Culture & Society
7 Books That Will Make You Actually Care About Climate Change
From the memoir of a Ugandan climate activist, which emphasizes the importance of climate justice, to a dystopian novel that imagines a climate-ravaged South Africa, the books on this list will show you just how bad things can get if the world does not prioritize climate conservation. Read More...
Does Lagos Have an Architectural Identity Crisis?
The architectural identity of Lagos is at a crossroads. It got there on the back of urbanization and economic growth. While these major influences have led to remarkable development, they have eroded the spirit of place in Lagos. Is this a problem or an opportunity? Read More...
The Colonial and Capitalistic Legacies of Nigeria’s Skin Bleaching Epidemic
Nigeria has the highest number of people who have used skin-bleaching products, reflecting a phenomenon that is not merely a beauty preference but a symptom of colonial legacies, global beauty standards, and capitalist structures that privilege lighter skin. Read More...
What Is the Place of Nollywood in the World?
As the Nigerian film industry arrives at a crossroads, experts weigh in on its place in the world and what the future holds. Read More...
‘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...
