Write with Music Festival 2025: Where Beats, Themes and Culture Collide

 

The third edition of the Write with Music Festival 2025 lit up Lagos with creativity, conversation, and community. 

Held at the vibrant Active Leaders Space in Surulere, the festival welcomed writers, authors, spoken-word poets, filmmakers, music artists, and multidisciplinary creatives into a space designed to celebrate artistic expression.

This year’s theme, BEATS, THEMES AND CULTURE, reflected the festival’s commitment to exploring creativity across art forms literature, music, film, and visual arts. With an art presentation, three panel discussions, three book reading sessions, live performances, and interactive side activities, the festival offered something for every creative spirit.

The event opened with a welcome note from the Convener and Festival Curator, Francisca Okwulehie, who spoke passionately about the festival’s mission. 

She emphasized its role in celebrating the fusion of literature and music, and how these mediums continue to inspire hope, resistance, and transformation. Her words set the tone for a day of rich, inspiring conversations.

The festival grounds buzzed with activity from the Sip and Paint corner to the WWMFestival Bookstore, vendor booths, and the Dream, Rest and Create Writing Contest, proudly sponsored by Vitavisco and Write with Music Festival.

A major highlight was the book-signing space sponsored by Eihnu, where attendees also received free copies of Oyindamola Shoola’s Face Me I Face You.

Panel Sessions That Sparked Conversation

1. Enterprise Zone — The Business of Storytelling

The first panel explored The Business of Storytelling: Monetising Your Voice in a Digital Age. With speakers Anwuli Ojogwu, Adesuwa O’man Nwokedi, and Amarachukwu Chimeka, and moderation by Onyinye Ubah, this conversation unpacked branding, niching, and owning one’s voice in the fast-growing literary marketplace.

2. Film Zone — Telling Authentic African Stories

Legendary filmmakers Ike Nnabue and Chris Odeh (represented by Lawrence Nkwocha) headlined the second panel, moderated by John Chizoba Vincent. They explored the importance of authentic African storytelling and challenged industry practices that hold back the evolution of African cinema.

3. Literature Zone — What Readers Want to Read

The final panel brought together book bloggers Oreoluwa Eunice, Ameenat Adebadejo, and Evidence Egwuono Adjarho, moderated by Chinonso Nzeh. The conversation dug deep into African literature, discussing themes such as trauma, its portrayal in stories, and whether African romance deserves more literary recognition. It was honest, raw, and reflective of readers’ real sentiments.

4. Art Zone — Artists in Their Studio

The Art Zone featured Amanda Iheme’s presentation titled “In the Frame: Capturing Artists in Their Studio.” The session explored the creative processes of Nigerian artists within their working environments. It highlighted the importance of documenting artists’ studios and revealed how these spaces inspire and influence their finished works.

Book Readings That Connected Authors and Readers

The book reading sessions gave attendees a chance to hear directly from authors about their creative journeys.

• Panel 1: Uzezi Adesite and Itunu Taiwo discussed the inspirations behind their works.

• Panel 2: Featuring Anuoluwapo Ogunmoroti and Tosin Taiwo, this session also revealed new details about Tosin Taiwo’s forthcoming book, Dear Eunice Chinda.

• Solo Session: Victoria Nwankpa, in conversation with Convy Alloysious, shared insights into her upcoming book, soon to be available in print.

Performances and Creative Highlights

The atmosphere was brought to life with spoken-word and live music performances from artists like Anuoluwapo Ogunmoroti, Madderthing, and Adunnioosa. Their performances added rhythm and emotion to the festival experience.

The Dream, Rest and Create Writing Contest crowned Divinefavour Ndada as the overall winner in the poetry category, with Chidinma Mba taking second place.

A Celebration Made Possible by Support

The success of this year’s festival was supported by sponsors including Moncoeur Global Concept, Active Leaders Space, Vitavisco, Eihnu, Camanda, Brinky Bakes, GDelite and Heart2World Publishing.