Stories about Nigeria
How Nigeria’s Igbo highlife music provided hope after a devastating civil war
The Oriental Brothers provided hope after the civil war. The 80s witnessed the revival of ‘egwu ekpili’. Later, Bright Chimezie’s impressive ‘legwork’ live performances popularized Igbo highlife through the 90s.
The pioneers of Nigeria's Igbo highlife music
Highlife gained popularity in southwestern cosmopolitan Lagos and was transformed in eastern Nigeria. By incorporating Igbo traditional folklore style, they created the Igbo highlife that now enjoys global appeal.
The history of music in Lagos, Nigeria: 1980s to the 2000s
Nightlife disappeared during military dictatorship, with music collectives singing on radio and a cheap imitation of American raps. Currently, individual artists with prodigious talents have revived the music scene.
The history of music in Lagos, Nigeria: from colonial times to the 1970s
Lagos, Nigeria’s cultural capital has always been a cosmopolitan city. A place where music and culture are in constant collision.
Meet the new generation of Kenyan women sparking a vinyl resurgence in Africa
Since music listeners have pivoted toward digital streaming platforms, Maia is one of the few artists who views vinyl records as more than just a novelty.
Meet the African women athletes making an impact in international basketball leagues
Odada joins a bevy of other African basketball players who are making an impact in the American-based professional league for women.
Africans are changing how they consume music and even taking on international streaming giants
Following global trends, compact disc (CDs) sales on the continent have been on a steady decline as music lovers ditch the discs for digital downloads.
Africa's music scene rebounds after a devastating pandemic
Live performances and music festivals, key revenue sources for African musicians, were annihilated during the COVID-19 pandemic. But things seem to be gradually returning to normal.
Nigerian ministers’ political campaigns stir up legal debate
Nigerian cabinet ministers running for office are caught in a legal web between an electoral law that prescribes immediate resignation and the constitution that says they can wait.
Nigerians demand central banker's resignation for dabbling in partisan politics
"It is difficult to imagine that a person who occupies the sensitive office of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria will be this brazen in actualizing his ambition."
Nigerian politicians, oblivious of striking university teachers, focus on election campaigns
The Nigerian government's insensitivity to striking federal-university teachers reflects a fundamental disinterest in public education. However, the incessant strikes are not influencing the tone-deaf government but only keeping students at home.
World Record Store Day: These Kenyan DJs are keeping the art of vinyl alive in the digital age
Kenya’s vinyl collectors community has reimagined the day they come together to share in the joy of buying, collecting and listening to all manner of Vinyl records.
Protest music: young Nigerian musicians singing against social injustice
Nigerian young singers have continued in that revered tradition of singing against social injustice. The #EndSARS protest triggered their political consciousness, which hitherto, seemed to be experiencing a decline.
The Kuti clan protesting through music, and other Nigerians who sang against apartheid
The Kuti clan have fought tyrannical political leadership through music. Also, Nigerian musicians like Sonny Okosun, Majek Fashek and Onyeka Onwenu fought to release Nelson Mandela from prison.
Africa's heritage restitution debate extends to audio and visual archives
Unlike artifacts whose functionality and value do not depend on the medium they can be accessed through, visual and sound recordings are subject to the vagaries of technology.
Banned songs from Nigeria and Uganda which represent the voices of the people
These banned songs from popular groups and musicians, though initially accepted by the authorities, ended up being sanctioned and/or banned altogether.
Feminist music icons from around Africa to celebrate this International Women's Day
Whether it is speaking out against sexual abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM), celebrating sexual identity, or promoting gender equality, to these African feminist singers, music is the ultimate weapon.
#AfricansInUkraine: We are students, we don’t have guns
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused displacement of thousands of people. Among them also an African diaspora which had to mobilise informally while also dealing with racial discrimination on the ground.
Seven African comics and graphic novels that center Black experiences are being adapted to film
While locally produced superhero comics written by Africans for Africans have been gaining fandom since the late 1980s, the popularity of African comics skyrocketed in 2016.
The cinematic grand finale of Nigeria’s late star actress, Rachel Oniga
A prolific actress, Rachel Oniga (1957-2021) was one of Nollywood’s finest mother figures because of her incredible dramatization of that role in many of her movies.
Thousands of Nigerians sign petition to reform IELTS
Nigeria a former British colony, has English as the lingua franca and language of instruction in schools. Yet Nigeria is not exempted from writing IELTS, the English proficiency test.