There is an opportunity for Nigeria to capitalize on the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nigeria to improve our bilateral relationship with India.
OUR BEST WRITING OF 2023
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vol. 8, no. 4
REIMAGINING NIGERIAN HERITAGE
Our latest issue, Reimagining Nigerian Heritage, focuses on the unknown and underdiscussed stories that reflect the richness of Nigeria’s heritage across its different cultures.
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vol. 8, no. 4
REIMAGINING NIGERIAN HERITAGE
Our latest issue, Reimagining Nigerian Heritage, focuses on the unknown and underdiscussed stories that reflect the richness of Nigeria’s heritage across its different cultures.
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.
HEADLINE STORY / THE MINISTRY OF WORLD AFFAIRS
THE MINISTRY OF ARTS / FIRST DRAFT INTERVIEWS
‘I Gave Myself Permission to Write a Black Villainess’ Wayétu Moore’s First Draft
Liberian novelist and author of She Would Be King, Wayétu Moore, wants Africans to tell their own stories: ‘A recent book I read portrayed Africa as a uniform experience—overly simplified and stripped of nuance. It reminded me of why it is so important for Africans to tell our own stories, showing the plurality of our voices, our struggles, and our triumphs.’
THE MINISTRY OF ARTS / LITERATURE DEPT.
What It Means to Attend Aké Festival
The Aké Arts & Book Festival is drawing young people from across Nigeria and the African diaspora, fostering connections, and inspiring a vibrant culture of literary growth and creativity.
THE MINISTRY OF ARTS / POETRY DEPT.
Youth, Poetry and the Nigerian Traumatic
In a nation like Nigeria that is not so far removed from constant distress and anguish, it is only reasonable that literature, especially from young writers, serves as the analytical medium of these experiences.
THE MINISTRY OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
It Is Time to Let the ‘African Mother’ Jokes Go
In recent times, we have been inundated with various social media depictions of African mothers, portraying them as ignorant, irrational, and incoherent. These depictions engender a reading of primitive difference in Africans by reinforcing the trope of the conservative, backward African.
THE MINISTRY OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
Note on Being Groomed for Exile
As Africans, our being lost in the diaspora is contingent on the preservation of life for ourselves and for those of our families left behind.
THE REPUBLIC RECOMMENDS
7 Books by First-Time Authors You Should Read This New Year
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of books by first-time authors you should read this new year. These books will introduce you to some of the best emerging talents in African literature.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
S2 EP2: The Political Rise of Ken Saro-Wiwa (Part II)
What was it about the Ogoni movement that made it (to borrow from the American writer, Toni Cade Bambara) ‘irresistible’ to Ken Saro-Wiwa? Let’s find out together. The second part of episode two of the second season of The Republic is now available wherever you listen to podcasts.
ANNOUNCEMENT DESK
The Republic Has Just Won Funding From JournalismAI
The Republic is proud to announce that we’ve won $250,000 in grant funding from JournalismAI and the Google News Initiative!
#NIGERIANICON
The Endless Life of Onyeka Onwenu
Nigerian pop icon Onyeka Onwenu died earlier this year. With an iridescent career spanning decades, Onwenu’s knowledge of Nigeria’s failings ran as deep as her capacity to imagine and believe in a better Nigeria.
‘I Gave Myself Permission to Write a Black Villainess’ Wayétu Moore’s First Draft
Liberian novelist and author of She Would Be King, Wayétu Moore, wants Africans to tell their own stories: ‘A recent book I read portrayed Africa as a uniform experience—overly simplified...
What It Means to Attend Aké Festival
The Aké Arts & Book Festival is drawing young people from across Nigeria and the African diaspora, fostering connections, and inspiring a vibrant culture of literary growth and creativity.
Note on Being Groomed for Exile
As Africans, our being lost in the diaspora is contingent on the preservation of life for ourselves and for those of our families left behind.
Youth, Poetry and the Nigerian Traumatic
In a nation like Nigeria that is not so far removed from constant distress and anguish, it is only reasonable that literature, especially from young writers, serves as the analytical...
THE LATEST IN PRINT
VOL. 8, NO. 4
REIMAGINING NIGERIAN HERITAGE
REIMAGINING NIGERIAN HERITAGE
Now Available: Our November 2024 – January 2025 Print Issue
Featuring:
Republic editor, Wale Lawal, in conversation with Museum of West African Art director, Ore Disu; Emmanuel Esomnofu on the magic of musician, William Onyeabor; Kéchi Nne Nomu on the legendary influence of pop icon, Onyeka Onwenu, who died earlier this year; Ozoz Sokoh on the foods inspired by novelist, Buchi Emecheta; Yusuf Omotayo on the timelessness of Tunde Kelani’s Yoruba film classic, Ṣaworoìdẹ; and much more!
THE LATEST IN PRINT
VOL. 8, NO. 4
REIMAGINING NIGERIAN HERITAGE
REIMAGINING NIGERIAN HERITAGE
Now Available: Our November 2024 – January 2025 Print Issue
Featuring:
Republic editor, Wale Lawal, in conversation with Museum of West African Art director, Ore Disu; Emmanuel Esomnofu on the magic of musician, William Onyeabor; Kéchi Nne Nomu on the legendary influence of pop icon, Onyeka Onwenu, who died earlier this year; Ozoz Sokoh on the foods inspired by novelist, Buchi Emecheta; Yusuf Omotayo on the timelessness of Tunde Kelani’s Yoruba film classic, Ṣaworoìdẹ; and much 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
Madam Has Interest
Despite their purported mission of advancing women’s interests, in Nigeria, institutionalized structures such as the first lady’s office and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, more often reinforce than challenge patriarchal norms.
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.
S2 EP2: The Political Rise of Ken Saro-Wiwa (Part II)
What was it about the Ogoni movement that made it (to borrow from the American writer, Toni Cade Bambara) ‘irresistible’ to Ken Saro-Wiwa? Let’s find out together. The second part of episode two of the second season of The Republic is now available wherever you listen to podcasts.
continue reading
We get it. Sometimes the headline stories are just not enough.
ARTS & CULTURE
‘I Gave Myself Permission to Write a Black Villainess’ Wayétu Moore’s First Draft
Liberian novelist and author of She Would Be King, Wayétu Moore, wants Africans to tell their own stories: ‘A recent book I read portrayed Africa as a uniform experience—overly simplified...
What It Means to Attend Aké Festival
The Aké Arts & Book Festival is drawing young people from across Nigeria and the African diaspora, fostering connections, and inspiring a vibrant culture of literary growth and creativity.
Note on Being Groomed for Exile
As Africans, our being lost in the diaspora is contingent on the preservation of life for ourselves and for those of our families left behind.
Youth, Poetry and the Nigerian Traumatic
In a nation like Nigeria that is not so far removed from constant distress and anguish, it is only reasonable that literature, especially from young writers, serves as the analytical...
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BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY
Why Nigerians Buy Foreign Citizenship
Fuelled by the pursuit of personal growth, career success and better living standards, more Nigerians are turning to citizenship by investment as their ticket to stronger passports and a world...
The Misunderstood Economics of Igba Ọsọ Ahịa
Igba Ọsọ Ahịa is not just another middleman scheme, but a social business practice deeply rooted in Igbo society that integrates regional traders for the purpose of facilitating entrepreneurialism and...
The Weavers of Iseyin
Aṣọ-òfì does more than exist as a treasured Yoruba fabric and a commodity in Iseyin, its original home. It reflects a societal fabric interwoven with the changing cultural values, social...
A Clash of Titans
In the world of power and influence, Bola Ahmed Tinubu rules the political arena while Aliko Dangote reigns supreme in the realm of business. What happens when these two giants...
HISTORY
S2 EP2: The Political Rise of Ken Saro-Wiwa (Part II)
What was it about the Ogoni movement that made it (to borrow from the American writer, Toni Cade Bambara) ‘irresistible’ to Ken Saro-Wiwa? Let’s find out together. The second part...
S2 EP2: The Political Rise of Ken Saro-Wiwa (Part I)
What was it about the Ogoni movement that made it (to borrow from the American writer, Toni Cade Bambara) ‘irresistible’ to Ken Saro-Wiwa? Let’s find out together. The second episode...
S2 EP1: Abacha’s Offer
Why did Ken Saro-Wiwa decline Abacha’s ministerial offer? Let’s find out together. The first episode of the second season of The Republic is now available wherever you listen to podcasts.
The Last Guardians of Yoruba Door Carving
Yoruba carvers were once revered for their intricate spiritual and cultural door designs. The few carvers remaining today persevere against a world that increasingly overlooks the value of their art.
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POLITICS
Tinubu’s Russian Roulette
The hoisting of Russian flags in Nigeria during recent protests suggests how President Tinubu’s ECOWAS foreign policy gambles might have triggered pro-Russian sentiments in Nigeria.
Ondo 2024 Governorship Election and the Hallmarks of a Recessive Democracy
The low participation of electorates in the Ondo State election points to a serious problem of voter apathy and raises the question of the status and future of Nigeria’s evolving...
Africa’s Ironic Securitization of Dissent
While governments in Africa crackdown on dissent, history reveals that, ironically, many of those in power often engaged in one form of dissent before coming into office.
Why Do African Governments Fear Peaceful Protests?
In the past year, a series of protests have occurred in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania. The responses of the governments of these countries were very similar, reflecting aggression, violence...
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
A Medical Miracle in Cameroon
The rollout of the new malaria vaccine in Cameroon has made some Cameroonians hopeful, while others worry about its true purpose.
Aya Care’s Sudden Fame
After going viral on social media, the women-led team at sanitary pad provider, Aya Care, found themselves at the centre of a renewed discussion about menstrual hygiene in Nigeria. What...
The Menace of Skin-Bleaching in Nigeria
Cosmetic endeavours aimed at achieving lighter skin have led to the development of different skin-bleaching beauty methods that leave the body open to grave health repercussions.
How to Improve Almajiri Health And Why Almajirai May Know Best
Despite their prominence in the Nigerian imagination, almajirai and their experiences in health have been overlooked in research. Socially-grounded research models may offer some ways to address this.
WORLD AFFAIRS
A New Era of Nigeria-India Relations?
There is an opportunity for Nigeria to capitalize on the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nigeria to improve our bilateral relationship with India.
An Africa Beyond the ‘North’ and ‘Sub-Saharan’ Divide
Geography is political. Over the centuries, the borders of ‘sub-Saharan’ and ‘North’ Africa have shifted to serve expansionist agendas. Despite decolonization, these labels continue to be used today and have...
The Contradictions of Benin’s Alleged Coup Plot
In September 2024, news of an alleged coup surfaced in the typically stable Republic of Benin, raising questions about the country’s democratic stability, and the broader implications for West Africa.
The Curious Presence of Russian Flags in African Protests
Did the waving of the Russian flag by some Nigerian protesters during the 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests mirror Moscow’s soft power in Africa?
