Today, we have the pleasure of sharing a Words on the Times, Outriders Africa with Kenyan writer Wanjiru Koinange, with an excerpt from her novel The Havoc of Choice. Wanjiru was raised on a farm on the outskirts of Nairobi,… Read More ›
Cassava Republic
Q&A Words on the Times, Outriders Africa: Donna Obaseki-Ogunnaike
Today, we are delighted to share a Words on the Times, Outriders Africa with Donna Obaseki-Ogunnaike – an Energy Law expert, speaker, humanivist ©, poet, writer and theatre practitioner, previously dubbed the ‘queen of spoken word poetry in Nigeria’ –… Read More ›
Q&A Words on the Times, Outriders Africa: Nadine Aisha Jassat
AiW note: Outriders Africa, a project announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2019, builds on the existing ambitious Outriders concept, exploring “the idea that in shifting, disorienting times, a writer can make a unique contribution to our understanding… Read More ›
Words on… Past & Present: re-presenting Jumoke Verissimo’s review of Elnathan John’s ‘Born on a Tuesday’ – The Truth Outside Context
AiW note: This re-post of Jumoke Verissimo’s review of Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday (Cassava Republic, 2016), was first published on AiW as part of the celebrations for the launch of Cassava Republic Press in the UK, back on this same… Read More ›
Q&A: Words on the Times – Chika Unigwe
“This collection … is so wry and so generous, so astute about human deeds and misdeeds. Under Unigwe’s masterful hands, relationship – between Nigerians and Belgians, Naijas and Oyibo, priests and parish, bosses and workers, men and women, parents and… Read More ›
Words on… March, past & present – re-presenting Olumide Popoola’s ‘When We Speak of Nothing’ review
Experimental YA novel, representative and complex: When We Speak of Nothing. AiW note: Looking back to the seemingly different world of last March 2019, our #PastAndPresent post this week – a review of Olumide Popoola’s YA novel, When We Speak… Read More ›
Experimental YA novel representative and complex: Review of ‘When We Speak of Nothing’
With When We Speak of Nothing Olumide Popoola has created a contemporary young adult novel that addresses the strains of growing up in an economy ravaged by neoliberal economic policies and a community suffering from prejudicial social policies. Popoola’s experimental… Read More ›
An African Literary Calendar: 15 Books on Our Radar Right Now
AiW Guest: Sana Goyal. Earlier this year saw the publication of first novels by Leila Slimani (Lullaby) and Novuyo Rosa Tshuma (House of Stone), Michael Donkor (Hold) and Peter Kimani (Dance of the Jakaranda). These books sat on bookshelves alongside… Read More ›
“I write what I like”: Aké Arts & Book Festival 2016 in Abeokuta, Nigeria
AiW Guest: Nathan Suhr-Sytsma The fourth incarnation of the Aké Arts & Book Festival took place 15-19 November 2016, in Abeokuta, Nigeria, the birthplace of Wole Soyinka, and shares a name with Soyinka’s classic memoir of his childhood, Aké. The… Read More ›
Review: Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun by Sarah Ladipo Manyika
AiW Author Sarah Jilani With her faithful old Porsche Buttercup, her toe-rings and her zest for life, Dr. Morayo Da Silva is a cosmopolitan Nigerian woman whose 75th birthday is just around the corner. A retired English professor, her love… Read More ›
The Truth outside Context: Jumoke Verissimo reviews Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday
This review of Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday is the first in a series of reviews of books published by Cassava Republic Press that we’ll be running over coming weeks to celebrate the launch of Cassava Republic in the UK. AiW… Read More ›
Of Lagos, startups, cigarettes and prostitutes: a Nigerian writer unveils his literary inspiration
AiW Guest: Leye Adenle Leye Adenle discusses how an encounter with a sex worker led to him giving her the central role in his first feature-length novel. This is part of our joint series with the LSE Africa blog: Reflections on… Read More ›
4th African Popular Cultures Workshop at the University of Sussex: Alternative Archives
The School of English and the Sussex Africa Centre Postgraduate Committee invite you to the 4th African Popular Cultures Workshop at the University of Sussex Alternative Archives Monday 13th April 2015, 1.30pm – 7.30pm English Social Space (B274), Arts B… Read More ›
Ankara Press: Q&A with Publisher Bibi Bakare-Yusuf
Ankara Press is a new romance imprint published by Nigerian publishing house Cassava Republic Press. The imprint launched on 15th December 2014 with six new titles, set in locations in Nigeria, South Africa and the UK. AiW author Emma Shercliff… Read More ›
Publishing in Africa and African Studies: Review, ASAUK 2014 (Part 1)
AiW Guest Stephanie Kitchen A stream of five panels at ASAUK considered ‘practical and political aspects of publishing in African studies’. The stream brought together representatives from key publishers on the African continent, both established and newer imprints, including CODESRIA… Read More ›
Books for the Masses? Publishing Genre Fiction in Africa: Africa Writes, 13 July 2014
AiW Guest Emma Shercliff Review of panel discussion with Bibi Bakare-Yusuf of Cassava Republic Press; Valerie Brandes of Jacaranda Books; Verna Wilkins of Tamarind Books and Susan Yearwood, agent and founder of Susan Yearwood Literary Agency. Chaired by Simi Dosekun…. Read More ›
‘Beyond the Novel: Developing Contemporary African Writing’: Review, Africa Writes 2014
Saturday 12th July found me seated in the conference auditorium of the British Library, expectantly awaiting the start of a panel entitled ‘Beyond the Novel: Developing Contemporary African Writing’. Comprising one of the many events scheduled at Africa Writes 2014,… Read More ›