Feature Archives

Feature

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

Faridah Folawiyo’s Year of Yes

A recurring theme in Folawiyo’s discussion of her work is accessibility, not as a marketing term but as something closer to a personal correction.

Anjola Akinmade

3 weeks ago

Taiwo “Ogogo” Hassan, The Custodian of Action and Nollywood’s Voice of Reason

Nollywood actor Taiwo “Ogogo” Hassan, who has died aged 66 of an unnamed cancer, inspired Nigerian film audiences and industry practitioners with his commanding performances and recorded goodwill. The actor who has stayed away from mainstream attention and conversation was the face of recent conversation after one of his daughters posted a video detailing the […]

Seyi Lasisi

13 hours ago

“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

4 days ago

Mid-Year Review: The 10 Best Nigerian Songs of 2026

In the spirit of culture curation, Culture Custodian has put together a list of the best songs of 2026, so far.

John Eriomala

2 months ago

What Exactly Is All This Sex Doing in Blood Sisters?

Blood Sisters Understands That Sex Can Tell a Story. It Just Doesn’t Always Know What Story It’s Telling.

Naomi Ezenwa

3 months ago

A Decade Into His Career, What is Kizz Daniel’s Legacy in Afropop?

Very few artists in Afrobeats’ dazzling history boast of debut years on par with Kizz Daniel’s introduction to the scene in 2014. Following a run of explosive singles that includes Woju, Laye, Mama, and Jombo, he released his debut album A New Era. If at the time of release, cynics regarded the album’s brazen title […]

Chibuzo Emmanuel

2 years ago

Funke Akindele’s 5 Most Popular Acts

When Funke Akindele first graced our screens as Jenifa, few could have predicted her meteoric rise to become one of Nigeria’s most celebrated filmmakers. Akindele’s career took flight with the late 90s series I Need to Know, but it was the beloved Jenifa franchise that truly captured the nation’s heart. Her portrayal of the titular […]

Shalom Tewobola

2 years ago

Ayanfe is Creating for Her Inner Child

Ayanfe is a captivating personality. She is genteel and yet uncompromising; spirited but measured; equal parts eclectic and hyper-focused. Within the first few minutes of speaking to her, I fell in love with her buoyant ambiance. This, I would soon learn, is a fairly common reaction to Ayanfe; everyone who meets her falls a little […]

Chibuzo Emmanuel

2 years ago

Reinventing Menopause, Tackling stigmas: An Initiative That’s Changing Adulthood For Women In Latin America

By Victoria Mendizabal “You will no longer be able to have children in any way,” they told María Eugenia Zapatero. She was 38 years old and had gone to the gynecologist after a long time of noticing symptoms she didn’t recognize. Although motherhood was already out of her plans, she felt a knot […]

Culture Custodian Editorial Team

2 years ago

How Music is Shaping Nigerian Fashion in 2024

This year in Nigerian music has been defined by momentous shifts and abrupt adjustments to the vagaries of global and local headwinds, such as the jousting between labels and social media leviathan TikTok, and the apparent expiration of Amapiano. The scene is changing. Music’s influence on the fashion of 2024, in Nigeria, has however been harder to pin down.

Chibuzo Emmanuel

2 years ago

Why Do Female Artists Struggle for Equal Recognition in Nigerian Music

For over a decade, Tiwa Savage has been a vital cog in the indomitable Afropop machine, and an unmissable driver in its journey to its current status. She has rocked parties from Lagos to L. A. with her fluid dexterity over banging beats and molded tender romance and her natural verve into irresistible AfroRnB numbers. […]

Patrick Ezema

2 years ago

Celeste Ojatula Wants to Create Transcendental Music

Transcendental: adj. Relating to a spiritual realm, beyond ordinary or common experience. As the youngest child in her family, Celeste was immersed in a diverse musical landscape from an early age. The mix of her family’s music taste instilled in her an innate desire to create music that defied convention, forging an entirely new sonic […]

Shalom Tewobola

2 years ago

6 Books That Explore the Nigerian Diaspora Experiences

The Nigerian dream has long evolved into a paradox; yearning for the country’s brighter future while seeking it beyond the nation’s borders. As economic challenges persist, many Nigerians contemplate life abroad, and with good reason. Yet, the complexities of immigrant life often hide under the allure of foreign shores. For those considering this journey, literature […]

Shalom Tewobola

2 years ago