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Saheed Aderinto’s First Draft
Historian, Saheed Aderinto, believes the future of Nigerian academia begins with dismantling hierarchy. Through the Lagos Studies Association, which has just concluded its 10th annual conference, he is building a new generation of scholars: ‘By dissolving academic ranks and titles, we have been able to eliminate academic hazing and intimidation, which are responsible for the unhealthy academic culture in Nigerian universities.’
Historian, Saheed Aderinto, believes the future of Nigerian academia begins with dismantling hierarchy. Through the Lagos Studies Association, which has just concluded its 10th annual conference, he is building a new generation of scholars: ‘By dissolving academic ranks and titles, we have been able to eliminate academic hazing and intimidation, which are responsible for the unhealthy academic culture in Nigerian universities.’
It is difficult, if not impossible, to disagree with an entire book, because even the worst books would have some cogent arguments, narratives or incontestable data.
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About the Author
is a filmmaker and professor of History and African and African Diaspora Studies at Florida International University. He is the author of many works, including a recently completed monograph, Fuji: The History of an African Popular Culture. In 2023, Aderinto won the $300,000 Dan David Prize—the largest history prize in the world.
Nigerian novelist, poet and author of Graceland, Chris Abani, does not believe ‘Nigerian literature’ exists as a category: ‘It is a common misconception that there is a fixed category that can be read as essentially “Nigerian literature”. Nigeria has 500 nations, 500 languages and about 2,000 dialects. While culture and language can overlap, the level of diversity is such that Nigerian literature cannot be easily narrowed down.’
For the co-founder and publishing director, of Cassava Republic Press, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, it is telling that African literature is often pronounced dead in recent years, when more women and queer voices are becoming more prominent: ‘The loudest obituary writers about African literature tend to be men. These elegies seem to come from a tacit sense of personal or generational displacement rather than from the actual state of the field.’
Nigerian poet, novelist and author of Madame Sosostris and the Festival for the Broken-Hearted, Ben Okri, argues that Nigerian literature doesn’t always have to be about Nigeria: ‘Nigerian literature limits itself to Nigeria and then limits even the ways in which the country can be written about. What we want is a vast literature, a great literature…that speaks to all humanity.’
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