What It’s Like To … Run an African-Owned Contemporary Art Gallery in the UAE Kwame Mintah is one of the co-founders of the Efie Gallery in Dubai. The gallery and cultural hub is poised to expand the idea of modern African art while contributing to the evolving art landscape. news August 27, 2025
What It’s Like To … Be an Afrobeats Songwriter Mbryo, born Maxwell Omoferi, is one of the foremost songwriters in Afrobeats. He has co-written Grammy-nominated hits for stars like Ayra Starr, Davido, and Magixx. His rise from the streets of Lagos to the global music stage is both inspirational and instructive. news August 6, 2025
What It’s Like To … Be a Global Career Advisor Stephanie Chisom Ozuo caters to people in different stages of their professional journeys, providing guidance tailored to each individual’s preferred outcome. news July 31, 2025
What It’s Like To … Run a Publishing House and Bookstore in Cairo Karam Youssef has built and maintained a cultural oasis in the book business for nearly two decades, publishing Arabic language books and translations of literary quality and sociopolitical relevance in Egypt. news July 16, 2025
What It’s Like To … Be a Competitive Breakdancer in Kenya Acy Kare opens up about finding community, freedom, and wins as a woman in breakdancing. news July 3, 2025
What It’s Like To ... Be An International Music Lawyer In Nigeria As Nigeria’s music industry grows into a global powerhouse, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa is one of the lawyers helping to ensure that the creatives behind the hits, especially songwriters and producers, are legally protected and properly recognized. news June 18, 2025
What It’s Like To … Be a Working Stand-Up Comedian and Satirist in Kenya Justine Wanda reflects on turning discomfort into punchlines, surviving burnout, and why jokes still matter when everything feels bleak. news June 6, 2025
What It’s Like To … Be An International Model From Nigeria Ama Okolo discusses the journey and difficulties of breaking into the international modeling industry from Nigeria. news May 28, 2025
What It’s Like To … Fight for Migrant Rights in Libya Libya has nearly 100,000 registered migrants and asylum seekers, but no mechanisms to welcome and support them. Tariq Lamloum tells OkayAfrica about his fight for migrants’ rights and what that means for his own life. news May 21, 2025
What It’s like To … Work as a Tour Guide in the Grand Egyptian Museum Ahead of the official opening of the world’s biggest archeological museum complex dedicated to one civilization, Ibrahim Morgan tells OkayAfrica about the wonders awaiting the world in Giza’s Grand Egyptian Museum. news April 30, 2025
What It’s Like To … Build and Run a Pan-African Bookstore in Nairobi Kenya’s Muthoni Muiruri on co-foundingSoma Nami, Nairobi’s only female-owned Pan-African bookstore, and creating space for African literature to thrive. news April 16, 2025
What It's Like To ... Be A Travel Creator from The Gambia Ibrahim Gano documents his travels without the gloss and pomp of typical travel vlogging, all from a Gambian perspective. arts culture April 9, 2025
What It’s Like To … Build a National Skateboarding Movement in Kenya Against a backdrop of limited resources and official recognition, Kenya's skateboarding community finds creative ways to build an inclusive scene with Olympic aspirations. news April 2, 2025
What It’s Like To … Be a First Responder in the Sudan War The Emergency Response Rooms are getting international recognition for being a truly grassroots movement of humanitarian aid. news March 26, 2025
What It’s Like To … Run Nigeria’s Longest-Running Music Chart Publication Similoluwa Adegoke and Ayomide Oriowo launched TurnTable Charts in 2020, and it has evolved into the authority on what’s popular in Nigerian music. news March 12, 2025
What It’s Like To…Be a Culinary Student and Aspiring Food Content Creator in Ghana Ama Burland is one of the pioneers of Ghana’s budding influencer space. Despite her established career, Burland is starting from scratch as a culinary student and an aspiring food vlogger. news February 28, 2025
What It’s Like To … Be A Plant Consultant in Kenya Wakisha Wazome, a plant whisperer, has turned her passion for plants intoKejani Kibichi, a thriving consultancy helping Kenyans create and care for green spaces in their homes. news December 26, 2024
What It’s Like To … Be a Parkour Athlete in Algeria Nait Bachir Abdelaziz believes parkour represents a sense of freedom, a connection to our immense physical potential, and a mindset of perseverance. news November 20, 2024
What It’s Like To…Run an Art Gallery in Addis Ababa What began as a small creative space for two Ethiopians has grown to become a gallery that champions emerging artists and empowers women. news November 13, 2024
What It’s Like To…Be A Reggae Promoter In South Africa Fikile Shiba Makhalemele of Lioness Productions lets us in on the dynamics of sustaining and expanding the reggae movement in South Africa through vibrant events. film tv November 6, 2024
What It’s Like To… Be the Musical Director for Afrobeats’ Biggest Stars King Lekan — who has worked with Tems, Asake, Davido and many more — details the essential role of a musical director in translating an artist’s vision into a great live performance. music September 11, 2024
What It’s Like To…Be a Sangoma in a Digital World Vuyiswa Xekatwane, a sangoma (traditional healer), says the core of her work is to align people with their ancestors. news September 4, 2024
What It’s Like To…Run an African Hair Salon in New York City The major U.S. city is known for attracting a myriad of cultures from across the world, offering aspirational immigrants a chance to serve their communities. countries August 28, 2024
What It’s Like To…Organize Libya’s Inaugural Benghazi Summer Festival A fortnight of extravaganza and star-studded concerts of unprecedented scale has been unfolding on Libya’s Mediterranean coast. news August 14, 2024
What It’s Like To…Start One of the Biggest Music Labels in Nigeria Lawyer Audu Maikori founded Chocolate City in 2005, a label that ushered in pivotal musical eras on the Nigerian music scene and continues to churn out culture-shaping stars. news August 7, 2024
What It’s Like To...Manage Content Creators in Nigeria Olufemi Oguntamu, whose talent management agency is home to some of the biggest content creators in Nigeria, tellsOkayAfricawhat his job is like. news May 29, 2024
What It's Like To...Be an Entertainment Lawyer in Egypt Witnessing an increase in court cases against artists in Egypt, Mahmoud Othman set out to reconcile the Ministry of Culture’s relationship with the country’s artists. news May 22, 2024
What It's Like To...Run An Arts Festival In Malawi Even with minimal cash injections, Laura Schuerwegen and her team has successfully had four editions of the Zomba City Festival in the last four years. news May 15, 2024
What It’s Like To…Be A Water Polo Instructor in Ghana Asante Sefa-Boakye wants to build a formidable national water polo team for Ghana, while showing his students an avenue for better opportunities. news April 24, 2024
What It’s Like To…Be a “Nwa Boy” The Nollywood movieÁfàméfùnàbrings the story of Nigeria’s Igbo apprenticeship system to the big screen. A former apprentice—nwa boy—shares what it’s really like. popular April 11, 2024
What It’s Like To…Run an Art Gallery in Harare In a country where art doesn’t get enough recognition as the economic driver it can be, gallery owners like Marcus Gora continue to cultivate creative spaces against all odds. news April 3, 2024
What it’s Like To…Be a Journalist in Somalia’s Only All-Women Newsroom Somalia’s first all-women newsroom, Bilan Media, has edged out a space for itself in the East African nation. news March 14, 2024
What It’s Like To…Be A Healthcare Worker in Sudan Right Now With the country’s healthcare sector virtually on the brink of collapse, women like Salma Saleh are doing all they can to still keep doing their job, while the civil war rages on. news March 8, 2024
