‘I Write to Gain a Better Understanding of Who I Am’ Zainab Kuku’s First Draft

Zainab KukuDecember 2, 2022
‘Like Most People I Am Simply Exhausted by Politics’ Helon Habila’s First Draft

Helon HabilaNovember 18, 2022
‘It’s Quite Sad That Non-Africans Value African Digital Artists More’ Renike Olusanya’s First Draft

Renike OlusanyaOctober 7, 2022
‘Writing a Book for Children is Not as Easy as One Might Think’ Efua Traoré’s First Draft

Efua TraoréSeptember 23, 2022
‘I’ve Never Considered Myself as Having a Writing Style’ Ntsika Kota’s First Draft

Ntsika KotaAugust 26, 2022
‘My Favourite Love Stories Are the Ones That Are Quieter’ Bolu Babalola’s First Draft

Bolu BabalolaJuly 22, 2022
‘Architecture Is About Ideas’ David Adjaye’s First Draft

David AdjayeJune 17, 2022
‘A Novel Is an Endurance Sport’ Zainab Omaki’s First Draft

Zainab OmakiMay 20, 2022
‘Sometimes What People Want Is Information, Not News’ Ayodeji Rotinwa’s First Draft

Ayodeji RotinwaApril 29, 2022

Best of 2022: First Draft

As we leave 2022, our editors have compiled a list of the conversations we had this year that our readers enjoyed the most. Authors from Bolu Babalola to Helon Habila feature in our Best of 2022: First Draft Interviews.

First Draft is our interview column, featuring authors and other prominent figures on books, reading, and writing.

‘Good Writers Are Good Readers’ Ndidi Akahara’s First Draft

Ndidi AkaharaMarch 18, 2022

Analyst and author of ‘Ken Saro-Wiwa’s “Sozaboy”: What War Literature Teaches Us About the Political Economy of Violence’, Ndidi Akahara, is always excited to talk about history and literature. Read our interview.

Best of 2022: First DraftFebruary/March 2022First DraftInternational Women's Day - First DraftInterviewsNigeriavol6-no1

‘The Pandemic Helped Me Return to Physical Books’ Yemisi Aribisala’s First Draft

Yemisi AribisalaFebruary 18, 2022

Author of Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste Buds, Yemisi Aribisala, believes there are numerous reasons we enjoy food, beyond ingredients and social conditioning. Read our interview.

Best of 2022: First DraftFebruary/March 2022First DraftInterviewsNigeria

‘Almost All Great Writing Comes from Disciplined and Ambitious Readers’ Howard W. French’s First Draft

Howard W. FrenchJanuary 14, 2022

Journalist, professor and author of ‘Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War’, Howard W. French, spent ten years researching the book. Read our interview.

Best of 2022: First DraftDecember 21/January 22First DraftInterviewsUnited States