Macondo Book Society in collaboration with eKitabu has announced that renown Nigerian novelist Chigozie Obioma will be among the authors attending this year’s Macondo Literary Festival (MLF). The Festival, now in its fourth edition, is set to take place from 20th-22nd September at the Kenya Cultural Centre in Nairobi.
The theme for this year’s Macondo Literary Festival, ‘The Sea is History’, is inspired by a poem of the same name by Caribbean Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott. In line with the theme, this year’s edition will extend the festival’s geographic reach to the spheres of the Swahili Seas or the Indian Ocean. ‘The Sea is History’ pays tribute to this oceanic region’s historical connections with Africa that exist in story, art, technology, cultural memories, and society.
Other distinguished international guests expected to grace the festival include; M.G. Vassanji and Janika Oza from Canada, Hamza Koudri from Algeria, Shubnum Khan from South Africa, Shubhangi Swarup from India, Johary Ravaloson from Madagascar, Jeferson Tenório from Brazil and João Melo from Angola. Participating authors from Kenya will be announced soon.
Over the previous three festivals, the Macondo Book Society has hosted 59 authors and artists from 20 countries, including 2021 Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah. The festival has reached more than 3,000 people and attracted 20 partners and sponsors, building a community of ‘Macondo citizens’ eager to engage with featured guests. Each festival offered 18 topical sessions and 3 craft workshops with platforms for emerging Kenyan writers and art forms including music, film, spoken word poetry, and exhibitions.
To reach virtual attendees, Macondo live-streamed selected sessions to global audiences, and the #MacondoLitFest hashtag reached millions around the globe. In April 2024, Condé Nast Traveler Magazine listed MLF among the 9 Best Literary Festivals in the World.
In 2024, with support from eKitabu, Macondo will continue its tradition of low entry fees to help make Macondo as accessible as possible to all literature lovers—including book enthusiasts, aspiring writers, and all who are passionate about African histories in literature, storytelling, and charting possible futures.