By Ogova Ondego
Published March 27, 2013

Africa Film Academy (AFA), the organisers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, shall host a book and craft fair in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria ahead of the 9th AMAA Gala at the Glory Land Cultural Centre in the Bayelsan State capital on April 20, 2013.

According to a media release issued in Lagos by Temitope Ajayi on March 27, 2013, the book and craft fair will be held April 17-19, 2013 as part of the ‘Experience Bayelsa with Africa Movie Academy Awards’ programme which seeks to promote eco-tourism in the oil-rich but impoverished Niger Delta state.

Onyeka Nwelue, the Director of the Fair, is quoted as having said that established Nigerian authors and their international counterparts will be part of the second edition of the book fair designed by the Bayelsa Tourism Development Board as part of the Experience Bayelsa project within the AMA Awards week.

“Authors that will participate this year include Shobhaa De from India, a former model and very controversial columnist; Brian Bwesigye from Uganda and Javier Lozano from Mexico. Portuguese actor, Jose Fildago, will be in a conversation with former Big Brother Africa housemate and currently Rhythm FM presenter, Melvina Longpet,”Nwelue says.

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“Uti Nwachukwu, model, actor and TV presenter, will moderate sessions and also talk about the invasion of the privacy of the lives of celebrities. Nollywood director, Charles Novi, will launch his memoir, Nollywood Till November, and also speak about the joy of documentation. Nigerian writer, Toni Kan will talk about “How We Can Make Money as Writers”. Professors Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chukwuemeka Ike and Kanchana Ugbabe, will also speak. Others include, Sinem Bilen-Onabanjo, Nze Ifedigbo Sylva, Binyerem Ukonu, Teresa Oyibo-Ameh, Ayodele Arigbabu, Ayodele Morocco-Clarke, Ayodele Olofintuade, Chris Ihidero, Akin Alabi, Sharon Ezeamaka, Peter Bunor Jr, Williams Uchembah, Emmanuel Iduma, just to mention a few.”

GloNaijaSings winner, Casey Ed, will perform, as well as French ballad singer, Jann Halexander from Paris while Dudley O’Shaughnessy will be there to give out books to school children in Yenagoa with Denrele Edun.

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Bayelsa Book & Craft Fair, initiated by AFA and curated by Blues & Hills Consultancy of Nwelue, is sponsored by Bayelsa Tourism Bureau and Century Energy Services Limited (CESL).

The main AMAA Gala, the Awards Night on which filmmakers, actors and actresses from across Africa and the Diaspora are honoured with the awards crest, shall be on Saturday,  April 20, 2013 at the Glory Land Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.