Mathew Amaechi
Award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is set to headline the 2025 Things Fall Apart Festival, a vibrant week-long celebration of Chinua Achebe’s monumental literary legacy, organizers announced. The festival, hosted by the Enugu-based Centre for Memories, will run from June 29 to July 5, 2025, promising a fusion of storytelling, art, and cultural reflection in the heart of Nigeria’s Igbo homeland.
In an exuberant Instagram reveal, the Centre for Memories hailed Adichie’s participation as a “powerful moment” for the festival, which honors Achebe’s groundbreaking 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart. The post described Adichie as “one of the most powerful literary voices of our time,” noting her recent global tour for her newly released novel, Dream Count. “She returns home to honor her greatest inspiration,” the statement read, emphasizing Achebe’s role as a “pre-eminent storyteller who redefined African literature.”
Adichie’s keynote address will anchor the festival’s theme, “Masculine, Feminine, Human: The Dialogue of Complements in Things Fall Apart,” exploring themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the interplay between history and modernity. The event aims to reinterpret Achebe’s classic through a contemporary lens, fostering conversations on gender dynamics and humanity’s shared narratives.
“Chimamanda’s presence bridges generations,” said a festival spokesperson. “Her work, like Achebe’s, challenges stereotype and amplifies African voices. This is more than a tribute—it’s a dialogue across time.”
Attendees can immerse themselves in a reimagined Umuofia village experience, blending traditional Igbo culture with tech-driven storytelling installations. The lineup includes dramatic performances, film screenings, art exhibitions, and memory walks through historic Enugu sites. Youth-focused programming, an essay competition, and “saloon-style” debates will engage diverse audiences, while panel discussions dissect Achebe’s influence on global literature.
Adichie, a self-professed Achebe devotee, has often cited Things Fall Apart as pivotal to her craft. Her participation unveils the festival’s mission to celebrate Nigeria’s literary giants while nurturing emerging voices. “This is where storytelling comes full circle,” remarked cultural critic Nkechi Eze. “Achebe laid the foundation; Adichie is expanding the house.”
The Things Fall Apart Festival, now in its fifth edition, has grown into a cornerstone of African literary culture, drawing scholars, artists, and readers worldwide. With Adichie’s star power and Achebe’s enduring legacy, the 2025 event is poised to ignite fresh debates on postcolonial identity, gender, and the universal resonance of African narratives.
