The Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) presents a rare opportunity for Lagos literary enthusiasts to engage with one of Africa’s most celebrated contemporary voices when Kenyan author Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor visits the city this Friday, September 26, 2025.
The free public event, titled “The Power of Story: An evening with Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor” will take place at 3pm at the CORA Library & Resource Centre in Freedom Park, Lagos. The session will also be available virtually for remote participants.
Owuor, winner of the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing, will read from her internationally acclaimed novel “Dust” (2014) and engage in discussions about literature, history, and Africa’s evolving narrative landscape. The conversation promises to explore themes central to her work, including colonialism’s enduring impact, Africa’s rich storytelling traditions, and the complex relationship between memory and identity on the continent.
The event, organised under CORA’s flagship CORA BOOKTrek literary campaign, is being held in collaboration with AIESEC Alumni Nigeria, the global leadership development platform. It forms part of the buildup to the highly anticipated Lagos Book & Art Festival (LABAF), scheduled for November 10-16 at Freedom Park under the theme “CHANGE: Imagining Alternatives.”
Born in 1968, Owuor has established herself as a formidable voice in contemporary African literature. Beyond her Caine Prize-winning short story “Weight of Whispers,” she has authored critically acclaimed novels including “Dust” (2014) and “The Dragonfly Sea” (2019). Her works masterfully interrogate the intersections of family dynamics, historical trauma, and the resilience of African narratives in global discourse.
The Lagos event follows Owuor’s delivery of the 2025 Omolayole Lecture (OML Series) on Thursday, September 25, at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island. Her lecture, titled “Plotlines of Prosperity: African Stories, African Rights & African Returns,” addresses the continent’s economic and cultural sovereignty through the lens of storytelling.
Friday’s conversation is expected to attract writers, readers, scholars, and culture enthusiasts eager to engage with Owuor’s profound reflections on how historical memory shapes contemporary African identity. The session continues CORA’s longstanding tradition of fostering meaningful dialogue around arts, identity, and history.
CORA emphasised the event’s significance in creating spaces where stories can shape understanding and inspire new generations of African storytellers and thinkers.
The event enjoys support from Freedom Park and the Hawthornden Foundation.
With admission completely free and open to all, the event represents a unique opportunity for Lagos audiences to engage directly with one of Africa’s most thoughtful literary voices. Both in-person and virtual attendance options ensure maximum accessibility for interested participants. For RSVP and additional information, contact Olakunle Fadairo at 08025755684.
