Literature

Eight Wonderful African Books that Center Queer Experiences
News

Eight Wonderful African Books that Center Queer Experiences

A growing canon of books continues to strengthen the validity of the lives and loves of queer people in Africa. Here are some recommendations.

The Intergenerational Influence of Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o
News

The Intergenerational Influence of Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o

The great Kenyan author left behind one of the most iconic legacies in world literature. OkayAfrica explores why he’s an enduring man of letters and speaks to writers he influenced.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o sits at a table signing a book during a public event, with a banner behind him displaying “Weep Not, Child Book Signing by Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o” and a crowd of people gathered in the background.
News

A Reading List: 10 Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o Works You Should Know

A look at the novels, essays, and poems that made the late Kenyan writer one of the most influential literary and political voices of the 20th and 21st centuries.

What It’s Like To … Build and Run a Pan-African Bookstore in Nairobi
What It's Like To...

What It’s Like To … Build and Run a Pan-African Bookstore in Nairobi

Kenya’s Muthoni Muiruri on co-founding Soma Nami, Nairobi’s only female-owned Pan-African bookstore, and creating space for African literature to thrive.

How Noname's Book Club is Bridging the Black Diaspora
News

How Noname's Book Club is Bridging the Black Diaspora

The Chicago rapper's community-centered book club has expanded from U.S. prisons to Kenya and Nigeria, creating spaces for Black readers to connect through literature.

This Creative Couple Is Encouraging People to Read African Mythology
News

This Creative Couple Is Encouraging People to Read African Mythology

Through art and storytelling, Adwoa Botchey and Solomon Adebiyi are reclaiming narratives from across the continent.

​Djaili Amadou Amal in front of a bookshelf, looking directly at the camera and wearing a saffron colored dress, henna-adorned arms, and golden jewelry.
News

Djaili Amadou Amal Puts Women First

The acclaimed author and activist speaks with OkayAfrica about her multicultural African upbringing, her writing that challenges the virtue of female patience, and her vision for a future where feminist activism is no longer needed.

A woman in traditional dress stands at a microphone at an official looking event.
News

War Sparks New Spoken-Word Poetry Movement in Cameroon

In conflict-torn Anglophone regions, young spoken-word artists use poetry to process trauma and advocate for dialogue in Cameroon's nine-year civil conflict.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie attends the Harper's Bazaar Women Of The Year Awards at Cines Callao on October 28, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.
News

Chimamanda Adichie’s 'Dream Count' Makes Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist on Release Day

All four of the Nigerian author’s novels have now been on the longlist for the prestigious literary fiction prize.

Menna Shanab wearing a green and white jersey, smiling in a conference room full of chairs.
News

What Stories Are on North African Journalists' Radars in 2025?

Three stories from Morocco, Algeria and Egypt are anticipated to be major cultural moments in 2025, from Sudan's football surge to Libya's arts renaissance and the region's evolving music scene.

Person in white shirt arranging hair, standing by shelves of colorful dinnerware.
News

Kiano Moju on ‘Africali’ and Redefining African Cuisine Globally

The chef and food media star shares how her debut cookbook celebrates her Kenyan and Nigerian roots–as well as her California upbringing–through accessible, globally inspired recipes.

A collection of books by African authors with colorful covers.
Arts + Culture

Review This Year in Books With the Best African Literature of 2024

Brittle Paper has unveiled their yearly celebration of the best African storytelling: 100 books that made an impact across genres and countries.

A woman standing with her arms crossed and looking at the camera sideways.
Writing

Ghanaian American Writer Explores Black Teenagehood in a Murder-Mystery

In Heart-Shaped Lies, Elizabeth Agyemang centers the experiences and perspectives of young Black girls in a heart-racing story.

A poster for ‘Yasuke: Way of the Butterfly’ showing Yasuke stretching his sword.
Literature

‘Yasuke: Way of the Butterfly’ Tells the Origin Story of a Real-Life African Samurai

The story of the first Black samurai, who’s often wrongly portrayed as a slave, is told from an African perspective for the first time in the South African graphic novel ‘Yasuke: Way of the Butterfly.’

Tomi Adeyemi speaks at Spotlight on Tomi Adeyemi during New York Comic Con 2024 at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 19, 2024 in New York City.
Film + TV

The Search is on for Nigerian Actors for the Film Adaption of Tomi Adeyemi’s ‘Children of Blood and Bone’

The highly-anticipated adaptation of ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ is being led by Gina Prince-Bythewood and could feature a handful of breakout local talent.

A diverse group of cosplayers in various costumes, including a character with a scythe, a character with twin blades, and others in colorful outfits, strike poses on stage at the cosplay competition during NAICCON.
Events

How Nairobi Comic Con is Shaping the Future of Kenya’s Creative Scene

From humble beginnings to a regional powerhouse, NAICCON’s 10th anniversary reflects the rise of East Africa’s comic, gaming and creative scene.

Chimamanda Ngoz Adichie wearing a teal dress and holding a clutch designed like her book “Americanah.’
News

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Has A Novel Coming in 2025

Fans are buzzing and marking their calendars as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie announces Dream Count, her first novel in over a decade.

Uzo Aduba looks straight towards the camera with a slight smile on her face.
News

In ‘The Road Is Good,’ Uzo Aduba Pays Tribute to Her Mother and Her Nigeria

In her debut book, the Emmy-winning actress shares the powerful influence her family’s Igbo culture had on her upbringing in Massachusetts.

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OkayAfrica is the premiere digital platform bringing the worlds of African music, art, culture, style, sports and politics to a global audience. Founded in 2010 as an extension of Okayplayer, OkayAfrica serves as a cultural bridge to foster deeper understanding of the continent, while also building meaningful connections with its diaspora.

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