We chat with Chike Ukaegbu, a 2019 Nigerian presidential candidate, about his path to running a political campaign, his motivations, the challenges of running a campaign while out of the country, as well as his next steps. http://www.chikeukaegbu.com

On this episode we speak with Oluwatosin Adeshokan, a freelance journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria, about his career trajectory and the current state of journalism in the country. We explore the circumstances that have resulted in big Nigerian/African stories being primarily broken by global, western news orgs like the New York Times, The Guardian UK, CNN, and the implications of this trend. We examine the role of journalism in holding power to account in Nigeria and wonder why local investigative journalism exposés do not often result in change (hint: shameless authoritarian governments and apathetic general public). Lastly, we discuss ideas for how journalism on the continent might evolve in a way that is engaging, speaks truth to power, and is better funded. ------------------ Resources: Explore the now defunct 234Next Website on Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20100701000000*/234next.com Oluwatosin's article on learning Mandarin in Nigeria - https://popula.com/2018/09/10/learning-chinese-in-nigeria/ Oluwatosin's article in the LA Times about dreams of Biafra in the East - https://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-nigeria-war-legacy-20190430-story.html Perspective on the implications of foreign media orgs telling African stories https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/01/african-journalism-stifled-lack-resources https://africasacountry.com/2019/02/whos-reporting-africa-now Zikoko’s This Naira Life reporting https://www.zikoko.com/naira-life/tough-hustling-in-nigeria/ ------------------ Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode, theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

On this episode, we chat with Coretta Owusu about Design Dua, her Ghana-based company that makes functional handwoven basketry. She shares the nitty gritty details of her company’s capital- and time-intensive operations, the social impact of employing local artisans in Northern Ghana, her transition from law to founding a business with a social reach, the woes of import tax, and the not-so-glamorous side of being featured on big store website. website: www.designdua.com instagram: @shoplovedua Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

NYAC S4 E11: Empathy, What is it Good for? On this episode we speak with literature buff, writer and embodiment of Pan-Africanism, Clarisse Baleja Saidi about her Rwandese, Ugandan, Congolese and Ivorian roots, and her journey to becoming a writer. We examine the clarifying power of writing; discuss the challenge of truthful, authentic storytelling while trying to avoid pandering; and ask, what is the role of empathy in literature ? ------------------ Resources https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2019/03/02/the-banality-of-empathy/ https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/bloody-image-double-standard https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/03/ethiopian-airlines-302/584533/ https://wereherelove.com/podcastguests/#ClarisseBalejaSaïdi --------------------- Reading - John Carryrou’s Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup - Claire Adam’s Golden Child - Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird - Peter Kreeft’s Practical Theology: Spiritual Direction from Saint Thomas Aquinas Listening - PJ Morton and Yebba’s How Deep is Your Love - P J Morton’s Christmas with PJ Morton ------------------ Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode, theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

We talk with Dumi Kaliati, the founder and CEO of a Malawian based health and hardware start up called MicroMek. MicroMek specializes in creating low cost drones for the delivery of drugs to remote areas in Malawi. In addition, the aerial vehicles provide assessments of the environmental landscape eg monitoring floods. He shared with us the motivation behind his startup, the challenges he has faced as a young African entrepreneur, and his vision for his company. As our first Malawian guest, Dumi also enlightened us on his country's history and what he loves about Malawi. Website: https://www.micromek.net FB: MicroMek Twitter: @MicroMek_LTD Dumi's Twitter: @dumikaliati

On this episode, we learn about Mauritius and the Mauritian identity from a guest Ms. Axelle Lagaillarde. She educates us about its history, politics and peoples. We also discuss the dissociation of Mauritians, particularly Indo-Mauritians, from Africa. Though technically a part of the continent, Mauritius' proximity to India, as well as its Indian origins/ancestry, are very prominent and influential on the island. Lastly, to Amayo's dismay, in spite of its rich diversity Mauritius has no plantains. Resources: https://www.luxury-in-mauritius.com/people/the-mauritian-identity-the-result-of-a-long-journey http://hyllanderiksen.net/Creoles.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mauritius http://mcfsp-blogs.ed.ac.uk/kushmandisreekissoon/2017/03/15/my-fluid-identity-being-hindu-being-mauritian-and-being-african/

It’s February, the month of Love! We share what we consider love to be, how we love, and how we like to be loved. Listen to find out who shows love by showing up for people, by feeding them, or by editing their written works. Find out which love language gets Ife preening like a cat, or which one Ify doesn’t particularly rate. You also get to hear our thoughts on “The Friendzone” ---------- Resources - https://www.5lovelanguages.com/ -------- Reading Becoming by Michelle Obama Love, Hate and Other Filters Book by Samira Ahmed Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi Listening To Casey J’s The Gathering Watching Netflix’ Sex Education Netflix’ Big Mouth Season 2 Netflix’ The Punisher Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 2 ------------------ Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode, theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

We begin 2019 with a bang! On this episode we chat with the Oluwaseun Ayodeji, the Executive Director of Stand to End Rape (STER) Initiative about the (lack of) support available to sexual assault survivors in Nigeria, our country’s sexual assault laws, and her advocacy work. We also break down the meaning of consent, the different kinds of consent, and discuss ways to combat rape culture. ------------------- Resources http://standtoendrape.org/the-thing-about-consent-is-16daysofactivism/ https://www.rainn.org/articles/what-is-consent https://lawpadi.com/laws-rape-every-nigerian-know/ ------------------ Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode, theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

On this episode, we talk with Ozoz of Kitchen Butterfly, an excellent Nigerian food blog. Ozoz shares her journey to creating kitchen butterfly.com, her vision of reimagining, documenting and preserving Nigerian food and recipes. She also fills in the gaps in our knowledge of food migration via the slave trade. Then as a group, we list our favorite small chops, our swallow of choice (or not!)and drink of choice. And this would be an invalid discussion of Nigerian food if we failed to include Jollof rice (with a capital J!). Listen closely as Amayo shocks us with her amala aversion, as Ifeyinwa is swiftly rebuked when she mixes up “sah-lad” with “African salad” & laugh with us as we shade Ghanaian Jollof (in love). Resources: https://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/2017/11/27/a-possible-history-of-nigerian-small-chops-in-their-present-form/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwQVrrKJm5M Episode was mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

We are joined by special guest Wandile Mthiyane (@Wandile7) of Ubuntu Design Group to work through the questions: how did African cities come to be? How did Apartheid and Colonization shape the planning of major African cities like Nairobi, Lagos and Durban? We discuss informal settlements and the circumstances that result in their existence and ask, how do we support people who live in informal settlements without being paternalistic? How do we be better neighbors to them? We close the episode by sharing our vision for African Cities. Resources: https://www.ted.com/talks/olutimehin_adegbeye_who_belongs_in_a_city https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/27/africa/otodo-gbame-demolition/index.html https://medium.com/latterly/homeless-by-design-the-forced-evictions-in-otodo-gbame-daae4039cc3d https://cda.co.ug/1130/historicizing-the-hustle-what-kenyas-colonial-legacy-tells-us-about-poverty-in-african-cities/ https://bittersoutherner.com/rural-studio-turns-20/#.W-yT7HpKg_U Reading Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami Educated by Tara Westover Watching Christmas Movies on Netflix and Hallmark Peppermint Candy by Lee Chang Dong Listening to Highlife EP by Femi Leye (the brilliant force behind our theme music!) - EP It Was All a Dream by Distruction Boyz - Album Tiny Winey by Joaquin Ft. Krosfyah - Single J Cole Lecrae London Grammar Keep any eye out for Wandlile’s book, Ubuntu in the Mumbulu and documentary, Child of Apartheid

On this episode, we talk with a guest from Southern Cameroon, Tabot, about his country's ongoing conflict. Tabot schools us on Cameroon’s history, geography and political climate. We learn about the decades-long systemic marginalization of anglophone Cameroonians by francophone Cameroonians. And we discuss how this conflict is a remnant of colonialism by the Germans, French and British. Resources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct_SLnAGDuM (BBC Africa Eye mini-documentary) https://popula.com/2018/10/23/unification-day/ (Background on Cameroon’s conflict) https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/15/opinion/sunday/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-cameroon.html (Opinion piece by Chimamanda Adichie) https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/feb/04/every-inch-challenge-multiplies-afro-imbolo-mbue-hair-cameroon?CMP=share_btn_tw (Opinion piece by Imbolo Mbue) Episode was mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

We speculate about why some African countries have retained the names given by colonizers, and wonder if name changes have had any effect on the progress of self-christened countries, or on their citizens’ perspectives of their identities. We scrutinize relics of colonization that can still be found in our everyday lives such as the horsehair wigs and robes worn by lawyers in some former British colonies. We also examine the relationship between former colonies and their colonizers as it relates to superficial faux-solidarity programs such as the commonwealth, and the harsh reality of current policies (i.e. immigration policies and the windrush scandal). Lastly, we suggest strategies for folks seeking to decolonize their minds, lives, and disciplines. --------------------- Reading Haruki Murakami’s What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Memoir Listening Florence + The Machine’s High as Hope - Album Housefires’ Housefires II - Album Collectiv3’s Live. Create. Repeat - Album ShowDemCamp’s Palmwine Music II Jubilee Worship’s Atmosphere Chapter 2 - Album Watching CBS’ Schitt’s Creek – Comedy Show iTV2 / Hulu ’s Love Island S3 – Reality TV Show Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

On this episode, the ladies of NYAC chat with the incredible Yovanka Perdigao (one-third of Not Another Book Podcast)about lusophone Africa, its under-representation in African literary spaces and the importance of translation of Afro-lusophone narratives. Find Yovanka on: Twitter- @postcolonialchi IG- @postcolonialchild website- https://www.yovanka.co.uk/ Referenced: https://www.ozy.com/opinion/the-case-for-lusophone-african-literature/83117 http://afrikult.com/say-what-where-are-the-black-writers-from-portuguese-africa/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/12/portugal-race Jose Eduardo Agalusa The ultimate tragedy by Abdulai Silá Recommendations from Yovanka: - Confession of the Lioness by Mia Coutu (Mozambican writer) - Sleepwalking Land by Mia Coutu - Malangatana (Mozambican visual artist) - Afrohouse/kuduru (music) - Buraka Som Sistema (band) - Pepetela (Angolan writer) - Good morning, comrades by Ondjaki (Angolan writer) - Sousa Jamba (author from Angola) - The ultimate tragedy by Abdulai Silá (author from Guinea-Bissau) - Francisco Ferreira (poet from São Tomé e Príncipe) - Alda Espírito Santo (poet from São Tomé e Príncipe)

We are back! Listen to us catch up and gist each other (and you!) about our summer. Amayo quit her job in consulting and moved to Mauritius to work at a startup university (which Ife’s sister happens to go to). Yeka O wrote book chapters and is well on her way to being a doctor, put some respek on her name. Ifeyinwa is adulting like a boss. She got a car, moved into a new apartment and officially became a film maker! Check out her first short which she wrote, produced, directed and edited here: [ https://vimeo.com/282208309 ]. Ife’s summer has been filled traveling. She was in Kigali, New York and San Francisco over the summer representing her company, and she finally started her national service year. We also talk productivity and share tips on how we (attempt to) stay on top of work and other obligations. Reading - Deep Work by Cal Newport - There, There by Tommy Orange Watching - Love Island Season 4 – ITV (UK) / Hulu (US) - Bloodline Season 2 - Netflix - To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Netflix - Sarah Burges is a Loser – Netflix - Queer Eye - Love Is - OWN Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

Inspired by Kanye West's latest episodes of being loud and wrong, we unpack our individual shortcomings: what they are, what brought them to our attention, and how we overcome them. We talk about those who've lovingly called us out and the personal steps we take to become more self-aware of these "faults." Mentioned: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/05/im-not-black-im-kanye/559763/?utm_source=atltw https://openspace.sfmoma.org/2018/05/theorems-of-separation/ - Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper - Poetry Is Not a Luxury by Audre Lorde Reading: - Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper - Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown Watching: - Southside With You (Netflix) - Jane the Virgin (Netflix) Listening: - Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae - Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B - A Boy From Tandale by Diamond Platnumz - Wait by Teni ----------------------------------------------------------- Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

We talk exploring Nigerian-ness and African-ness through economics, history and art with the “Lean, Mean, Nigerian Machine,” @WaleLawal. He walks us though the process of establishing The Republic, a journal he edits and runs; schools us on the function of historical knowledge and how it serves our present experiences; and reminds us that we don’t have to be bound to the western narrative of Hero vs Villain when retelling the rich tapestry of African history. We chat about innovative ways of creating knowledge and making it more accessible, social media as a tool to understand people’s frame of reference, and how to accommodate and teach the variations and differences in historical perspectives Resources: - https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/black-panther-and-the-invention-of-africa - http://www.republic.com.ng/octobernovember-2017/nigeria-disintegrating-state/ - http://www.republic.com.ng/vol1-no1/the-erasure-of-female-pain/ - https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/05/26/after-empire - http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/12/22/on-optimism-and-despair/ Reading: Known and Strange Things by Teju Cole Burn This Book edited by Toni Morrison Exit West by Mohsin Hamid This Bridge Called My Back edited by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa Watching The Crown Blackish Listening to: Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B Top Pop, Vol. I by Pentatonix Outside by Burna Boy K.O.D by J. Cole Cloak; Wallflower by Jordan Rakei Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

On this episode, we chat with Martin Ayeni (actor on Inspector K)about his experience transitioning from theater to screen acting; his dislike for auditions; and what has surprised him about Inspector K. Martin also shares what drew him to Inspector K, and what's next for his career in Nigeria. Mentioned: - Inspector K https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEZ-MhURpRo Reading: - Postcards by Annie Proulx - Fences by August Wilson Watching: - The Crown (Netflix) - The Handmaid's Tale(Hulu) - In Sickness and In Health (Iroko TV) Listening: - A Seat at the Table(album by Solange) - Tom Misch (Artist) ----------------------------------------------------------- Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

On this episode, we chat with Ashley Akunna (founder and producer of The Grapevine) about the term millennials, characteristics of African millennials, the origin of The Grapevine, and how it serves to amplify the voices of millennials. Listen and share with your friends. Mentioned: - March series by Congressman John Lewis - Bruno Mars episode on The Grapevine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9NTvCyprsA) Reading: - Black Skin, White Masks by Frantz Fanon - What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah Watching: - Grownish (TV show) - Ozark (Netflix) - Mudbound (Netflix) - Rumor Has It (YouTube) - Inspector K (YouTube) Listening: - In My View by Young Fathers - Ray Blk (UK artist) - Thandiwe by Vusi Nova - Kuku Kee Me by Seun Kuti - Rendezvous by M.I. Abaga ----------------------------------------------------------- Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

Part II of the episode where we discuss the pop culture phenomenon that is Black Panther. We continue our conversation with @ifeanyiawachie by discussing by the film’s treatment of gender and hailing the wonderful powerhouses that are the women of Black Panther. Ife draws a parallel between how Black Panther was surrounded by women and the women in Jesus’ life and ministry (yes that Jesus). Yeka delights in Shuri’s nerdiness and is glad for her example of unabashed black woman nerdiness. We ask, is there a place for radicalism in the fight against oppression? What are its limits? Is a new Black world order the answer to Black oppression? How will it be different from any other hegemony? What are the possible pitfalls? We reference Audre Lorde’s “Master’s Tools” essay and Jay Smooth’s great advice of “practicing the craft of being good everyday.” We finish off by asking, if Wakanda is Black Utopia, who does the Wakandan Project leave behind? ------------------------ Resources • theintercept.com/2018/02/22/black…-brazil-protest/ • africasacountry.com/2018/02/africa-…try-in-wakanda/ • www.gq.com/story/black-panther…ter_impression=true • longreads.com/2018/02/22/how-bla…re-to-one-another/ • www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-…american-villain • www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comme…ention-of-africa • www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/a…tm_source=atltw ----------------------------------- Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

Part I of the episode where we discuss the pop culture phenomenon that is Black Panther. We are about a month late to the party but we here! Suffice to say, spoilers ahead. If you still haven’t seen the movie, you’re on a long tin! Joined by Black and African arts curator extraordinaire, @ifeanyiawachie, we gush about the visuals, the cinematography, music, acting and general #BlackExcellence on display in the movie. We ask if the movie’s imagination of an African country untouched by colonization is what we envisioned, acknowledge the differences in peoples’ imaginings of a futuristic Africa, and question how technological advancement should manifest while retaining a cultural identity. We also explore the validity and limitations of T’Challa vs Killmonger as an allegory for the relationship between continental Africans and African Americans (and other black people in the diaspora). Ifeyinwa reminds us that while the movie is a celebration of Blackness, it still exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and thus is not free of its overarching creative influence, and Yeka O draws a parallel to Biafra and wonders what the country may have looked like had its secession attempt been successful. ------------------------ Resources • https://theintercept.com/2018/02/22/black-panther-brazil-protest/ • http://africasacountry.com/2018/02/africa-is-a-country-in-wakanda/ • https://www.gq.com/story/black-panther-and-the-search-for-home/amp?__twitter_impression=true • https://longreads.com/2018/02/22/how-black-panther-asks-us-to-examine-who-we-are-to-one-another/ • https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/on-killmonger-black-panther-s-american-villain • https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/black-panther-and-the-invention-of-africa • https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/02/black-panther-erik-killmonger/553805/?utm_source=atltw ----------------------------------- Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye