Abaantu Festival Author Session: Umar Turaki and Miracle Adebayo

Join us for a reading with local authors Umar Turaki and Miracle (Mimi) Adebayo as part of the Abaantu Festival Author Sessions.

Umar Turaki is the author of the literary speculative novel Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold, which was named a best book of the year by the Boston Globe, Brittle Paper, and Open Country Magazine. His writing has been nominated for the Miles Morland Writing Scholarship and the Short Story Day Africa Prize.

His short films have screened at festivals around the world, notably the New York African Film Festival, the Pan African Film Festival, and the Durban International Film Festival. His second novel, Every Drop of Blood Is Red, was released in November, 2024 to glowing reviews from Publishers Weekly, the Vancouver Sun, and the Lagos Review, among others.

He lives in Kelowna with his wife, daughter and son, and teaches creative writing at UBC Okanagan. He is currently working on his debut feature film as a writer-director.

Mimi Adebayo is a lawyer-turned-teacher with a heart for storytelling, family and faith. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. Amongst other things, she shares original fiction that explores themes that centre around motherhood, relationships, identity and how ordinary moments shape our lives. Her debut children’s picture book, My Name is Not Too Long, was published in August 2026.

This talk will be held in person. Registration is not required.

Session schedule:

• Monday, September 28: Author reading with Sakiru Adebayo, “Wildfire Verses” Poetry Collection
• Tuesday, September 29: Nigerian poet and textile artist, Star Zahra (online)
• Thursday, October 1: Maasi land activist and author, Maison Ole Nkurrunah (online)
• Friday, October 2: Local authors Umar Turaki and Miracle Adebayo (in-person)
• Saturday, October 3: Inspiring New Knowledges with the Girlship Collective (online)

This series is organized by English and Cultural Studies Lecturer Joanna Cockerline and supported by the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. It is part of the 2026 Abaantu Festival, organized by Kinfolk Nation. Abaantu: Festival of Stories unites diverse narratives through a week-long celebration of African and I-BPOC creativity, fostering connections across cultures. Join us to explore a rich tapestry of artistic expressions that include spoken word, music and visual art, all while engaging in meaningful dialogues and community building.