The power of story… CORA hosts Kenyan author, Yvonne Owuor September 26 in Lagos
By Editor
THE Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) will host the public to an afternoon of conversation around literature, history, status and future of Africa in a conversation with the acclaimed Kenyan writer and literary activist, Yvonne Adhambo Owuor on Friday, September 26, 2025 at 3:00pm at CORA Library & Resource Centre, Freedom Park, Lagos. Admission is free and open to the public. It will also be virtual. The ‘Conversation with Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor’ will be held under the auspices of its flagship literary campaign project, CORA BOOKTrek, in collaboration with AIESEC Alumni Nigeria – the global platform for young people to develop their leadership potential through international internships and volunteer opportunities. (https://aiesec.ng/).
The event will feature the author reading from her award-winning book, Dust (2014), as well as engaging in conversation on literature, history and the fortune of the continent with a roomful of young literary activists and enthusiasts. The session, essentially exploring themes from her novels and essays, ranging from colonialism’s enduring shadows to Africa’s timeless storytelling traditions, will also spotlight Owuor’s profound reflections on history, memory, colonial legacies, and the haunting presence of the past in Africa’s present and future.
It is part of the build-up to the CORA flagship Lagos Book & Art Festival (LABAF) programme scheduled for November 10-16 at Freedom Park, Lagos. It has as theme ‘Change: Imagining Alternatives’ (www.lagosbookandartsfestival.com). The event is part of the visit of Owuor to Nigeria on the invitation of Aiesec Alumni Nigeria, during which she will deliver the 2025 Omolayole Lecture OML Series, on the topic ‘Plotlines of Prosperity: African Stories, African Rights & African Returns’ on Thursday, September 25 at the Metropolitan Club, 13 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Time is 2.00pm.
Owuor (born 1968) is the author of novels, short stories and essays. She won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story ‘Weight of Whispers.’ She is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Dust (2014) and The Dragonfly Sea (2019). Her works interrogate the intersections of family, history, trauma, and the resilience of African stories in the global narrative space. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Adhiambo_Owuor)
The public is invited to be part of an unforgettable literary evening which promises to be a thought-provoking gathering for writers, readers, scholars, and culture enthusiasts. This literary and conversational gathering continues CORA’s tradition of fostering dialogue around the arts, identity, and history, creating a space where stories shape understanding and inspire new generations.
The event enjoys the support of Freedom Park and Hawthornden Foundation.
