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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Read our best writing of 2023.
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 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 norms, religious beliefs, education and economic systems of the Iseyin community.
THE MINISTRY OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS
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 democracy.
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
‘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.’
JOIN THE REPUBLIC
Portraits of Nigerian Hair
Obidike Arinze Nnanyelu, who created the Visual History of Nigerian Hair illustration series, discusses what it means as an artist to document hair-making in Nigeria and unpack its cultural significance.
REPUBLIC READING
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
A Potent Tool of Remembrance
record found here, lanaire aderemi’s film exploration of the Egba Women’s Revolt, beautifully examines the impact of the movement on those who weren’t old enough to participate in it but were conscious enough to bear witness to its brilliance.
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.
‘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. 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
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.
A Potent Tool of Remembrance
record found here, lanaire aderemi’s film exploration of the Egba Women’s Revolt, beautifully examines the impact of the movement on those who weren’t old enough to participate in it but were conscious enough to bear witness to its brilliance.
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?
