Qfest (Quramo Festival of Words) 2025: Day 2 Highlights

The festival, from then on,  took place at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. After the final Masterclass,  "Reimaging African Futures on Screen" by B.B. Sasore, the festival formally kicked off with: 

1. A communal screening of submitted short films. They were: 

- Me, by David Jordan, reflecting on girls being forced into arranged marriages and the girls taking a stand. 

- Don't Bite That  Apple,  Otatane Oso Andrew,  fighting against Depression by choosing Hope. 

 - Restitution by  Jennifer  Nwanede, about a grieving mother getting her revenge, and 

-The most unexpected  love story, by Temilola Balogun

The screening ended with Restitution winning the audience's vote. 

2. After the keynote address, the audience was formally introduced to the Quramo Writer's Prize finalists: Chioma Okeagu, Harry Onyeogo, Hubaidat Ishola and Abisola Junaid; however, the fifth finalist, Esther Oyeleye,  was unavoidably absent. 

               

2. Prize to Page: In Conversation with the QWP Top 5: the finalists were interviewed by cultural curator, Segun Aribisala, where they shared their writing journeys and the inspiration behind their submitted entries.                                    

2. Prize to Page: In Conversation with the QWP Top 5: the finalists were interviewed by cultural curator, Segun Aribisala, where they shared their writing journeys and the inspiration behind their submitted entries.  

3. Panel: Children/ Young Readers: Cultivating Tomorrow's Leaders and Leaving Legacies That Last", featuring 2018 QWP long lister, Jesutofunmi Fekoya, Quramo Media producer, Oyin Talabi & authors Ndidi Chiazor, Olubunmi Familoni, Ayo Oyeku & Aabidah Adebomehin.  Moderated by author Sope Martin, the panellists shared their insights on promoting literacy and encouraging a love of literature among children and young readers, as well as building lasting literary traditions through storytelling and community engagement.

4. Book Chat: The Place of Anthologies/Short Story Collection in a Literacy Ecosystem, which explored how short story collections and anthologies create room for diverse voices & capture human experience in powerful narratives, etc. The chat was moderated by journalist and author Anote Ajeluorou,   3-time QWP judge. 

5. Panel: From Climate Crisis to Creativity: Building Resilient Communities Through Storytelling. Moderated by Cleopatra Agoro, the panel explored how storytelling could help confront climate change and visualise a more sustainable future. The panel was made up of  Prof. Akin Abayomi (Commissioner for Health & Conservationist),  One Million Trees Founder, Josyn Uba, Lufasi Nature Park Founder, Desmond Majekodunmi, & Let the Earth Breathe NGO, Samuel Osaze. 

After the welcome address by Qfest's convener/CEO of Quramo Publishing & Media, Mrs Gbemi Shasore, this year's Quramo Writer's Prize Winner was finally unveiled.

Esther Oyeleye won 5th place for her entry, Kaku 

Harry Onyeogo won 4th place for his entry, Son of the Harem 

Chioma Okeagu won 3th place for her entry, Blackbird 

Abiola Junaid won 2nd place for her entry, Moonchild 

and finally... 

1st place went to Hubaidat Ishola, for her entry, What Breaks, What Binds; making her this year's QWP winner,  to a round of applause and cheers from the audience. 

Qfest Day 2 ended with the (invitation-only) Opening Night Cocktail party, attended by the VIP guests and the QWP finalists.