Culture & Society
‘Everyone Can Tell a Story’ Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s First Draft
Nigerian novelist and author of I Do Not Come to You by Chance, Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, decided to write her first novel before knowing what to write about. Read More...
In Which Nothing Happens Book Review: Sọ̀rọ̀sóke: An #EndSARS Anthology
Sọ̀rọ̀sókè: An #EndSARS Anthology, a flawed collection of poetry edited by Jumoke Verissimo and James Yékú, begs the following questions: Are we supposed to stop putting ‘poetry’ anthologies together on the spur of remarkable moments? Are we supposed to give up using anthologies to mark remarkable events and people? Read More...
The True Meaning of ‘Yoruba Ronu’ The Message Behind Hubert Ogunde’s Original Philosophy
‘Yoruba Ronu’, the title Hubert Ogunde’s famous 1964 play, has recently become the anchor on which Yoruba politicians have championed calls for fanatic support. The original core message of the phrase, however, is unity rather than ethnic disrespect and Yoruba supremacy. Read More...
Who Should Own Lagos? The Battle for Indigeneity and Inclusion in Lagos
Despite the long history of Lagos as a commercial centre and cultural melting pot, the city has remained vulnerable to tensions around indigeneity. Yet within the debates around who ‘owns’ Lagos, the city’s indigenous groups like the Ogus and Ekos are often left out. Read More...
‘It’s Essential That We Tell Our Own Stories’ Kome Otobo’s First Draft
Nigerian editor and author of Nigerian Gods, Kome Otobo, wants Nigerians to take pride in their traditional belief systems. Read More...
‘We Belong to Ourselves’ The Unbounded Freedom of Chigozie Obi’s Women
In a world where women are told all the things they can or cannot do, Chigozie Obi’s art creates a world where women exist in unbounded freedom. Bleeding, smoking, staring into space: we are ushered into a world where women can just be. Read More...
The Future of Nigerian Basketball A Policy Roadmap to Retain and Develop Basketball Talent in Nigeria
For decades, Nigeria has served as a talent pool for international basketball leagues but has failed to capitalize on its youth potential. The advent of a new administration provides an opportunity for a renewed and revised policy approach. Read More...
‘I Am Too Crushed by the War That Started in Sudan to Embark on a New Novel’ Leila Aboulela’s First Draft
Award-winning writer and Sudanese novelist, Leila Aboulela, discovered Akuany, the protagonist of her most recent novel, River Spirit, on a bill of sale in the Sudan Archives at Durham University. Read More...
Iya Eba’s Legacy Lagos No Send Anybody
The story of Lagos, or at least a major section of it, would be incomplete without a chapter on those who provide the fuel needed to keep the people of this megacity constantly moving: street food. Consider Iya Eba restaurant, which, for more than 50 years, has contributed to the history of Lagos one plate at a time. Read More...
Performative or Genuine? Unpacking the Motivations Behind Pan-African Collaborations in Afrobeats
In addition to the rise in collaboration between Afrobeats artists and western musicians, there has been increased ‘Pan-African’ collaborations with older, more traditional African artists. Are these collaborations motivated by pursuit of international accolades or genuine creative expression? Read More...