Nigeria

Nigeria: News, Stories and Analysis.

Does Yoruba Literature Need Saving? Language in Danger, Literature in Death Throes

Foyin EjilolaOctober 20, 2023

With the success of movies like Femi Adebayo’s 2023 Netflix epic, Jagun Jagun, it is clear that we’re witnessing a Yoruba language renaissance in film, especially through works that are created to acknowledge the intellect of their audiences. Seeing this, the question arises: Can Yoruba literature enjoy the same fate?

NigeriaOctober/November 2023Reading

Nigerians Not Wanted Why Seychelles’ Ban on Nigerian Travellers Is a Failure on Both Sides

Judith HassanOctober 15, 2023

Beyond being excessive, Seychelles’ recent ban on Nigerian passports highlights the weaknesses in Nigeria’s foreign diplomacy and the inconsistencies in Africa’s supposed vision of continent-wide integration.

Best of 2023: EssaysNigeriaOctober/November 2023

‘I Felt Compelled to Share What the Japa Experience Can Look Like’ Michael Afenfia’s First Draft

Michael AfenfiaOctober 15, 2023

Nigerian novelist and author of Leave My Bones In Saskatoon, Michael Afenfia, says his latest novel on immigration was inspired by his experience and that of a few family members and friends: ‘I felt compelled to share what the japa experience can look like, particularly because not many people are comfortable talking about what the reality is versus what it is made out to be.’

First DraftInterviewsNigeriaOctober/November 2023

Another Embarrassment for Nigeria, Thank You Tinubu Faces Controversy over His Attendance at the Chicago State University

Victoria AuduOctober 6, 2023

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu faces controversy for allegedly forging his university certificate from the Chicago State University. The news threatens to further jeopardize Nigeria’s already fragile global image and political credibility.

NigeriaOctober/November 2023

‘My Favourite Books Are Those That Tackle Powerful Subjects With Elegant Prose’ Ijedike Jeboma’s First Draft

Ijedike JebomaOctober 1, 2023

Nigerian writer and author of ‘Identity Formation in Buchi Emecheta’s Kehinde’ Ijedike Jeboma, decided to read all of Emecheta’s works and noticed a shift in her 1994 novel, Kehinde: ‘Emecheta’s legacy is often discussed in terms of the womanism-feminism divide, and I thought Kehinde marked a shift in her oeuvre that I hadn’t seen much commentary about, so I wrote it myself.’

First DraftInterviewsNigeriaOctober/November 2023

The Making of Modern Nigeria British Imperialism and the Political Evolution of Nigeria

Ogechukwu OkonkwoSeptember 29, 2023

Colonization not only altered geographical boundaries to invent Nigeria; it also engineered social and political institutions that have continued to shape Nigeria to this day.

NigeriaOctober/November 2023

Habibi, Come to Dubai? Lifting Nigeria’s Visa Ban Won’t Fix the Country’s Reputation

Victoria AuduSeptember 15, 2023

The Nigerian government announced the lifting of the year-long visa ban barring Nigerians from entering the UAE following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. There is however controversy as this has not been confirmed by the UAE yet.

August/September 2023Best of 2023: EssaysNigeria

Through Time’s Lens The Enduring Message of Chinua Achebe’s No Longer At Ease

Adebola RayoSeptember 1, 2023

Reading Chinua Achebe’s No Longer At Ease in 2023, six decades after it was first published, the story offers a historical reckoning and a prophetic warning about Nigeria’s future. Did a refusal to heed this warning have a calamitous effect on Nigeria and its people?

August/September 2023Best of 2023: EssaysNigeriaReadingvol7-no3

Like a Compass Pointing to Nsukka 20 years of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

Ernest NwekeSeptember 1, 2023

20 years ago, Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, made her debut in the Nigerian literary scene with Purple Hibiscus. With all its masterfully curated elements that immediately stamped Adichie as a global literary voice, her 2003 novel remains an incisive guide to Nsukka.

August/September 2023Best of 2023: EssaysNigeriaReadingvol7-no3

‘Na Mumu Dey Go Boutique’ The Essential Economics of Nigeria’s Okrika Industry

Ayobami OmoleAugust 29, 2023

Deeply rooted in Nigeria’s culture and commerce, Okrika (thrift clothes) is a vital source of affordable clothing for many Nigerians. A looming ban on Okrika is set to change not just Nigeria’s fashion industry but life in Nigeria as we know it.