The Lagos International Festival of Illustrations (LIFI) recently held its second edition in Lagos, Nigeria, from September 17 to 19. The festival, organized by the Book Buzz Foundation, brought together 36 carefully selected Nigerian illustrators and nine accomplished international illustrators from Italy, Switzerland, and Poland. The event aimed to develop the capacities of budding Nigerian illustrators, who play a vital role in the children's literature genre.
The international illustrators who attended the festival included Milly Miljkovic, Sophie Hofmann, Sonya Trolliet, Zosia Frankowska, Zosia Dzierżawska, and Joanna Rusinek, among others. These illustrators shared their experiences and skills with the Nigerian participants through workshops, portfolio clinics, and networking sessions. The festival provided a platform for Nigerian illustrators to deepen their understanding of the demands of storytelling in contemporary children's books.
Lola Shoneyin, Director of Book Buzz Foundation, expressed her satisfaction with the festival's progress. She stated that the initiative has grown from strength to strength, with 20 new picture books written and illustrated by Nigerians to be presented to the public on October 7 in Abuja. Shoneyin was motivated to establish the program after attending a children's book festival in Bologna, Italy, where she was impressed by the high-quality children's books produced abroad.
Shoneyin noted that Nigeria was lagging behind in children's book production and that there was limited African participation in global events like the Bologna children's book festival. She began the first phase of building a community of talented illustrators, creating opportunities for work through networking, and helping to build a professional pipeline for children's book illustrators in Nigeria.
The festival was supported by various organizations, including the Lagos State government, EUNIC Spaces of Culture, Sterling Bank, and the Italian Embassy, among others. The support enabled the festival to meet its promise of improving participants' craft, learning discipline, and developing their ambition. Shoneyin emphasized that the Nigerian participants were not just being trained to become good enough for the Nigerian market but to become impossible for the global market to ignore.
The Book Buzz Foundation director revealed that each of the 20 new books produced so far was enriched with local cultural flavors that young readers could easily relate to. She expressed hope that by next year, all 100 books targeted by the organizers would be ready. The foundation is also waiting for the approval of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Commission for their books to be used in schools.
The LIFI has made significant progress in achieving its objective of improving the quality of children's books in Nigeria. With the support of various stakeholders, the festival has provided a platform for Nigerian illustrators to gain new skills and network with international professionals. The event has also highlighted the importance of producing high-quality children's books that reflect local cultural flavors.
Key points
- The Lagos International Festival of Illustrations aims to develop the capacities of budding Nigerian illustrators and improve the quality of children's books in Nigeria.
- The festival brought together 36 Nigerian illustrators and nine international illustrators from Italy, Switzerland, and Poland.
- The event was supported by various organizations, including the Lagos State government, EUNIC Spaces of Culture, and the Italian Embassy.
