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

Five Rising Female Artists To Watch Out For In 2024

2023 was a year that inarguably delivered on the music front; stars like Rema and Asake returned in the form they closed 2022 in, while new artists like Odumodublvck and Shallipopi made their own breakthroughs. As icing on the cake, each member of the big 3, Nigeria’s trio of its putative biggest artists, new projects […]

3 years ago

“On The Edge” Review: A Satirical Stake on Ambition and Power

Power, when poorly managed, becomes intoxicating and leads to the downfall of great men. Historical and religious drama and events—such as Hitler’s leadership in Nazi regime in Germany, Macbeth’s ruthless rise in the Shakespearean world and Solomon’s regal reign in Christian epistemology—account for people of noble status whose abuse of power in different ways contributes […]

3 years ago

Tolulope Sanusi’s Lagos Cityscape Photo Library Is Changing The African Architecture Narrative

Zaniel Dada, bird story agency While commuters are trying to escape the snaking rush hour traffic backed up around the Lagos metropolis, Tolulope Sanusi is calmly setting up for work, 13 floors above the gridlock. This is Africa’s second-largest city, with an estimated population of more than 20 million people. From up on her […]

Culture Custodian Editorial Team

3 years ago

Obasanjo’s Internet – Anjola Awosika

Did you know that there are approximately 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide? Can you imagine all the different ways in which we all use the internet? Obasanjo’s Internet is our interview series where we speak to some of our internet favourites on how they relate to the internet and what it means to them […]

Damilola Oyeleke

3 years ago

What Universal Music Acquisition Means For Mavin Records

Last week, Universal Music Group announced that it had acquired a majority stake in Mavin Records, subject to regulatory approval in a deal to be finalized by Q3 of 2024. Financial details were not included in the statement, and neither was a breakdown of the company’s new ownership structure that would reveal just how much stake […]

3 years ago

“Hotel Labamba” Review: Murder Mystery Meets Comedy in A Passable Story

Nollywood’s unofficial Queen of romcoms, Biodun Stephen, who is known for her simple, moderate-budget narratives, takes on the genre of murder mystery in Hotel Labamba. Like regular stories of this genre, the film is titivated with suspense, detective work, red herrings. But then, in projecting this narrative, Biodun Stephen’s signature ingredients of humor and romance […]

3 years ago

6 Film Festivals You Should Attend in Nigeria

Film festivals are events usually organized in specific regions to screen and highlight films and filmmakers for a live audience made up of enthusiasts and industry stakeholders. They showcase the best of cinema as specific to the regions and cities they represent or cover. The most celebrated film festivals in the world bestow prestigious honors […]

3 years ago

Explainer: Fisayo Soyombo Takes On Nigeria’s Smuggling Scene

Nigerian investigative journalist, and founder of the Foundation For Investigative Journalism, Fisayo Soyombo in his latest report, Undercover as a Smuggler has uncovered a smuggling ring in Ilaro, a small town about 50 km from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital by smuggling 100 bags of rice into the country through one of Nigeria’s border with […]

3 years ago