Maygo Books and Arts Festival 2025: Port Harcourt’s Celebration of Stories
The Maygo Books and Arts Festival, popularly called Maygo Festival, took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from October 9 to October 11, 2025. Hosted at the Golden Tulip Hotel opposite Mummy B Road, the three-day event offered free entry with registration and attracted writers, artists, and cultural enthusiasts from across the region.
Founded by Glory Abah Mogbo, the festival has grown into a regional platform with national ambitions. The 2025 edition carried the theme Stories, focusing on the role storytelling plays in shaping communities, culture, and creative networks.
A Mix of Books, Panels, and Art
The festival combined traditional book festival activities, including panels, author conversations, and book signings, with art exhibitions and small workshops. Attendees were able to browse tables of books, attend interactive workshops, and view visual art displays including paintings and prints.
The smaller scale of the festival encouraged personal interactions between writers, artists, and audiences. Compared to larger events in Lagos or Abuja, Maygo offered a closer and more conversational experience, allowing creators to connect meaningfully with readers and fellow artists.
Notable Guests and Sessions
Guests included Adesuwa Nwokedi, Okafor Rosemary Ozioma, Emem Bassey, and Emeka Nobis, who contributed to discussions blending literary insight with practical advice for emerging writers.
Panels and moderated sessions included local authors and allowed for informal networking. Social media posts and festival footage showed lively discussions, book signings, and visitors engaging with art displays, highlighting the interactive and vibrant atmosphere of the event.
Why Maygo Festival Matters
The festival’s significance can be seen in four key areas
Regional Cultural Decentralisation
By hosting the festival in Port Harcourt, Maygo contributes to decentralising Nigeria’s literary and arts scene, offering a platform outside Lagos and Abuja.
Accessibility and Engagement
Free entry encourages attendance from students, emerging writers, and members of the local community who might otherwise be excluded from literary events.
Creative Ecosystem Building
Maygo fosters connections between authors, editors, visual artists, and cultural practitioners, creating opportunities for collaboration that extend beyond the three-day event.
Cultural Visibility for the Niger Delta
The festival strengthens Port Harcourt’s reputation as a hub for arts and literature, attracting attention from national and regional stakeholders.
Reflections and Future Potential
Maygo Festival 2025 demonstrated that regional literary gatherings can be intimate, accessible, and ambitious. Its combination of accessibility, community engagement, and focus on storytelling has helped solidify its place in Nigeria’s cultural calendar.
With stronger documentation, continued partnerships, and consistent support, Maygo Festival has the potential to become one of the most important cultural fixtures in the Niger Delta.
