Lagos, Lagos
By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Chidera’s taxi crawled over Third Mainland Bridge, towards Lagos Island. The morning traffic was thick with cars, with hawkers selling newspapers and CDs and gala sausage rolls, with motorcycles snaking past. She wiped the sweat on her nose with the back of her hand, carefully, so as not to ruin her […]
Remembering Biafra
By Olu Oguibe And where Is that accent from? He asked politely. Biafra, I replied That’s where I’m from. Biafra, he repeated And pondered awhile I’m sure I’ve heard Of that nation before. It’s not a nation Sir, I corrected Only a notion In the imagination. Well, he replied After much thought There are […]
The Amazing Career of Passport Number B957848
By Akin Adesokan (For Larry Siems & Aimee Liu) I The wait would have begun on the line at the British Consulate in Lagos, where dreams collapsed from standing too long in the sun. But the story of standing in line at the AmEmbassy on Eleke Crescent (renamed Louis Farrakhan Street, and re-renamed Walter Carrington […]
Crossroads Republic
By Brent Hayes Edwards The Nigerian superstar bandleader Fela Anikulapo-Kuti hosted a covert summit meeting in the summer of 1977. He received an unexpected, extended visit from Lester Bowie, the mercurial trumpeter of the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Their time together went unheralded and undeclared, a private conversation in the midst of what may have […]
Franc-maçonnerie Suite
By Dominique Malaquais 1st Movement : Uncle Tom or DOM-TOM? Il y a plus de gens qui savent lire et écrire de la littérature que de personnes sachant lire et écrire de la musique, qui a plus d’impact que la littérature. Il est plus aisé d’écouter et/ou d’entendre que de lire ou de voir. En général, […]