Top Stories
Racism and an Unsolved Murder: American Novelist Delia Owens’ Past in Zambia Resurfaces 
4 Poetry Prizes That Are Currently Open 
5 Nigerian Spoken Word Albums You Should Listen To 
Inside a Nigerian Literary and Arts Hub 
The 60 Notable Books of 2021 
12 Publications Currently Open for Submissions 
TJ Benson Holds History and Hope 
Jumi Bello’s Debut Novel Was Dropped for Plagiarism. New Details Show It’s Serial.
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Features
These “conversations are as absurd as they are beautiful,” writes the poetry series’ managing editor Precious Okpechi. “This is what literature does: bare life’s absurdity and beauty.”
By 20.35 Africa
Each of the five fellows will receive N50,000.
By Open Country Mag
The debut Nigerian author’s short story collection, God’s Children Are Little Broken Things, has seen him compared to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Zadie Smith and praised by Damon Galgut.
By Emmanuel Esomnofu
With Glory, the Zimbabwean joins Nigeria’s Chigozie Obioma and India’s Rohinton Mistry in an elite group.
By Otosirieze Obi-Young
Books
The Road to the Country, the Nigerian’s third novel announcement in seven years, is part of a two-book deal, and has been compared to Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front.
By Paula Willie-Okafor
“Without these men standing in for his father, he would have continued feeling ‘like I missed something only he could give me.’ This is a rich tapestry of the power of relationships in molding a precocious, restless kid who is black.”
By Ikhide R. Ikheloa
In her ‘80s-set debut novel, Tomorrow I Become a Woman, a young woman is caught between her needs for approval from both society and herself.
By Paula Willie-Okafor
I Am Still with You: A Reckoning on Silence, Inheritance & History, set for 2023, is billed as “the story of countless families across the country who will never have answers for their loved ones.” Iduma calls it “the book I’ve been preparing to write for most of my life.”
By Emmanuel Esomnofu
Series Editor Jenny Minton Quigley on celebrating the short story form and the ripple effect of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s guest-editing role.
By Otosirieze Obi-Young
Events
The Nigerian writer was in conversation with Booker Prize finalist Brandon Taylor, discussing his debut short story collection God’s Children Are Little Broken Things.
By Open Country Mag
Including chats with Booker Prize finalist Brandon Taylor, bestselling novelist Xochitl Gonzalez, and writers Jonathan Lee, Gbenga Adesina, Ebenezer Agu, and Hannah Eko.
By A Public Space
The Nigerian novelist’s debut Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold is forthcoming on May 1, from Little A.
By Otosirieze Obi-Young
Opportunities
The project, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and powered by Africa No Filter, is one of several to mark the continental group’s 20th anniversary.
By Open Country Mag
The issue will be guest-edited by Tlotlo Tsamaase, Frazier Michael, and Lucky Grace. It opens for submissions on August 1.
By Lolwe
Community
The influential culture icon had social media spinning with her birthday note to the Labour Party candidate, already the hot favourite for young Nigerians.
By Emmanuel Esomnofu
The issue surrounds a short film she worked on with him and the Malian artist Abdou Ouloguem. Both men, she said, created a hostile and sexist atmosphere for her.
By Paula Willie-Okafor
The podcast, with co-host Emeka Onyeagwa, is a “deep and often entertaining insight into Nigerian current affairs and culture.”
By Emmanuel Esomnofu
Originally planned for December 2021, to mark our first anniversary, our first special issue, for April 2022, profiles 16 African writers and curators who have impacted, disrupted, reshaped, and even created literary culture in the last five years. This landmark moment comes in two Parts, with two covers.
By Otosirieze Obi-Young
Videos
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Chigozie Obioma Announces Biafran War Novel The Road to the Country, his third novel announcement in seven years, is part of a two-book deal with @HutchHeinemann + @HogarthBooks, and has been compare...
Read MoreRT @BakwaBooks: In April 2022, nonprofit organization PEN America found that 1,586 book bans targeting 1,145 unique books had occurred in t…
Read MoreRT @OpenCountryMag: The @UnseriousCo Announces the 5 Winners of Its 2022 Fellowship Each of the five fellows will receive N50,000. https:/…
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