at Freedom Park and Museum of Yoruba History, Onikan, Lagos; and virtually.
While there have been a mix of hope and despair that characterise the nation’s socio-political and cultural landscape, Mr. Akinosho said it was time to instil some form of repair to the national psyche with a theme that reflects positivity while being mindful of the dystopia that still pervades, hence ‘The Work-Over Starts, Now’ cautious theme for next year with its potential for a positive turn of events.
LABAF Programme Chair, Mr. Jahman Anikulapo (left); Secretary General, Mr. Toyin Akinosho and CORA Board Chair, Chief Kayode Aderinokun, with CORA Volunteer Corps as LABAF 2025 ends
“We’re doing extraordinary exploits. Our strength, our force, our beauty resides in the people we have around us, and these are the people (volunteers). I have plenty of resources in this room. I keep wondering all the time, with distractions everywhere in this age, where you find this collection of brilliance, intellect around us….”
AFTER the theme announcement, LABAF’s Volunteer Corps, led by vivacious Oyindamola Olatokun, invited the 40-plus volunteers on stage to present a painting to Chairman, Board of Trustees, Chief Kayode Aderinokun, whom the volunteers fondly call ‘GenZ Chairman’. The painting was designed by the festival’s head of graphics and multiple talented artist, Tijani Usman.
Moved by the show of love by the youngsters, who had worked in all aspects of the festival, Chief Aderinokun said he was “lost for words” on how to describe their kind gesture, adding, “We’re doing extraordinary exploits. Our strength, our force, our beauty resides in the people we have around us, and these are the people (volunteers). I have plenty of resources in this room. I keep wondering all the time, with distractions everywhere in this age, where you find this collection of brilliance, intellect around us.
“At the risk of sounding grey and dark, we know the situation we all find ourselves in, not only in Nigeria but elsewhere. There is so much uncertainty, so much darkness, it’s so refreshing to find a crop of young and dedicated people that we find in these young people. I don’t call them volunteers; I call them young associates.
At times I wonder, what’s motivating these people?”
Chief Aderinokun paid tribute to the resilience of the youngsters, who are mostly university students (some call all the way from Federal University, Oye, Ekiti State) and recent graduates.
“Some of them don’t live in this geophysical area,” he said, “they live far away, and woe betide them if they come late. My heart is filled with gratitude, because I don’t know where you get inspiration, guidance from. But I can assure you that you will get rewarded manyfold. Ever since I got involved in CORA, I have not got any poorer. I’ve got graces beyond me. I’ve been growing bigger, and that’s what I pray for all of you.”
At the Freedom Park Foodcourt party that finally ended the festival amidst ‘asun’ goat meat treat and frothing palm wine, the volunteers also performed poems, music and read tributes to artists who passed away since LABAF last year. They included journalist and performance poet Evelyn Osagie, painter Olu Ajayi, writer and culture matriarch Mabel Segun, Freedom Park’s resident DJ, Raymond Brown, Yinka Alakija, Oreoluwa Shonibare and Deji Rhodes.