The Lebanese in Nigeria form one of the country’s most dynamic diaspora communities, with a fascinating history marked by notable commercial success and subtle political influence.
OUR BEST WRITING OF 2023
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vol. 8, no. 2
NIGERIA IMAGINARY
Our latest issue, Nigeria Imaginary, considers the restorative potential of Nigerian art and invites readers to explore the Nigeria Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale, plus more.
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vol. 8, no. 2
nigeria imaginary
Our latest issue, Nigeria Imaginary, considers the restorative potential of Nigerian art and invites readers to explore the Nigeria Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale, plus more.
Purchase an annual print + digital subscription, and get unlimited access to The Republic. We ship worldwide.
This Week’s Essentials
Our top analyses, debates, ideas and stories of the week.
the latest online / the ministry of MEMORIES
THE MINISTRY OF ARTS / BOOKS DEPT.
A Manual on the Use of Subtext and Subplot
Following its publication, Kike Ojo’s Fire in the Wind enjoyed only brief publicity. One might wonder why this was the case, but upon closer inspection, her use of subtext and subplot may offer an explanation.
THE MINISTRY OF ARTS / FILM DEPT.
A Bold Debut in Diasporic Filmmaking
In her debut film, Yam and Egg, Emily Nkanga set out to tell a story beyond familiar narratives, focusing on the emotional and mental struggles of migrants as they face loss and adapt to life abroad.
THE MINISTRY OF BUSINESS X THE ECONOMY
A Tale of Two Economies
What can we learn from Nigeria’s economic decline and South Africa’s relative economic stability?
THE MINISTRY OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
The Beauty Tax on Nigeria’s Poorest Women
When it comes to beauty standards and how women defy or succumb to them, the discourse takes on a new meaning for Nigerian women on the lowest rung of the economic ladder. For them, attaining the ‘ideal’ appearance is a measure of beauty and class.
THE MINISTRY OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS
Is the African Union a Symbol of Waning Pan-Africanism?
In the wake of tumultuous geopolitical policies and an increasingly multipolar world, pan-Africanism today struggles to evoke the spirit of comradeship that it used to.
THE MINISTRY OF WORLD AFFAIRS
Digging for Gold in Zimbabwe
During Zimbabwe’s economic turmoil of the late 2000s, my sister and I navigated a land defined by scarcity and resilience as we experienced the collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy, our community and our family.
the MINISTRY OF MEMORIES
Looking for Gaskiya Corporation
On a humid afternoon in May 2023, the photographer Eslah Yusuf and I searched for the building that housed Northern Nigeria’s oldest printing press and publishing house.
THE REPUBLIC INTERVIEWS / FIRST DRAFT
‘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.’
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Wrappers of Rivers
In documenting and displaying the intricate cultures of wrapper tying and wrapper wearing in Rivers State, Aleruchi Kinika, the photographer behind the series, ‘Wrappers of Rivers’, says she ‘wanted to tell the story of the wrappers and Rivers people as one.’
REPUBLIC READING
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!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
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.
HEROES PAST
Who Will Bury Mr. Taiwo?
It took the Nigerian government 51 years to formally honour Taiwo Akinkunmi, the man who designed the Nigerian flag. Now, months after his death, his body remains in a morgue as his family awaits a state burial.
Can Nigeria’s Tech Sector Drive Inclusive Growth?
As Nigeria embraces its digital future, inclusion—not just innovation—must lead. Can this transformation reach all Nigerians or just the privileged few?
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...
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.
Nok and Africa’s Disregard for Prehistory
African societies have, over centuries, had to deal with a cleavage of their present from their pasts by foreign powers. In the face of such cultural imperialism, how invested are...
THE LATEST IN PRINT
VOL. 8, NO. 2
NIGERIA IMAGINARY
NIGERIA IMAGINARY
Now Available: Our May – July 2024 Print Issue
Featuring:
Wale Lawal in conversation with Aindrea Emelife, curator of the Nigeria Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale; Kéchi Nne Nnomu on Toyin Ojih Odutola; Chimezie Chika on Ndidi Dike; Mobólúwajídìde Joseph on Yinka Shonibare; Yusuf Omotayo on the man who designed Nigeria’s flag; fiction from ’Pemi Aguda; plus more.
THE LATEST IN PRINT
VOL. 8, NO. 2
NIGERIA IMAGINARY
NIGERIA IMAGINARY
Now Available: Our May – July 2024 Print Issue
Featuring:
Wale Lawal in conversation with Aindrea Emelife, curator of the Nigeria Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale; Kéchi Nne Nnomu on Toyin Ojih Odutola; Chimezie Chika on Ndidi Dike; Mobólúwajídìde Joseph on Yinka Shonibare; Yusuf Omotayo on the man who designed Nigeria’s flag; fiction from ’Pemi Aguda; plus more.
vol.8 no.1 / EDITOR'S FOREWORD
‘An African Feminist Manifesto’
For whom is the transformative potential of feminism new? Our latest issue, An African Feminist Manifesto, considers the imperatives for Black African feminism(s) in our uniquely uncertain times, plus more.
COVER ESSAY
Queer People Today, You Tomorrow
Every Nigerian is one state decision away from becoming ‘unworthy’ subjects. Yet many Nigerians celebrate when the state punishes queer people not realizing that what is being witnessed is the state testing and perfecting its technologies of removal.
THE MINISTRY OF ARTs / PHOTO DEPT.
The Disruptive Potential of Frida Orupabo’s Metamorphic Women
To encounter a body in collage is to momentarily believe the human form is physically and even gesturally incapable of coming up against its own limitations. Frida Orupabo’s collages do this so well. They haunt the viewer with fond, familiar and unexpected shapes.
THE MINISTRY OF MEMORIES
A Womanist Reading of African Women in Abrahamic Tradition
Though the presence of Abrahamic tradition within global Black consciousness often finds expression through male-dominated narratives, a closer examination uncovers Black women at the very centres of the most path-altering moments in the tradition, offering analogues with which Black women have interpreted, reimagined and reclaimed their past, present, and future.
THE MINISTRY OF ARTs / BOOKS DEPT.
50 Years of Buchi Emecheta’s Second-Class Citizen
In 1974, Buchi Emecheta’s novel, Second-Class Citizen, was published. While this novel has inspired a generation of African writers, the themes Emecheta explored—such as Black immigrant life in the UK and the ills of a patriarchal society—remain as relevant today as ever.
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.
continue reading
We get it. Sometimes the headline stories are just not enough.
ARTS & CULTURE
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...
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...
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.
‘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:...
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BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY
Financial (Dis)Integration Within ECOWAS
For 50 years, West Africa has struggled to establish financial integration. The East Africa community offers a compelling success story that West Africa can emulate.
The Economic Uncertainties of the AfCFTA Amidst Regional Conflict
The AfCFTA’s potential to transform intra-African trade risks being undermined by the volatility created by instability in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions.
Is China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Africa a Development Catalyst or Debt Trap?
As China’s Belt and Road Initiative is reshaping Africa’s economic landscape, opportunities in infrastructure development clash against rising debt, raising questions of sovereignty and long-term sustainability.
The Economic Cost of Debt Forgiveness on Nigeria
One of Nigeria’s woes is the soaring level of sovereign debt amidst persistent hardship and underdevelopment, raising questions about whether debt relief mechanisms can serve as a sustainable, effective solution.
HISTORY
Nok and Africa’s Disregard for Prehistory
African societies have, over centuries, had to deal with a cleavage of their present from their pasts by foreign powers. In the face of such cultural imperialism, how invested are...
The Timeless Solutions of the Gadaa System
The Gadaa system of the Oromo people of Kenya and Ethiopia offers an indigenous method of governance in Africa, as the adopted Western democracy seems to be failing the continent.
From Kongo Kings to Cross-Congo Conflicts
The world’s closest capital cities—Kinshasa and Brazzaville—sit within two modern-day states, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo, that once reigned as a united Kongo...
10 Books That Belong on Your Reading List This Women’s History Month
To celebrate Women’s History Month, Nigerian writer and editor, Angel Nduka-Nwosu, compiles a list of books by Black women that belong on your reading list this month and beyond. These...
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POLITICS
Does APC Deserve Another Ten Years?
As Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressives Congress, marks ten years in power, Nigerians should assess the performance of the party and decide the political trajectory of the nation.
Have Nigerian Governors Lost Their Powers?
In the wake of political defections by Nigerian governors, there are questions about their influence and how much of these defections significantly affect the country’s political trajectory.
Algeria’s Golden Opportunity
Africa’s largest country, Algeria, has a sizeable record of global mediation, spanning the Iran-Iraq conflict in 1975 to the Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict in 2000. Algeria’s evolving diplomacy raises questions on how...
The Hypocrisy of El-Rufai
Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the gadfly former governor of Kaduna State, is no stranger to the corridors of power, but his new-found activism exposes a hypocrisy typical of Nigerian politicians who...
RADIO REPUBLIC
The Republic: Season 1, Episode 1 Transcript IBB, the Evil Genius
We all grew up hearing about ‘June 12’, but how well do you know what really happened? Let’s find out together. The first episode of The Republic is now available...
The Republic: Season 1, Episode 2 Transcript MKO: The Man Nigeria Waited to See
This episode will establish M. K. O. Abiola as a major actor. It will examine his personal life; his initial foray into business and politics; and areas of his life...
The Republic: Season 1, Episode 3 Transcript Two Sides of the Same Coin
In this episode, we take a look at the key election candidates and what platforms they ran under. We compare their profiles and proposed agendas for Nigeria, highlighting what political...
The Republic: Season 1, Episode 4 Transcript June 12: Freest and Fairest of Them All
After eight years of anticipation, and eight years of promises from General Ibrahim Babangida’s junta, Nigerians were finally about to have their say at the ballot box. In this week’s...
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Can Nigeria’s Tech Sector Drive Inclusive Growth?
As Nigeria embraces its digital future, inclusion—not just innovation—must lead. Can this transformation reach all Nigerians or just the privileged few?
Reimagining Feminist Digital Worlds
The founder of PARIWO and creator of the social media platform, neno, Ann Daramola, discusses building technology by and for African women and reimagining digital platforms that centre Black African...
Who Pays When Africans Fall Sick?
Across Africa, millions in the informal sector remain uninsured—not from apathy, but due to the exclusionary nature of health systems. In Tanzania and beyond, digital innovations offer promising models for...
When Darkness Fell on UCH Ibadan
By 06 February 2025, the University College Hospital in Ibadan had been in a blackout for 97 days. ‘Surgeries are on hold. Patients are dying. And in the best teaching...
WORLD AFFAIRS
Is the African Union a Symbol of Waning Pan-Africanism?
In the wake of tumultuous geopolitical policies and an increasingly multipolar world, pan-Africanism today struggles to evoke the spirit of comradeship that it used to.
Building a Pro-Regional Coalition in Nigeria
ECOWAS has underperformed in its trade integration and crisis response mandates. Nigeria has to step up its game in improving effective regional cooperation in West Africa. To accomplish this, a...
Who Dey Fear Donald Trump?
Our latest issue, Who Dey Fear Donald Trump?, assesses Africa’s global positioning in the new Trumpian era of multipolarity.
African Cooperation in the Age of Anti-Globalization
Unlike nineteenth-century multipolarity where Africa had limited internal interaction and post-colonial bipolarity when South Africa was under apartheid, the present state of multipolarity under anti-globalization may create sufficient pressure and...
