"Ein Funky-Makossa für die Freiheit" - Lesung und Gespräch mit Max Lobe

The event is part ofPrideWeeks Münster 2026.

“That’s not my son!”—These words from his father cut Benjamin deeply during his childhood. They represent one of the many wounds the gay ballet dancer from Cameroon has suffered in his life. Benjamin is the main character in Max Lobe’s autofictional novel*A Funky Makossa for Freedom*. Like the author, he lives in exile in Switzerland. In the novel, the author weaves together Benjamin’s memories, his conflict with his father, and his search for identity with the history of Cameroon. In doing so, he combines oral storytelling traditions, poetry, and music. Lobe’s work exemplifies how literature can help give gay people a voice, fight for equality, and overcome homophobia.

Joyce Noufélé will lead the discussion with the author—and subsequently with the audience. It will take place in German and French. Barbara Kemmler will read the German passages from the novel.

Max Lobe, born in 1986 in Douala (Cameroon), now lives in Geneva and is considered one of the most important voices in contemporary Francophone literature. His multi-award-winning novels address themes such as migration, memory, postcolonial history, and queer life with narrative ease.

Joyce Noufélé grew up in Cameroon and studied linguistics and cultural studies in Mainz. She works in adult education and is committed to promoting intercultural dialogue.

Barbara Kemmler is an actress, director, and artistic director of the youth theater Cactus Junges Theater in Münster.

The novel*Ein Funky-Makossa für die Freiheit* was published in 2025 by akono Verlag, Leipzig.