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

2 months 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

1 month 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

1 month 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

3 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

4 months ago

Fireboy Wants to Reintroduce Himself With “Adedamola”

Fireboy rose to fame in the summer of 2019; when the Nigerian pop scene was evolving, and the ‘Afrobeats to the world’ movement was in full swing. Burnaboy’s Outside, helmed by Ye and On the Low, was spreading like wildfire, all around the world. Beyoncé, by way of her The Lion King album, was poking […]

2 years ago

Ebun Yele Wants to Make Sweet Music

Crafting her stage name by combining the first four letters of her first name with the last four of her surname, Ebun Yele was born. As an indie Afro-pop artist, she sings about love and human emotions through her music.

2 years ago

From Classics To Modern Cinema: 5 Nollywood Classics and Their Modern Reimaginations

The Nigerian cinema, Nollywood, is a fertile ground for the exploration of ideas that reflect the experiences of Nigerians. Whether historical, mythical, or contemporary, Nollywood films have always provided graphical details of its society. Nollywood filmmakers in the 90s and early 2000s, such as Kenneth Nnebue, Zeb Ejiro, Amaka Igwe, and Lancelot Imasuen, patronized the […]

2 years ago

Interview: Femi Branch On Reviving Yoruba History Through Basorun Gaa

Bolanle Austen-Peters’ period film House of Ga’a (2024) accounts for the life of Basorun Gaa, an 18th-century Old Oyo warlord and Prime Minister who was known for his high-handedness with which he controlled the people and facilitated the dethronement of four rulers of the Empire. Released on Netflix, the biopic comes on the heels of […]

2 years ago

No Love in Lagos: Show Dem Camp, The Cavemen & Nsikak David Pull Apart the Notion of Love In Lagos.

In No Love In Lagos, frequent collaborators Show Dem Camp, The Cavemen, and Nsikak David contribute their voices to the sea of conversations around the notoriously precarious Lagos dating scene. Over the years, the notion of love, in its numerous forms, has threaded the works of both The Cavemen and Show Dem Camp. Love and […]

2 years ago

Nigerian Lives: 5 Young Adults Talk About Navigating Friendship Breakups

Relationships, often formed with the expectation of enduring bonds, can sometimes become sources of profound disappointment and pain.

2 years ago

Damilare Kuku’s “Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow” Preaches Self-Love

Temi’s story in Damilare Kuku’s recently released debut novel, Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow evoked vivid memories of my secondary school days, as I anxiously awaited the growth of my backside. Like Temi, despite growing up in a loving family, an affection that proved insufficient to nurture true self-love, I sought external validation. The book’s […]

2 years ago

A Haunting Doctor’s Appointment

Sometime in July 2023, Natalie* had her worst fears confirmed. At around 8:30 p.m., she arrived at a family-trusted hospital for the first phase of her fibroadenoma removal surgery. Given the procedure’s minor nature, the operating room was sparsely staffed. Natalie did not feel safe around men, having survived a sexual assault incident at 9, […]

2 years ago