The Benue Book and Arts Festival (BBAAF) is a top literary festival among other key festivals in Nigeria that have been on for over a decade. Besides having literary workshops and keynote addresses, the festival comes yearly with a national contest in different art categories.
BBAAF has grown from being a single dated event on a calendar to an annual year-long cultural book, arts and development chain of events. The highlight is a week-long virtual and physical in-person summit that brings together several artists (writers, thinkers, painters, etc.) for meaningful engagements (including festival drama, movie screenings, panels, photo exhibitions and workshops, etc.) geared towards the festival’s vision, which is ‘changing the narrative for sustainable development and positive enhancement.’ BBAAF is part of a continuing series of global, national and regional engagements to open conversations that will lead to changing perceptions of Nigerians and the world.
Guests at the festival have included H.E. Dr Eunice Ortom, Professor Moses Tsenongu, Professor Dul Johnson, Dr Maria Ajima, Pa Isaac Yongo, internationally acclaimed sensation Chuma Nwokolo, superstar spoken word artist Bash Amuneni, T. J. Benson, past Presidents and Chairmen of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Dr. Charles Iornumbe, Igba Ogbole, Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto, Edentu Oroso, Terseer Sam Baki, Thaddeus Naor, Sam Ogabidu, Amara Chimeka, Alexander Emmanuel Ochogwu, Anselm Sesugh Ngutsav, Joshua Agbo, Umar Yogiza, Bentex Torlafia, Maik Ortserga, amongst other notable officials, development workers, commissioners, and writers from the length and breadth of the country.
BBAAF is in its sixth rendition, starting in 2015 as the SEVHAGE festival. It had its BBAAF maiden edition in 2019. The 2020 session was held in December 2020 while the 2021 edition held virtually via Zoom and social media channels from 4th August 2021 to the in-person events at the Art Theatre Complex of the Benue State University, Makurdi, on 6th and 7th August 2021. The 2022 version was a weeklong extravaganza that took place in different parts of Makurdi. BBAAF V is set to take place in the first quarter of 2025 with a physical event in Nottingham, United Kingdom (January 2025) and the full hybrid show in Makurdi, Nigeria in the week of 21st and 22nd February 2025.
Benue Book and Arts Festival 
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