Sterling Bank Nigeria #BlackBodiesGreyMatter #SterlingAtAkeFest

Ake festival opened in a burst of dance,ideas & maximum energy

The sterling village arena at #AkeFest19 transports you to another world complete with verdant green, palmwine, board games, warriors & maidens
the guest had a good time, danced, and vibed to good music from Dwin the Stoic, Temmie Ovwasa, Clay, Ibejii, Le Griot Barassuno and Fokn Bois.  Friendships were initiated, bonds were formed, and conversations were kindled at the Ake Arts and Book Festival 2019. Ake Festival’s guest list of  included Bernadine Evaristo, Abdourahaman Waberi, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Ade Bantu, Nicole Dennis-Benn, FOKN Bois, and Geof Ryman.

'Artists and everyone in the literary space should add the human angle to their stories, and advocate for better behavior. We should change social thinking and norms.' - Ayodeji Osowobi talking about the struggles of women agitating for safety, and how creatives can use their channels to advocate for them during the session titled 'Eliminating Sexual Violence in Public & Private Spaces'.
The panel was moderated by Lola Shoneyin, and had Damilola Marcus, Ayodeji Osowobi and Zethu Matebeni as panelists.

 'In Nigeria, we spend USD97 per head on health in comparison to USD9892 in the USA.
We need to appropriate more to the health sector as the system is totally dependent on what is available.

"When it comes to dreaming, there are more men in this category but when it comes to doing, there are mostly women in the category" - Mo Abudu, speaking at the panel discussion titled 'The Changing Shape of Corporate Africa', alongside Amal Hassan, on her decision to make a conscious effort to hire women.

 In this session, poet and storyteller, Wana Udobang interviewed Yolande Mukagasana on her work and activism, campaigning for the remembrance of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. She has authored four books about genocide and its aftermath. In this session, Molara Wood, a veteran editor and writer interviewed Tsitsi Dangarembga on her writing career, which has spanned decades, the travails of gender inequality in Africa, and how to navigate the creative space Birmingham, a city in the UK has 100 consultant psychiatrists while Nigeria has less than 100 consultant psychiatrists' - Femi Oyebode on the panel session, 'A Ticking Time Bomb: Mental Health in Nigeria', moderated by Dami Ajayi.

'I refuse the crumbs that patriarchy throws at me' - Mona Eltahawy on her book 'The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls'. She discussed how she was sexually abused in Mecca at age 15, and how she beat up a man who sexually assaulted her in a club at age 50.

'Ask about yor African spirit
Remember yor African spirit
Learn about yor African spirit' - Lyrics from Fokn Bois that we enjoyed at the Ake concert.🎤🎼🎵🎶🎷

 

 

'Everyone has that sense of gender identity, and the moment we are more willing to accept that, then we’ll be more receptive to people who don’t identify as either male or female' - Emmanuella David-Ette during the panel discussion on 'The Gender Binary and Everything in Between'.
The conversation sparked a lot of questions on the realities of Intersex and Trans men and women in society.

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