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Interviews

Tobi Eyinade

‘Africans Do Read’ Tobi Eyinade’s First Draft  

Co-founder of Rovingheights Bookstore, Tobi Eyinade, disagrees with the belief that Africans do not read: ‘Rovingheights would not be here after nine years if that sentiment holds true. People often say Africans don’t read, yet we have managed to build a thriving book business despite the daunting challenges. Africans do read. While the numbers may not match those of other continents, we have come a long way.’
First DraftInterviewsNigeriaOctober/November 2024
Dennis Mugaa

‘I Hope That My Work Will Never Side with the Oppressor’ Dennis Mugaa’s First Draft

Kenyan writer and author of Half Portraits Under Water, Dennis Mugaa, believes that President William Ruto’s administration is authoritarian: ‘Young people genuinely want a better country, but we are living in a country that has been slowly sliding into authoritarianism over the past two years, since President Ruto’s government took over. Beyond that, his leadership has been very poor.’
First DraftInterviewsKenyaOctober/November 2024
Otosirieze Obi-Young

‘A Writer Who Has Nothing to Say Has Nothing to Write’ Otosirieze Obi-Young’s First Draft

Founder and editor of Open Country Mag, Otosirieze Obi-Young, believes African writers are not credited enough as innovators for their adaptiveness to solving problems on the page: ‘When Damon Galgut flits between the first- and third-person in one sentence in his book, “In a Strange Room”, the acknowledgement never transcends book reviews into literary culture essays or lists.’
Best of 2024: First DraftFirst DraftInterviewsNigeriaOctober/November 2024
Osione Oseni-Elamah

‘Research Is My Favourite Part of Writing’ Osione Oseni-Elamah’s First Draft

Nigerian writer and Republic’s business and economics editor, Osione Oseni-Elamah, says it is disheartening that many people still refuse to listen to the communities most affected by climate change: ‘I came across an article about the Niger Delta floods in which residents attributed rising water levels to climate change and pollution. Disturbingly, several commenters dismissed these claims, questioning how villagers could understand climate change.’
First DraftInterviewsNigeriaOctober/November 2024
Carey Baraka

‘Gossip Is at the Heart of Any Good Story’ Carey Baraka’s First Draft

Author of ‘Remembering Kampala’, Carey Baraka, says the most common misconception about East African literature is that South Sudanese author and critic, Taban Lo Liyong, called the region a literary desert: ‘It is funny that East African writers continue to write against Lo Liyong, insisting that he is wrong, when what people are fighting doesn’t actually exist.’
August/September 2024First DraftInterviewsKenya
Cece Mlay

Filming the Prolonged Pain of Colonial Violence

For decades, families in Tanzania have been demanding the return of their ancestors’ human remains from Germany. These ancestors, executed leaders of resistance efforts against German colonial rule, were exhumed from their graves and taken to Germany. Cece Mlay discusses co-producing a new documentary on how their descendants are seeking justice and closure today.
August/September 2024Best of 2024: EssaysInterviewsTanzania
Olusegun Tosin Kalejaye

‘My Work as an Artist Transcends Mere Social Commentary’ Olusegun Tosin Kalejaye’s First Draft

Nigerian visual artist and book cover illustrator, Olusegun Tosin Kalejaye, says his work transcends mere social commentary: ‘Rooted in storytelling, representation, identity, and historical documentation, my work as an artist aims to evoke a profound emotional response in my audience, serving as a catalyst for change.’
August/September 2024First DraftInterviewsNigeria