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
Every year, The Republic publishes the most ambitious writing focused on Africa, from news and analysis to long-form features.
Support our award-winning coverage by subscribing today.
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.
Purchase an annual print + digital subscription, and get unlimited access to The Republic. We ship worldwide.
Every year, The Republic publishes the most ambitious writing focused on Africa, from news and analysis to long-form features.
Support our award-winning coverage by subscribing today.
Our print + digital subscription is 50% off.
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.
Revisiting the Soyinka-Bọ́lẹ̀kájà Debate
Since the landmark Soyinka-Bọ́lẹ̀kájà debate of the 1980s, African poetry has sparked intense discussions about authenticity and the influence of Western literary traditions and forms on its poets.
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 Dilemma of the Nigerian Food Content Creator
Food content creation in Nigeria is a booming niche that blends creativity, the cultural diversity in the country, and a global food culture. The scene is however marred by ethnic prejudices and online bullying.
THE MINISTRY OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS
The Saga of the Kano Emirate
In Kano, a tussle for the emirate’s throne between Muhammadu Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero has revealed the shaky legitimacy of traditional Nigerian monarchs. How their once inviolable thrones, emblematic of timeless authority and cultural heritage, now teeter under the weight of modern Nigerian politics.
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
‘A Great Story Should Make You Feel Deeply’ Othuke Ominiabohs’ First Draft
Founder of Masobe Books and author of Aviara, Othuke Ominiabohs, believes that writers should write whatever truly interests them. However, ‘it would be exciting to see more romantic stories, thrillers, and daring, genre-bending works from Nigerian writers.’
JOIN THE REPUBLIC
Call for Editorial Interns Join The Republic as an Editorial Intern
The Republic is hiring Editorial Interns to join our Lagos team. Apply by 17 May 2024. Read more.
REPUBLIC READING
7 Books You Can Read in Less Than 24 Hours
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books you can read in less than 24 hours. From fiction and non-fiction to plays, the books on this list can be read in less than a day.
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.
Filming the Prolonged Pain of Colonial Violence
For decades, families in Tanzania have been demanding the return of their ancestors’ human remains from Germany. These ancestors, executed leaders of resistance efforts against German colonial rule, were exhumed...
The Last Time I Saw My Father
In the fading light of my father’s life, I watched helplessly as the man I once knew as vibrant and full of life slowly withered away. Though I loved him...
A Poet’s Lament of a World on the Precipice
In her debut collection, Cadaver of Red Roses, Zaynab Iliyasu Bobi renders an evocative and poetic journey through past tragedies, protesting against war and poor leadership.
7 Books You Can Read in Less Than 24 Hours
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books you can read in less than 24 hours. From fiction and non-fiction to plays, the books on...
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
‘Write Something Familiar in a Way That Readers Encounter It as Something New’ Ololade Faniyi’s First Draft
Nigerian feminist scholar and author of An African Feminist Manifesto, Ololade Faniyi, is drawn to writings about the digital and the African imaginary: ‘We must resist the universalizing mission disguised as bridging the technological divide. We have lost so much as a people; we don’t have any more to lose.’
No posts found!
THE MINISTRY OF ARTs / PHOTO DEPT.
Shadows of a Forgotten Past: Unveiling the Truth of White Nanny, Black Child
In the 1950s, white British families adopted numerous African children in a practice commonly known as ‘farming’. With outstanding depth, a documentary on farming by Andy Mundy-Castle explores how for some of those children, what appeared to be a well-meaning initiative resulted in significant harm and life-long scars.
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
Filming the Prolonged Pain of Colonial Violence
For decades, families in Tanzania have been demanding the return of their ancestors’ human remains from Germany. These ancestors, executed leaders of resistance efforts against German colonial rule, were exhumed...
The Last Time I Saw My Father
In the fading light of my father’s life, I watched helplessly as the man I once knew as vibrant and full of life slowly withered away. Though I loved him...
A Poet’s Lament of a World on the Precipice
In her debut collection, Cadaver of Red Roses, Zaynab Iliyasu Bobi renders an evocative and poetic journey through past tragedies, protesting against war and poor leadership.
7 Books You Can Read in Less Than 24 Hours
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books you can read in less than 24 hours. From fiction and non-fiction to plays, the books on...
ADVERTISEMENT
BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY
Nigeria’s Shiny New Loan
Is the recent $2.25 billion loan from the World Bank a lifeline or trap door?
Highway to Where?
Beyond being a transformative infrastructure project aimed at connecting Nigeria’s southern coastline, the story of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway represents the interplay of competing interests in undertaking monumental economic projects.
A Tale of Two Economies
What can we learn from Nigeria’s economic decline and South Africa’s relative economic stability?
The Disappointing Downturn of Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria
Nigeria, once Africa’s top foreign investment destination, has fallen from grace. Is there a way forward?
HISTORY
The Quiet Politics of Lebanese Nigerians
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.
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.
Remembering Kampala
For much of the sixties, Kampala was at the centre of literature in Africa, its status propelled by Makerere University and Rajat Neogy’s Transition Magazine. However, in the seventies, the...
Haile Selassie I and Pan-African Diplomacy
Perhaps a latecomer to pan-African ideology, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I was nevertheless unique in his contribution to pan-Africanism. He urged all those working for a united global Africa to...
Shop The Republic
-
₦2,500.00
-
₦2,500.00
-
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
₦70,000.00 – ₦75,000.00
POLITICS
Tinubu’s Nigeria Is Smiling Abroad but Suffering at Home
Why the Tinubu government’s foreign policy must be re-tuned to domestic needs.
APC’s Unspoken Rules of Fuel Subsidy
During Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the All Progressives Congress heavily criticized and campaigned against removing the fuel subsidy. Now the ruling party finds itself dealing with the aftermath of its own...
The Saga of the Kano Emirate
In Kano, a tussle for the emirate’s throne between Muhammadu Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero has revealed the shaky legitimacy of traditional Nigerian monarchs. How their once inviolable thrones,...
The Elusive Promise of Tinubu’s 4D Doctrine
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s first year in office shows a gap between his ‘4D’ foreign policy goals and Nigeria's domestic realities.
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...
ADVERTISEMENT
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
The Unresolved Questions of the Sahel Crisis
The formation of the Sahel Alliance has raised several questions, especially: is it really the worst thing in the world that three African military leaders want to rid their countries...
Can We Trust the P-5’s ‘Unanimous Agreement’ of African Representation at the UN Security Council?
The unanimous agreement of African representation on the UN Security Council is not a structural fix to the systematic marginalization that African nations face on the world stage. Instead, it...
Soyinka in the Gazan Crypt
Wole Soyinka’s work gives to Palestinians something the life-world of Palestinian letters give to us: an abiding love and solidarity for the captive.
The North African Novel in English: What Is It? How Is It?
Arabophone and Francophone literatures have dominated the region of North Africa for decades, but now a third one is emerging—the Anglophone one.
