Fresh from headlining two events at the Quramo Festival of Words (QFEST 2025) and a series hosted by the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), renowned writer and scholar Professor Mũkoma Wa Ngũgĩ is set for another major public engagement in Lagos.
The Cornell University professor will, according to a statement by Cassava Republic Press, discuss his scholarly work, focusing on the arguments presented in his book, The Rise of the African Novel.
The event, hosted by Cassava Republic Press and Roving Heights, is titled “Rethinking Beginnings: Mapping the Rise of the African Novel.” Professor Mukoma Wa Ngugi will be in conversation with Wale Lawal, founder and editor-in-chief of The Republic magazine.
They are set to explore a more expansive literary history, challenging traditional periodisation by revisiting the multilingual African-language texts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The discussion will examine the consequences of sidelining these African-language works and what a broadened view of the field could mean for contemporary readers and writers.
The event is scheduled for Friday, October 10, from 5pm at Roving Heights, Landmark Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Attendance is limited, with RSVPs required to secure a spot.
Professor Mukoma Wa Ngugi was previously featured in an “Up Close & Personal” session at QFEST 2025 on Saturday, October 4, and hosted by CORA for a reading, discussion, and mentoring session on Monday, October 6.
