Uzoma Ihejirika Translators are faced with the difficult task of reconstructing meaning across languages and cultures. Christopher Schaefer undertakes this task in Baho!, Roland Rugero’s second novel (originally published in French) and also, according to the publisher, the first…
Reniss’ Genre Fluidity in Tendon
Reniss’ musical range in Tendon spans diverse genres such as RnB, Bend Skin, Bikutsi, Makossa, folk music dancehall, afropop and gospel, a gumbo of sounds described by her label as Mboko Pop.
Of Ignorance and Jenifa’s Diary
Uzoma Ihejirika What happens when a young, uneducated but determined woman journeys to Lagos where she hopes to find her pot of gold? Until recently I didn’t care about “Jenifa’s Diary”, the Nigerian TV comedy series. I’m using the word…
Akua Naru’s Poetic Discourse on Love and Black Suffering
Why does Akua Naru accept Africa’s music and spirituality, and neglect its people’s voice in her poems? The 1997 film Love Jones features a scene in a dark jazz club at an open mic night where a young black man,…
Unapologetic Voices of Women in 'Hear Word'
Ayodeji Rotinwa As one writes this, it seems likely that in a few weeks, the most powerful person in the world and the President of the United States of America may be a woman. Months ago, a brave young girl…
The Uncrowned Queen of Neo Soul in Cameroon
Christening hereself “Makedah” shortly before the release of her Peace, Love and Light LP in 2013, Cameroon’s neo soul queen seeks to walk on the steps of the Queen of Sheba, “…a strong feminine icon, who represents wisdom and the vision of a proud Africa which is independent and royal.”
On the Place of African Cinema at European Festivals
Oris Aigbokhaevbolo Oris Aigbokhaevbolo investigates the politics of inclusion (and exclusion) of African movies at The Berlin Film Festival, highlighting Nollywood’s commercial approach to film-making and the problems it poses. The opening sentence of an article in a recent edition…
[TV Review] The Simpsons’ Nigerian Characters
Wesley Mead Moe, Princess Kemi (Fox) In the first of a two-part project on The Simpsons, Wesley Mead, while reviewing “The Princess Guide” [s26 e15], examines the decline of The Simpsons, from the cultural touchstone it used to be to…
Between Imagination and Madness: Matière grise (2011) – Review
Catherine Gilbert Matière grise (Grey Matter), 2011. Directed by Kivu Ruhorahoza. 110 min. Kinyarwanda and French with English subtitles. Originally published on Africa in Words 2014 marks the twentieth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda in which as many…
Private Desire in the Public Domain at the Kampala International Theatre Festival
Serubiri Moses Desperate to Fight Photo Credit: Bwette Photography Serubiri Moses attended the inaugural Kampala International Theatre Festival and reviews plays by Sitawa Namwalie (Kenya) and Meaza Worku (Ethiopia), reflecting on explorations of private desire in the public domain, the…