Feature

Explainers, analyses, and essays on government policies, and political trends and movements around the continent

“Starrgirl”: Ayra Starr Trades Becoming for Being

In Starrgirl, Ayra Starr does not ask you to reconsider Ayra Starr. She assumes you already know who she is and expects you to keep up. The title alone sends listeners a message before they press play. Her first two records were titled around age — 19 & Dangerous introduced a fearless, fast-talking teenager; The […]

Anjola Akinmade

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1 month ago

“Starrgirl”: Ayra Starr Trades Becoming for Being

Wizkid and Asake’s Incredible Feature Runs Show That Collaboration Is Still a Potent Force

In a dimly lit studio, Wizkid and Gunna puff on stocky blunts, alternating between exchanging friendly chatter and dispatching verses into disc-shaped microphones. As a glistening trap beat furnished with Wizkid’s mellow vocals plays in the background, the pair and two other men—presumably studio personnel—bob their heads vigorously. It’s with this monochrome clip that American […]

Chibuzo Emmanuel

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1 year ago

Wizkid and Asake’s Incredible Feature Runs Show That Collaboration Is Still a Potent Force

Between Lagos and Jos, Famous Orion Iraoya’s “Finding Nina” Struggles to Find Itself

Prime Video’s latest Nigerian film, Finding Nina, cultivates a restrained yet deliberate sense of artistry, using photography and the Northern Nigeria landscape as its thematic anchors. At the centre of the plot is its protagonist Jabir (JB), a seasoned street photographer whose journey drives the narrative. From fleeting childhood memories of a boy quietly observing […]

Adedamola Adedayo

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1 year ago

Between Lagos and Jos, Famous Orion Iraoya’s “Finding Nina” Struggles to Find Itself

Is Mavo Poised For a Breakout Moment?

For a music lover, few things compare to the thrill of stumbling  onto an emerging act and watching them transform—slowly at first, then rapidly—from a raw, unpolished state, into a fully formed star with all the trappings of fame. It’s a story we’ve witnessed in countless iterations—from Wizkid’s blistering rise in 2011 to Asake’s phantasmagorical […]

Chibuzo Emmanuel

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1 year ago

Is Mavo Poised For a Breakout Moment?

Nigerian Lives: What Does It Take To Juggle Multiple Jobs?

In Nigeria today, a nine-to-five job is rarely enough. Salaries vanish by mid-month. Bills pile up. Fuel is expensive. Food is a luxury. The economy is dragging everyone by the throat. So, people hustle after hours, on weekends, during lunch breaks. How are people surviving? We asked seven Nigerians about the side gigs they’ve picked […]

Alex Omenye

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1 year ago

Nigerian Lives: What Does It Take To Juggle Multiple Jobs?

At a Loss For Words: Why Afrobeats Stars Struggle On the Mic, Off the Stage

Shallipopi stands with Don Capon outside his dressing room before his performance at Afronation. Don Capon engages him in your typical TikTok format “interview” — a 10-second interaction asking him to share his favorite pre- and post-performance meals with the viewers. In an accent which can only be described as peculiar, Shallipopi awkwardly informs him […]

Naomi Ezenwa

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1 year ago

At a Loss For Words: Why Afrobeats Stars Struggle On the Mic, Off the Stage

What’s the Utility of a Nigerian Film Review?

When Kemi Adetiba’s To Kill a Monkey was released on Netflix, it was seemingly agreed upon that it was another of the director’s masterpieces until dissenting reviews started tripping in. These reviews, which I also contributed to, assessed the series beyond its supposedly compact storytelling and genre-conscious editing, cinematography and lighting. In the nature of […]

Seyi Lasisi

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1 year ago

What’s the Utility of a Nigerian Film Review?
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