Nigerian writer to headline United Kingdom’s Hammond House Literacy Festival in 2027
Nigerian writer Oyelola Ogunrinde will join international writers at the 2027 Hammond House Literary Festival in Grimsby, United Kingdom.
Scheduled for February 2027, the festival is being organised in partnership with University Centre Grimsby, with events at venues across North East Lincolnshire.
Jessica Johnson, the festival’s Project Manager, said Ogunrinde’s short story, Unbroken Friendship, was selected as Editor’s Choice for the 2025 literary prize and published in the Secrets anthology, which debuted at this year’s LifFest.
Johnson said the organisers supported Ogunrinde’s application for a Global Talent visa and welcomed her participation in the festival.
“Last year, Oyelola’s short story, Unbroken Friendship, was selected as Editor’s Choice for the 2025 literary prize, published in our Secrets anthology, which made its debut at this year’s LifFest.
“When Oyelola reached out to us several months ago to ask for a letter of endorsement for her Global Talent visa, we were only delighted to lend our support.
“We are thrilled Oyelola was endorsed for the Global Talent visa, and she will be joining us at the Literary Festival along with writers from across the UK and the world,” Johnson said.
In a statement published on Hammond House’s social media platforms, Ogunrinde said her endorsement by Arts Council England for the Global Talent visa in poetry and prose marked a significant milestone in her writing career, explaining that “I have always dreamt of a career in writing for long, and being endorsed for the Global Talent visa by Arts Council England in poetry and prose is a great success and the beginning of a new journey in literature for me”.
She said she was excited to participate in the 2027 festival and share stories about ordinary Nigerians and how politics and governance affect their daily lives, adding “I am so glad I will be joining the Hammond House Literary Festival in Grimsby 2027, bringing stories from ordinary people in Nigeria, of how politics and governance affect our daily lives and disrupt it”.
