ENUGU, Nigeria — Internationally acclaimed Nigerian novelist and feminist thinker Chimamanda Adichie has been announced as the keynote speaker for the inaugural edition of the Things Fall Apart Festival, set to hold in Enugu from 29 June to 5 July 2025.
The festival, an expansion of the annual Things Fall Apart Day, is organised by the Centre for Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo and is envisioned as a cultural tribute befitting Chinua Achebe, the legendary author of Things Fall Apart, whose influence looms large in global literature.
Adichie, whose most recent novel Dream Count has attracted widespread anticipation after a decade-long literary hiatus, will deliver the keynote address themed “Masculine, Feminine, Human – The Dialogue of Complements in Things Fall Apart.”
The lecture is expected to explore the dynamic interplay of gender, identity, and cultural legacy in Achebe’s seminal work and its relevance to contemporary global discourse.
Returning home from a global promotional tour, Adichie is set to lead a rich assembly of poets, storytellers, visual artists, dramatists, and cultural intellectuals in what organisers have described as a “week-long cultural immersion” honouring Achebe’s legacy.
Her participation marks a personal and literary homecoming—an homage to one of her greatest literary influences and a continuation of what she calls the “Achebean inheritance.”
The festival theme will explore the often-overlooked gender dynamics in Things Fall Apart, initiating broader conversations on the harmony and friction between masculine and feminine ideals in traditional and modern societies.
The festival lineup includes dramatic performances and staged readings, art exhibitions, tech installations, guided memory walks, film screenings, and essay competitions for students and the general public.
Notably, the iconic 1987 television adaptation of Things Fall Apart will be spotlighted with special appearances by its leading cast, including Nollywood legend Pete Edochie, who played the central character Okonkwo.
One of the anticipated highlights is the re-imagining of the fictional Umuofia village, complete with a grand entry of the Ajofia masquerade—a significant cultural symbol in the novel.
Founded in 2017, the Centre for Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo is dedicated to preserving Ìgbò history, heritage, and collective identity.
The Centre has become a cultural force in southeast Nigeria, promoting memory work through exhibitions, public programming, and research.
