Poetic Wednesdays Unveils “Reclaiming Languages” as the Theme for KAPFEST 3.0

On 6th June 2026, Poetic Wednesdays Initiative celebrated a decade of literary and cultural impact with a special Eid Pop-Up event that brought together poets, artists, literature enthusiasts, and members of the public for an afternoon of performances, reflection, and conversation. The event, which was held at Alliance Française, Kano, served as both a celebration of Poetic Wednesdays’ tenth anniversary and the official unveiling of Reclaiming Languages as the theme for Kano International Poetry Festival (KAPFEST) 3.0, the organisation’s flagship poetry festival.

The pop-up featured poetry performances, spoken-word presentations, and a panel discussion exploring the significance of language as a repository of memory, identity, history, migration, trade, and imagination. The panel featured Poetic Wednesdays Executive Director Naseeba Babale and Nana Sule, and was moderated by Misbahu El-Hamza. The conversation centred on the importance of preserving and revitalising indigenous languages in an era of increasing linguistic homogenisation, while also examining the role of artists, writers, educators, and communities in keeping languages alive. The conversation was followed by poetry performances by Hidaya Mahmud and Mujahid Abdulaziz, alongside other featured voices, offering audiences a powerful and reflective artistic experience that underscored the themes of the gathering.

This year’s theme, Reclaiming Languages, invites participants to engage with questions of belonging, heritage, power, and cultural continuity. It challenges communities to consider what is lost when languages disappear and what becomes possible when people reclaim the words, stories, and knowledge systems that have shaped them. In 2025, the festival which took place in September and was curated by Salim Yunusa and Babale, explored the theme Poetry in a Time of Crisis. The theme highlighted poetry’s unique ability to offer refuge, ignite dialogue, and inspire new possibilities during moments of conflict. The theme and, by extension the festival, asked how art can serve as a form of advocacy, enlightenment, empowerment, or simply an escape from harsh realities. 

Speaking at the event, the founder of Poetic Wednesdays, Salim Yunusa, reflected on the organisation’s ten-year journey from a Facebook hashtag into a vibrant creative community that has nurtured writers, poets, artists, and cultural practitioners across Northern Nigeria and beyond. “For ten years, Poetic Wednesdays has created spaces where people can tell their stories, share their experiences, and encounter new ideas through the arts. As we celebrate this milestone, we are also looking ahead. The theme Reclaiming Languages reminds us that language is more than a means of communication—it is a living archive of who we are, how we understand the world, and how we continue to engage with it.”

The unveiling of the KAPFEST 3.0 theme marks the beginning of a new chapter for the festival, which continues to serve as a platform for critical conversations, artistic experimentation, and cultural exchange. Through this year’s theme, the festival seeks to promote dialogue about language, identity, translation, oral traditions, memory, and the future of African languages in a rapidly changing world.

KAPFEST 3.0 is scheduled for October 2026. It will bring together writers, poets, artists, scholars, and audiences from across Nigeria and beyond for conversations and creative engagements around the theme Reclaiming Languages. As Poetic Wednesdays enters its second decade, the organisation remains committed to fostering literary culture, supporting emerging voices, and creating spaces where art can inspire reflection, connection, and transformation.