by Taiwo Michael Oloyede In the framework of storytelling, drama does not unfold solely in what characters say, but in how they move, what they inhabit, and the weight their bodies bear through space and time. The dramatic movement of descriptive movement—gestures, posture, pace, stillness—extends beyond stage directions. It belongs deeply to characterization and to the unspoken grammar of conflict. Together, movement and description form the unsung music of drama: they render atmosphere kinetic, transform language into action, and make characters legible even in their silence. Characterization, in its richest dramatic sense, is not a function of monologue alone. As…

Taiwo Michael Oloyede Few artists command the kind of global reverence that Wizkid does. Over the years, he has honed a signature sound—effortlessly smooth, dance-inducing, and rooted in Afrobeat’s fluidity. With Kese, a standout track from his Morayo album, Wizkid leans into what he knows best: stripped-down production, velvety melodies, and an understated, yet hypnotic rhythm. But while Kese is an undeniably infectious track, does it push boundaries, or does it merely reinforce an already perfected formula? At its core, Kese is a groove. The song is designed to get listeners moving, fusing Afrobeat percussion with a sultry, mid-tempo bounce.…

Astra Papachristodoulou: Making PoetryWed 1 Jan – Sun 5 Jan 2025Southbank Centre, London Experience poetry like never before at Astra Papachristodoulou’s debut solo exhibition, Making Poetry, hosted at the Southbank Centre from 1 to 5 January 2025. This unique exhibition goes beyond the traditional page, where poetry evolves into sculptures, textiles, and other tangible forms, offering visitors an immersive, multisensory journey into the art of words. Through innovative use of materials and forms, Papachristodoulou transforms the written word into a rich, dynamic visual and tactile experience. The exhibition invites audiences to explore the boundaries of poetry, providing fresh perspectives on…

In This Other Eden, Paul Harding weaves a hauntingly beautiful story of resilience, survival, and the enduring spirit of hope in the face of adversity. The novel, set on Apple Island off the coast of the United States in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, follows a community of castaways who have sought refuge from society’s harsh judgments. These individuals, each fleeing a world that deemed them unworthy, come together to form a new home. Among them are Benjamin Honey, a formerly enslaved man, and his Irish wife, Patience, who arrive on the island in 1792 with dreams of…

Sat 5 Apr 2025, 7.45pm Lex Amor presents an immersive sound experience through a blend of live music, poetry and sound design that moves and evolves in real-time. LONDON — North London-based rapper, singer, producer, and engineer, Lex Amor, will be taking her artistry to new heights with her latest project, Concrete Voids, at the Southbank Centre. This groundbreaking performance transforms the relationship between the audience and the music, offering an immersive experience that connects people to the soundscape in a way never before possible. Concrete Voids, conceived by Southbank Centre’s sound technician Tony Birch, uses a custom-built audio system…

The Booker Prize, long heralded as the pinnacle of literary distinction, has unveiled its 2025 judging panel, and among the luminaries is Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, a Nigerian writer whose voice has redefined the boundaries of contemporary fiction. This appointment signifies more than a celebration of Adébáyọ̀’s literary prowess; it is a recognition of her ability to navigate the intricate interplay between the personal and the political, the intimate and the universal. Adébáyọ̀’s presence on the panel is electrifying in its implications. The author of Stay with Me and A Spell of Good Things—novels that pierce the heart of human resilience and…

The Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF) is set to make its highly anticipated debut in November 2024, bringing together a diverse array of creative minds from across the globe for an unparalleled celebration of theatre. Organized by the esteemed Bolanle Austen-Peters in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, this inaugural edition of LITF aims to cultivate a vibrant theatre community, promote artistic excellence, and contribute to the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s creative industries. Bolanle Austen-Peters, a prominent theatre director, producer, and award-winning filmmaker, emphasized the importance of fostering platforms for artistic expression, stating, “Nigeria is home to an abundance…

This year, the Lagos Book and Arts Festival (LABAF) takes center stage to honor the indomitable spirit and profound contributions of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, literary icon, and global humanist. In its 26th edition, LABAF has aptly declared 2024 as The Soyinka Year, dedicating its events to celebrating the remarkable life, art, and activism of one of Africa’s most revered voices. Themed ‘BREAKOUT: Hope is a Stubborn Thing,’ this year’s festival, often hailed as “Africa’s biggest cultural picnic,” will offer an immersive lineup of over 60 events at Freedom Park, Lagos, and virtually. Among the highlights is the much-anticipated…

The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has officially announced preparations for the highly anticipated Afropolis Lagos 2024, a nine-day festival that will bring together 20,000 international and local participants to celebrate and showcase African heritage. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, shared details of the upcoming event during a press briefing held on Wednesday at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan, Lagos. Themed “We Need New Myths,” Afropolis Lagos 2024 is set to take place from October 26 to November 3, 2024, and is in collaboration with QDance, a partner…

Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS£10 Entrance Fee Celebrate the vibrancy and richness of Black literature at Europe’s largest festival dedicated to honoring Black authors. Founded by Selina Brown in 2021, this exciting event shines a spotlight on Black British writers, offering a platform for both established and emerging talent across various literary genres. The festival is packed with an engaging lineup of activities, including enlightening talks, panel discussions, children’s reading sessions, and a bustling book fair, all designed to foster connection, inspiration, and discovery. This year’s festival brings together an exceptional group of voices. Grammy® Award-winning rapper Eve…

The Book Edit Writers’ Prize 2024 is open for submissions. Chosen from a writing competition for British and/or UK-based, unpublished novelists from backgrounds and communities currently underrepresented in UK publishing, The Book Edit Writers’ Prize is open for submissions. The aim of the Writers’ Prize is to help talented writers, who might not otherwise have access to the industry, get their work in front of an audience of top literary agents. This is our fourth year of running the prize and the second year in partnership with Legend Press. Judged this year by acclaimed novelist and artist Lara Haworth, the…

For seventeen years the Pulp Idol competition has uncovered the best new novelists the city of Liverpool has to offer.  Many new novelists, including  Ashleigh Nugent (LOCKS), Ariel Kahn (Raising Sparks), James Rice (Alice and the Fly, Walk), Clare Coombes (Definitions), Natalie Denny (Keisha Jones Takes On The World) and Philippa Holloway (The Half Life of Snails), have found their first success through Pulp Idol. This competition is unearthing the best new novelists from Liverpool and across the country. All finalists get their first chapter published in a book of ‘Firsts,’ which is produced in hard copy, a digital manuscript and made available on Amazon Kindle (and free on Kindle Unlimited!). Copies of Pulp Idol – Firsts are sent…

Announcement. The Bloomsbury Mentorship Programme supports unpublished, underrepresented fiction writers as they work to establish themselves as authors. Submissions for the Bloomsbury Mentorship Programme 2024 open on 9 September 2024 and close on 15 October 2024. If you are a debut fiction writer based in the UK from a background underrepresented in publishing – we want to read your stories! All you need to submit is 2,000 words of an unpublished short story or novel written for adults and a 500-word synopsis. It can be in any genre except poetry. All entries can be submitted via this page – the link…

Zambian author Mubanga Kalimamukwento has been named the winner of the 2024 Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction for her gripping manuscript Shipikisha. This marks a defining moment in her career, placing her in the ranks of exceptional writers whose works transcend the ordinary and delve deep into the human condition. Chosen from a highly competitive pool of manuscripts, Kalimamukwento’s triumph is a testament to her remarkable literary craft and insight into the complexities of contemporary African life. The Dzanc Books Prize, known for its discerning eye and celebration of narrative innovation, has long been a beacon for discovering bold voices.…

Africa Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank) Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) welcomes prose writers of African and Caribbean descent to participate in The CANEX Book Factory Creative Writing Workshop. CANEX is delighted to collaborate with the James and Grace Adichie Foundation and Narrative Landscape Press Limited to provide this workshop that is dedicated to the art of prose. As part of the larger CANEX Book Factory initiative which is dedicated to highlighting the book value chain in Africa, the workshop will support and develop literary talent within Africa and its diaspora. The workshop will unfold over ten days this summer at a tranquil…

Theatre503 is thrilled to announce the return of the prestigious Theatre503 International Playwriting Award for the 2024/25 cycle. Submissions are now open, inviting debut and early-career playwrights from around the world to showcase their original works. This award is dedicated to discovering and championing new voices in theatre. Award Criteria and Eligibility:To be considered for the 2024/25 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award, playwrights must adhere to the following criteria: For Translators:Translators are encouraged to submit works, provided they secure permission from the original writer. The prize money will be shared equally between the writer and translator if a translated play wins.…

London, UK – June 12, 2024 – The prestigious 2024 Prize for Commercial Non-Fiction will be hosted by Robinson, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group. This year, the prize seeks to celebrate outstanding works of commercial non-fiction aimed at general readers, covering any topic within the diverse field of psychology. About the Prize:The 2024 Prize for Commercial Non-Fiction is dedicated to recognizing and rewarding exceptional writing that makes complex psychological concepts accessible and engaging for a broad audience. We invite authors to submit their works on any psychological topic, provided it is designed to captivate and inform the public.…

London, UK – June 12, 2024 – The highly anticipated Black Prose podcast will host a special episode at the London Podcast Festival 2024, featuring esteemed journalist and author Yomi Adegoke. This event promises to deliver an insightful conversation between Adegoke and host Yolanthé Fawehinmi, shedding light on the experiences and achievements of Black writers. Event Details: Yomi Adegoke is a distinguished columnist for The Guardian and British Vogue, and the acclaimed author of The Sunday Times bestsellers ‘The List’ and ‘Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible.’ Her work has been instrumental in addressing cultural stigmas and advocating…

June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month in the US, here are some initiatives in the Caribbean that you might want to check out. June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month in the United States, as well as a special one across the Caribbean. The region, which hosts many people of African descent, has produced some of the most important literature for decades. Winners of major international prizes like the Nobel Prize in Literature (V.S. Naipaul and Derek Walcott), Booker Prize (Marlon James), and many others call it home. Here we shine a light on a few literary activities our brethren and sistren in…

Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse’s memoir Le Convoi won at the Prix France Televisions 2024 in Paris, France on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, Prix France Televisions is an annual literary award rewarding authors of works published in French in recent literary news in both fiction and nonfiction since 1995. Previous winners have included Nathacha Appanah, Ali Zamir, Wassyla Tamzali, and Yasmina Khadra. The winners for 2024 were selected by a jury of 22 readers from the four corners of France, following debates moderated by Augustin Trapenard, president of the France Télévisions literary prizes. In nonfiction, Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse’s memoir Le Convoi (Flammarion) was declared the winner. Speaking…

Yepoka Yeebo wins UK’s Jhalak Prize 2024

Hemley Boum wins Prix littéraire des Sciences Po 2024.

The programme for NBO LitFest 2024, brought to you by Book Bunk and the Hay Festival Global, running in Nairobi, Kenya from June 27 – 30 has been announced. In 2021 Nairobi-based Book Bunk hosted NBO LitFest, a virtual festival anchored in Nairobi’s public libraries with stories and ideas emerging from Nairobi and other regional spaces. Designed as a celebration of public libraries as spaces for art, culture, and knowledge production, it featured virtual concerts, live storytelling, and writers in conversation. It had another successful edition in 2023. In March, NBO LitFest organisers Book Bunk announced they had signed a partnership with Hay…

Tananarive Due and Jordan Peele won in their categories at the Bram Stoker Awards 2024 in San Diego, California, USA, on June 3, 2024. Abraham “Bram” Stoker (1847 – 1912) was an Irish author best known for writing the 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. In 1987, the Horror Writers Association of the USA set up the Bram Stoker Award in recognition of “superior achievement” in dark fantasy and horror writing. Some previous winners have been George R. R. Martin, J. K. Rowling, Joyce Carol Oates, Ray Bradbury, and Christopher Lee. The winners for the 2024 edition were announced at the…

Conceição Evaristo is the opening act at Festival da Palavra de Curitiba 2024 which runs in Curitiba, Brazil from June 16 – 22, 2024. The festival theme is “Resistance.” Festival da Palavra de Curitiba (English: Curitiba Word Festival) was first hosted in the Brazilian city of Curitiba in 2023. That edition ran from September 27 to October 1 bringing together national and foreign guests to explore the richness and intersections of the word in various manifestations: literature, dance, music, theatre, activism, and more. Some of the standout guests of the one hundred who featured were Mozambican Paulina Chiziane, the first…

The nominees for the Shirley Jackson Awards 2023 were announced on Friday, June 7, 2024. Here are the writers of African descent among them. Shirley Hardie Jackson was an American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Her writing career spanned over two decades, during which she composed six novels, two memoirs, and more than 200 short stories. The Shirley Jackson Awards are literary awards named in recognition of her legacy in writing since 2007. They celebrate outstanding achievements in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and dark fantasy. The nominees for 2023 announced on Friday are; Novel…

The Women’s Prize for Fiction has revealed its longlist for 2024, showcasing an impressive array of talent. Among the featured authors are Liberian-born Ghanaian writer Peace Adzo Medie and Ethiopian-American writer Maya Binyam. Founded in 1996, the Women’s Prize for Fiction aims to address the disparity in coverage, respect, and recognition afforded to female writers compared to their male counterparts. The prize provides a platform for exceptional writing by women, celebrating the finest full-length books each year. Esteemed past winners include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Zadie Smith, and Ali Smith. This year, the Women’s Prize for Fiction has introduced a new…

The Afrolution Festival 2024 with the theme “African/-Diasporic Pluriverses I.” is set to run in Berlin, Germany from June 27 – 30, 2024. Afrolution is a festival with literature at its core, organised by Each One, Teach One, that has hosted many of Africa’s and Afro-German leading writers in Berlin, Germany since 2018. The event has had panels, readings, poetry performances, as well as events for children and youth primarily at its Each One Teach One e.V. Centre. The festival returned in 2022 after a Covid break in 2019. The 2024 edition, with Afrolution festival director Nadja Ofuatey-Alazard and patroness Tsitsi Dangarembga (2024-2027),…

The longlist for the prestigious Toyin Fálọlá Prize 2024 was announced in Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday, June 6, 2024. The Toyin Fálọlá Prize, awarded by Lunaris, celebrates distinguished African scholar and historian, Prof. Toyin Fálọlá. The prize honors his significant contributions to the understanding and promotion of African cultures, peoples, myths, and histories. Since its inception in 2020, the prize has recognized the literary talents of Abdulrahim Hussani, Fayssal Bensalah, and Tshepiso Mabula. The following writers and their works have been longlisted for the 2024 edition of the prize: The shortlist and winner of the Toyin Fálọlá Prize 2024 will…

Sankara Africa Review is thrilled to announce an open call for flash fiction submissions! We invite writers from across the globe to contribute their short, powerful, and captivating stories that celebrate the diversity, richness, and complexity of African experiences. Submission Guidelines: How to Submit: Submission Deadline: Selection and Notification: Why Submit to Sankara Africa Review? Sankara Africa Review is dedicated to amplifying the voices of African writers and those who write about Africa. Our platform offers a unique opportunity to share your work with a broad and engaged audience, and to be part of a vibrant literary community. We look…

  Applications are now open for the 2024–2025 Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowships. If you are a resident of New York City, this is the perfect chance to apply for this year-long fellowship. Based in Brooklyn, New York, the Center for Fiction is the only nonprofit literary organization in the U.S. solely dedicated to celebrating fiction, and we work every day to connect readers and writers. The Emerging Writer Fellowships offer grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers. During…

Damilola Omotoyinbo, Mlamli Tyulu, and Hussani Abdulrahim are the winners of the Writivism Prize 2023 announced on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Writivism, the project of writing as activism, was started by Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire, Naseemah Mohamed, and Kyomuhendo A Ateenyi at the Centre for African Cultural Excellence in Kampala, Uganda in 2012. They conducted several activities such as an annual literary festival, literary prizes for fiction (starting in 2013) and nonfiction (beginning in 2016), published anthologies, mentored young writers, and loads more. Writivism Prizes have been won by Resoketswe Manenzhe and Frances Ogamba (2019), Chisanga Mukuka and Mbogo Ireri (2018), Charles King and…

Kai Thomas and Kevin Jared Hosein are on the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2024 shortlist announced on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. The Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction is a British literary award created by the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, whose ancestors were closely linked to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott, generally considered the originator of historical fiction with the novel Waverley in 1814. Founded in 2010 and worth £25,000, it is open to novels published in the previous year in the UK, Ireland, or the Commonwealth. The 2024 jury comprises novelist, columnist, and Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund…

Salon du Livre d’Abidjan runs in the capital of Cote D’Ivoire from May 14 – 18, 2024. The guest country is Kenya. Salon du Livre d’Abidjan (English: Abidjan Book Fair) has been organised by L’ASSEDI or the Association des Editeurs de Côte d’ivoire (English: Association of Publishers of the Ivory Coast) annually since 1999. One of the biggest in West Africa is a trade fair that features many of the players in the book chain, facilitating dialogue between book professionals and the public. It gives a platform for the best in Ivorian books and those of other geographical areas develops commercial…

The Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, first awarded in 2016, is an international prize that supports and celebrates the best adventure writing today. The prize named after South African novelist Wilbur Smith and open to writers of any nationality, writing in English, is a production of the Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation. Smith’s work specialised in historical fiction about the international involvement in Southern Africa across four centuries, seen from the viewpoints of both black and white families.

The shortlist for the inaugural Iskanchi Book Prize, a manuscript prize open to African writers, was announced on Monday, May 6, 2024. Iskanchi Press and Magazine, founded by publisher, journalist, and writer Kenechi Uzor in 2020, has produced several magazine editions of their magazine as well as numerous titles. The platform announced a new initiative called the Iskanchi Book Prize to bring to light the best new writing from the continent. It is open to African writers and seeks to honour outstanding prose and hybrid book manuscripts, offering the winner a publishing opportunity. The shortlist for the new award was announced on…

Scholastique Mukasonga is set to headline the inaugural Salon du livre Africain de Beauregard in France on Sunday, May 26, 2024. The Salon du livre Africain de Beauregard is a new literary festival organized by the Artères and D-Codes associations, in partnership with the town of Hérouville-Saint-Clair. The festival will be hosted at the Château de Beauregard in Hérouville Saint-Clair and will have readings, panels, and loads more for those who attend. Some of the scheduled guests are Johary Ravaloson, Zadig Hamroune, Chadia Loueslati, Insa Sané, Mamadou Samake, and Sékou Oumar Bah. The festival headliner is Scholastique Mukasonga, the author…

May 07, 2024 Nigerian-American author Tochi Onyebuchi is set to publish a new novel titled Harmattan Season in March 2025. The novel will be published by Tor Books and explores fantasy noir. Tochi Onyebuchi is the author of Goliath, a Locus Award and Dragon Award finalist; YA novel Beasts Made of Night, which won the Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African; its sequels Crown of Thunder and War Girls; novella Riot Baby, a finalist for the Hugo, the Nebula, the Locus, the Ignyte, and the NAACP Image Awards, and winner of the New England Book Award for Fiction and an ALA Alex Award; along…

Got plans for the summer? Make your mark by spending eight weeks in summer working with the best, at one of the largest publishers in the world. You’ll work on a paid independent project made especially for the internship – making decisions for yourself and contributing to our shared mission. With us you’ll find support and a deep sense of purpose. Whatever project you’re placed on, you’ll gain universally applicable skills that will equip you for wherever you go next. All nine of our interns are paid the London living wage and we offer financial support to those commuting from outside of London.…

May 03, 2024 Eritrean-Ethiopian author Donica Merhazion is set to publish her debut novel titled Born at the End of the World with Catalyst Press set in Ethiopia in the 1970s. Inspired by a true story during the 1970s Ethiopian Red Terror, the book explores the intertwining of a man’s and woman’s destinies, whose love, courage, and resilience demonstrate that heroes are just ordinary people making extraordinary choices. Donica Merhazion was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1979 under unimaginable circumstances – in an Ethiopian prison called Alem Bekagn translated to “end of the world”. A former journalist and now teacher, Merhazion…

UNLEASH THE WRITER IN YOU AND BE A PART OF THE GLOBAL CIVILITY STORY WRITING COMPETITION. LET YOUR STORIES ECHO YOUR HUMANITY

Author Patience Agbabi FRSL is a celebrated poet and novelist for middle-grade audiences.  She has turned her attention to writing fiction in the last five years and is offering mentoring that will enable her to share knowledge on her more recent experiences as well as her deep-rooted writing craft. We met with Patience to find out more about the mentoring opportunity and her work.   “Mentoring is communication – an exchange of knowledge and insights – which is invaluable for writers at any stage of their career. It offers you a time to focus on your needs. ” — Patience Agbabi…

Our submissions process Here at TGLA our submissions are open from the 1st – 21st of each month and then closed from the 22nd until the end of the month. This is to allow us to stay on top of submissions in the face of a huge increase in what we are receiving, while making sure that we are never closed to writers for very long. We remain committed to providing feedback to every eligible writer who submits to us. Our submissions are therefore open each month from the 1st – 21st (unless specified differently below). If you have any feedback…

Manifesto for Black Futures will explore the multiplicities and power of Black lives, what Black futures look like, and how we can continue creating spaces celebrating the richness of Black lives.  Novelist and screenwriter Catherine Johnson has been commissioned to write the manifesto, and artist Michael Salu has been commissioned to produce an artistic response to the manifesto, which will be revealed after the manifesto address. Curator Debo Amon will lead the roundtable discussion post address and art reveal. Speakers include: Catherine Johnson has been published for over thirty years. Her books for young readers have won awards, including Young…

BBC Africa Spotlights Emi Mahmoud’s Poem on the War in Sudan.In the BBC Africa interview, Mahmoud notes that she has lost seven of her family members in the conflict in Sudan over the past year. Last week alone, she lost four more. She remarks, “This is one of the biggest wars and crises of our times and it’s going completely unnoticed.”

Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize

In our continuing series, we share opportunities for those who wish to submit work be it poetry, prose, or other related arts in May 2024. These callouts are divided into education (MFAs, Fellowships, residencies), opportunity hubs, journals, and prizes. If you have any callouts, please share in the comments. Education (MFAs, Fellowships, residencies). Opportunity hubs Literary magazines/journals/anthologies/manuscripts Publishers Prizes and competitions

Call for Participation: Pa Gya! A Literary Festival in Accra 2024 Pa Gya! A Literary Festival, Ghana’s premier celebration of literary arts, returns for another immersive three-day journey into the world of stories, creativity, and cultural exchange. This dynamic festival brings together book readings, launches, engaging talks, captivating performances, theatre showcases, exhibitions, a vibrant book market, and much more. Over the years, Pa Gya! has fostered meaningful collaborations with writers, publishers, academics, artists, and cultural institutions from across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and North America. Its rich tapestry of events and participants highlights the festival’s mission to be a…

Lagos – The MTN Foundation, in partnership with Beeta Universal Arts Foundation, recently hosted the much-anticipated finale of the 6th Beeta Playwright Competition, spotlighting Nigeria’s next generation of playwrights. The event saw the top ten finalists compete for the prestigious award, providing an exciting opportunity for new literary voices to shine. In a notable departure from previous editions, this year’s competition featured 40 selected candidates, expanding its scope and opening doors for more emerging talents to showcase their craft. The competition aims to empower playwrights to bring to the stage compelling, authentic Nigerian stories that reflect the richness of local…

The shortlists for the British Science Fiction Association’s BSFA Awards for works published in 2023 have been revealed, and African writers were very well represented. Wole Talabi was on the shortlist for Best Novel for his Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, Best Collection for Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology which he edited, as well as Best Non-Fiction (Short) for Prisoners in the Temple of the Muses.  Also scoring double shortlists is Suyi Davies Okungbowa in Best Short Fiction for Lady Koi Koi: A Book Report, and Best Non-Fiction (Short) for Exposition Tax: The Hidden Burden of Writing from the Margins.…

Reviewer : Taiwo Michael Oloyede When sorrows come, they come not in single spies, but in battalions.  -Williams Shakespeare In, On The Train To Hell, Tolu  A’ Akinyemi  writes  gravely about diurnal issues of life that is common to man ; macerating us in the  rigour of his storytelling adeptness, suffused in grainy elocutions. From the title of the book, we ram through the inflorescence of poignant narratives from the first page and weave in between surreal verses to the core of his renderings. In the opening poem, dust to dust, we come in contact with the rinds of grief…

Ademilola Rhodes chanced on the station. She had just returned home after twelve grueling hours in a Brooklyn care-giving home. At 63, she knew she was not supposed to be doing that sort of tedious job, but she had decided long ago to make lemonade out of the lemon America threw at her. Chief Fehintola was the first person she noticed on the broadcast going on when she switched on the television. 

Dami Ajayi is plugged as a lyrical poet whose use of language and style is daring, visceral, empathetic and sweeping. … You picked the best place to have an argument. A train coach heading from Berlin to Cologne. You picked the best time, too; the quiet time before travellers eased into siesta.  The above lines float the same texture of bewilderment spooled by Brenda Hillman in the poem: During an enchantment in the life. The poem details how we are consumed by love, get beaten more than twice, and become unwieldy disposed to new possibilities – and how we drown…

Nigerian author Olukorede S. Yishau is set to publish his second novel in 2024 titled After the End. The novel will explore the story of two women linked by a common tragedy and published by Masobe Books. Yishau’s story is one of grief but at the same time, romance, betrayal, duplicity and denouement. Idera’s world crumbles when her husband, Demola, dies. As she battles with this reality, she is met with a shocking discovery. A woman appears at her door with a child in hand — Demola’s son. The love of her life, the man whom she felt could do no…

The timepiece on the massive TV set hanging opposite the bed read 3.07 am. Although it was the fourth time she would wake up in three hours, Yemisi was unperturbed that this was looking like a fitful night. She had good reason. This was the third night of her marriage to a man who is clearly heaven-sent, and even waiting up all night would be worth the thrill. Her husband now laid by her side, sleeping soundly and oblivious to her contemplations. She smiled. All is well that ends well, she imagined, the Cheshire cat still on her face.

In this expository interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Muyiwa Adeola Babayomi, the gifted poet behind the collection of poems, “Arrows of Joy”. With each poem, Babayomi poetically narrates the cultural reality of life in Africa with the recurrent universal themes of love, perseverance, and the spiritual journey. We talked about the origins of Arrows of Joy, discussing how he draws from mythology to convey timeless lessons and crafts vibrant imageries to shed light on the challenges and triumphs of the African society. He spoke candidly about his creative process, sharing insights into the inspirations that shape his…

Reviewer : Taiwo Michael Oloyede Agema’s collection of poems is a labyrinth of sweeping anecdotes; juxtaposing a motley of quotidian motifs that tug persistently at our fragile coats of existence with impish punches, in this terra firma. Agema writes with the zest of a skilled hunter; wielding sharp-edged swords and other accoutrements at the call of duty. His poetic nuances, in this baroque of evocation, are rooted both in profound lyricism and an instinctual diagnosis of human circumstances. His writing style leaps like water-froths, entreating you to come in for an ethnic dance with flailing hands in a restive, festive…

Reviewer: Molara wood Kate Apaflo Awuku-Darko’s My Girl Child, a poignant entry in her collection Seven Shredded Sisters, speaks with profound tenderness and urgency, addressing the complexities of girlhood in the shadow of societal expectations. This poem is a striking examination of resilience, vulnerability, and the quiet rebellion of a young girl navigating the confines of tradition. At its heart, My Girl Child is a deeply empathetic exploration of identity, self-awareness, and the conflict between individuality and cultural imposition. Awuku-Darko captures the weight of inherited customs with the haunting line, “you worry about the nightmares / of your thighs being…