Plateau Literary Festival 2025 to serve as peace-building initiative

* Ahmed Maiwada, Richard Ali, Oko Ocho Afrika, Husayn Zaguru headline festival
By Editor
PLATEAU Literary Festival 2025, organized by the Coalition of Plateau Literary Societies (COPLIS), comprising of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Plateau State Chapter, Plateau Writers’ Society (PLAWS), Punchline Poetry Society (PPS), Book Zone and Jos Writers’ Circle, opened on May 22, comes to a close today, May 24, 2025 at Alliance Francaise de Jos and Crest Hotel respectively. The first of its kind was organized by ANA Plateau Chapter in 2024, with this year’s edition being organized by a larger body. This was borne out of the need to put Plateau State on Nigeria’s literary map and rev up peace-building initiatives in the wake of recent violent attacks in parts of the state.
This year’s theme ‘Exploring Plateau’s Creative Economy: How Far, So Far?’ explores a variety of activities including poetry renditions, panel discussions, award presentations, readings by various authors, among others. Scholar and writer, Prof. Emmanuel Egya Sule delivered the keynote address while Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission Chairman, Hon. Plangji Chisak chaired the opening ceremony. Leading the guest list is the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang and writers like Ahmed Maiwada, Richard Ali, Oko Ocho Afrika, Husayn Zaguru, among others who came from different parts of the country.
Writers and promoters of literature who have contributed to the growth and development of the scribal art in Plateau State will be awarded with lifetime achievement awards. They include Professors Dul Johnson, Angela Miri, Kanchana Ugbabe and Chris Kwaja. Others are Alhaji Makama Sani Mu’azu and Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi Mohammed. The winner and the runner-ups of the ANA/Chris Kwaja Secondary School Student’s Writing Competition for Schools in Plateau was unveiled yesterday, May 23, 2025.
The festival’s arrowheads include Victor Words Meshak (COPLIS Chairman), Bizuum Yadok (Vice Chairman), Godsave David (Secretary), Asibi Felicity Akwa (Treasurer) and Alexander Izang Haruna (PRO). The leadership of COPLIS recognise that literature is a tool for fostering harmonious coexistence and also for rapid intellectual growth. It is their quest to popularize literary engagements across the state. They also view the festival as an avenue for networking for writers, readers, and stakeholders within the literary community in Plateau State and Nigeria at large.
What is more, there’s greater impetus to promote Plateau State as the ‘Home of Peace and Tourism’, and only cultural engagement like this unique festival has the capacity to bring different people under one roof to hold critical peace-building dialogue. This is in spite of the violence unleased upon different parts of the state. The festival will further enhance peace-building efforts by stakeholders in the state and offer an opportunity for those coming from outside Plateau to tour the city of Jos.
Plateau Literary Festival has given a memorable experience to all participants who came from far and near.