Culture & Society
7 Books That Will Make You See Historical Figures Differently
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books that will make you see historical figures differently. From the fictional biography of the first African man to explore America to a nuanced portrait that asks us to contextualize the life of one of South Africa’s most controversial women, the books on this list will make you think again about the historical figures you thought you knew. Read More...
Four Women and Adichie’s Feminine Utopia
The stories of the four women in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s latest novel, Dream Count, address an essential feminist question—what must a woman recognize in another and in herself to understand their shared conditions?—with a curiously tentative answer. Read More...
The Importance of Being Victony
An original Afropop stylist, the artistry of Victony embodies one of the highest creative possibilities within the genre. It’s a showcase of unique qualities meeting to form one of the most intriguing personas in contemporary African music. Read More...
The Nigerian Manosphere and the Rise of Incel Culture
How incel culture on Nigeria’s social media contributes to the increasing rate of femicide in the country. Read More...
‘Do Not Romanticize Creative Writing’ Fayssal Bensalah’s First Draft
Algerian writer, Fayssal Bensalah, argues that the North African novel in English has not been canonized into African literature by virtue of tradition: ‘This new literary tide has been obscured both continentally and globally. Its pioneers have been kept out of African literature for a long time, and I wanted to change this by writing an essay that introduces this movement and its writers and books.’ Read More...
54 Books By Women From Each Of Africa’s 54 Countries
Our latest book recommendation is a tribute to the storytelling traditions of African women across eras. It honours the trailblazers who paved the way for future generations of women writers and celebrates contemporary voices keeping the fires aflame. Read More...
Why Nigerian Pop Music Needs Dwin, The Stoic
In Master of Ballads, Dwin, The Stoic crafts a poignant love story, masterfully blending balladry, indie folk, rock and Afropop. The album not only reaffirms his artistry but also advocates for a more expansive and inclusive mainstream sound. Read More...
‘Love, in All Its Forms, Is Resilience’ Musih Tedji Xaviere’s First Draft
Cameroonian novelist, Musih Tedji Xaviere, says her debut novel, These Letters End in Tears, was inspired by the resilience of queer love: ‘The treatment of queer people in Cameroon is appalling, but what I find inspiring is that people still find love even in the hardest circumstances. They refuse to be stripped of their ability to love, no matter the challenges.’ Read More...
7 Books to Escape with on Your Weekend Getaway
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books to escape with on your weekend getaway. From a moving African saga to the fictional autobiography of the first African to explore America, the books on this list will shoot you right out of your present reality into intriguing new worlds, making your weekend getaway as exciting and full of adventures as possible! Read More...
‘We Pacify Atrocities With Inaccurate Language’ Karen Chalamilla’s First Draft
Tanzanian researcher and author of ‘The Political Dilemmas of Tanzania’s Music Artists’, Karen Chalamilla, believes we have a duty to name acts of violence when we witness them: ‘Recently, I have become hypervigilant of the way we pacify atrocities with inaccurate language. The most common—and unfortunately relevant—examples being the use of “conflict” in place of “genocide”, “ethnic cleansing”, “pillaging”, or “murder”.’ Read More...
