Culture & Society
‘We Must Market Our Stories on Our Own Terms’ Nana Sule’s First Draft
Nigerian writer and author of Not So Terrible People, Nana Sule, says it takes a special kind of grace to find and write about joy as a writer from Africa: ‘I believe writers are very much shaped by the times they live in. Part of our role is to document the world around us, and for many African writers, that means confronting trauma and hardship. It takes a special grace to find and write about joy, honestly.’ Read More...
5 Books You Probably Didn’t Know Were Made into Movies
From a celebrated Nigerian novel produced by Netflix to a classic pre-apartheid South African novel starring renowned American actor James Earl Jones, the books on this list prove that African novels can make for intriguing movies too! Read More...
The Fading Pride of Ikoyi Cemetery
Ikoyi Cemetery which was once a revered resting place for some of the most notable figures in Nigerian history, is now a shadow of its former self as a result of neglect and expansion of Lagos. Read More...
‘The Boko Haram Conflict is Still Ongoing!’ Chitra Nagarajan’s First Draft
Author of The World Was In Our Hands: Voices from the Boko Haram Conflict, Chitra Nagarajan, decided to write a book on the conflict to shift narratives that tended to focus on particular stories—such as the abduction of the Chibok girls: ‘I set out to write a non-fiction book about the Boko Haram conflict but decided put together this collection of narratives instead. I felt these stories would reveal the truth of what is happening in a different (perhaps more compelling!) way.’ Read More...
7 Books That Will Make You Feel Seen This Pride Month
From a book about the experiences of a gay teenager in a Nigerian boarding school to the empowering memoir of the first trans man to force a medical aid to pay for his trans surgery in South Africa, these books offer unprecedented queer representation, reiterating the popular LGBTQ+ rights slogan, ‘We are here, we are queer.’ Read More...
Is Social Media Driving the Rise of Atheism in Nigeria?
With the proliferation of social media and the easy access to information it provides, young Nigerians are turning their backs on the Abrahamic Gods. Read More...
7 African Novels You Didn’t Know Were Older Than Things Fall Apart
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven African novels you didn’t know were older than Things Fall Apart. From novels exploring race and colonialism set in pre-apartheid South Africa to fantastical tales that dive into the world of Yoruba mythology, these books prove that the African novel has long been alive, well before Achebe’s emergence. Read More...
Beasts of No Nation and the Fate of the West African Child
Cary Joji Fukunaga’s 2015 film, Beasts of No Nation, records an undeniable success in showcasing the gruesome plight of the West African child soldier. But the fight against juvenile bestialization—which continues to be relevant today—must be more intentional. Read More...
Six African Writers on Their Fondest Childhood Memories
In our latest First Draft interview, we asked six writers about their fondest childhood memories. Here’s what they told us. Read More...
7 Books You Need to Read Before Travelling Across West Africa
We have compiled a list of seven books you need to read before travelling across West Africa. From the evocative memoir of a former child soldier to a thrilling poetry collection that explore queer identities in Nigeria, the region’s most populous country, these books are your essential introduction to the political and social landscape of West Africa. Read More...
