Nigerian novelist, cultural entrepreneur and filmmaker Onyeka Nwelue will hold a book reading session for one of his books in Kigali on Friday, June 8.

Nwelue, best known for his 2009 book, ‘Abyssinian Boy’, will be reading from his latest novel, ‘The Beginning of Everything Colorful.’

The author is also known for other such works as, ‘Hip Hop is for Children’, and ‘The Island of Happiness.’

The book reading session will take place at the Kigali Centre For Photography in Kacyiru, from 7p.m. 

Thereafter, there will be a question and answer (Q&A) session, during which the author will field questions from those in attendance. There will also be a few titles by the author on sale.

"These events are organised by the Kwanda Art Foundation and our aim is to create a space for any form of art and this time we are very happy to host one of the best Nigerian authors in our space at the Kigali Center for Photography,” said photographer Jacques Nkinzingabo, the curator of the Kigali Center for Photography and founder of Kwanda Art Foundation.

He added: "Literature is key to photography and the visual arts, and we want to highlight that.”

As an author, Nwelue shot to the international limelight in 2009, following the release of his debut novel, The Abyssinian Boy. He was just 21 at the time. The novel went on to win the TM Aluko Prize for Fiction in Nigeria, and also came second at the Ibrahim Tahir Prize for First Book. 

Apart from writing books, Nwelue is also a film director, whose documentary film, ‘The House of Nwapa’, was nominated for the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).

Currently, he is a fellow at Harvard University.

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