This October, the Noisy book club gathered to discuss Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo— an anthology that weaves Nigerian culture with elements of speculative fiction, horror, and magical realism.
In an open and thought-provoking conversation, members explored the book’s central themes, which are organised into three collections: Hunger, Hauntings, and Heralds.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
General opinions on the book Caged Ocean Dub
Members share their favorite stories and sections.
A perspective conversation about reclaiming power in Kaolin
A deep dive into the stories and themes with the author.
A conversation about the themes of horror and magical realism.
About the Book Caged Ocean Dub is a haunting and imaginative anthology that redefines the boundaries of Nigerian speculative fiction. Blending folklore, myth, and futuristic visions, Dare Segun Falowo crafts stories that traverse worlds both spiritual and surreal. Through three interconnected collections—Hunger, Hauntings, and Heralds.
With a speculative prose and a distinctly Nigerian lens, Caged Ocean Dub captures the strange beauty of life at the crossroads of the mystical and the mundane, inviting readers to question what it means to be human in a world that is constantly shifting between the real and the otherworldly.
Listen, like, and subscribe for more author interviews, African storytelling, and book club conversations. Share your thoughts in the comments—have you read The Road to the Salt Sea? What did you make of the ending?
We are grateful to our sponsors, Àjàrà Foods. Please check out their Instagram here. To order your Àjàrà products, click on this link. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Twitter (X). You can attend our November book club meeting here.
In this episode of Author Book Chat, host Benny speaks with Dare Segun Falowo, author of Caged Ocean Dub. We unpack the book’s blend of African cosmologies, surreal horror, soft sci-fi and mythmaking, and trace Dare’s creative journey from idea to publication. Hear close readings of standout stories, practical craft advice for emerging writers, and a conversation about how contemporary Nigerian authors are reshaping genre fiction.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
• The inspiration behind Caged Ocean Dub and its use of myth and folklore.
• How Dare blends surreal horror, soft sci-fi and spiritual mythmaking.
• Practical writing tips and process notes for short-story writers.
• Why African speculative fiction is vital to global genre conversations.
Perfect for: fans of African literature, speculative fiction, weird fiction, literary interviews, and book clubs.
Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub. Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend here.
Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (X) for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
In this episode of the best African literary podcast, host Benny sits down with Ibifubara Davis — psychologist, writer, book club member, and former Big Brother Naija housemate. Together, they dive into our October Book of the Month, Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo, exploring its themes, their shared love for psychology, and why stories like this matter in today’s African literary landscape.
Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub. Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend here.
Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (X) for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Our host, Benny, sits down with poet Inuwa Niimah to discuss her debut collection, In the Wake of What Was.In this episode, they explore her journey of writing the collection, the path to publication, and the inspirations that shaped her poetry.
About the Book
In the Wake of What Was, gathers the fragments of love, loss, womanhood, and becoming into tender verses that speak to the shared experiences of Nigerian women and beyond.
Across 65 pages, the collection carries you through silences and storms, weaving poems that linger long after the last line. It is a book for anyone who has ever stood at the edge of change, carrying memory in one hand and possibility in the other.
Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub.Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend here.
Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (X) for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
In this episode of our Author Book Chat series, podcast host Benny sits down with Samuel Kolawole, author of the internationally acclaimed debut novel The Road to the Salt Sea. Together, they explore the novel’s unforgettable characters, powerful themes, and the creative journey behind this thought-provoking story.
Join Benny and Samuel in this insightful and funny conversation as they discuss Kolawole’s writing process, the inspiration behind his characters, and what readers can expect next from this exciting new voice in African literature.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
Behind-the-scenes look at The Road to the Salt Sea
Samuel Kolawole’s writing process and creative inspirations
Themes of migration, identity, and resilience
Insights for writers, readers, and book lovers everywhere
About the Book:
A searing exploration of the global migration crisis, The Road to the Salt Sea takes readers from Nigeria to Libya to Italy through the eyes of Able God — a young man working at a luxury hotel where he flashes his “toothpaste-white smile” for wealthy guests. When he’s not serving the privileged, he dreams big, reads self-help books, and learns life lessons from chess — until one decision changes everything.
Join the Conversation: Whether you’re part of a book club, a fan of African storytelling, or just love hearing authors discuss their craft, this episode is filled with laughter, insight, and inspiration.
Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub.
Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend here.
Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (X) for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
This September, the Noisy book club gathered to discuss The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kọ́láwọ́lé, a powerful debut novel that traces one man’s harrowing journey from Nigeria to Europe in search of a better life.
In this open, thought-provoking conversation, book club members explore the novel’s urgent themes—migration, survival, class, and the search for meaning in a broken world. From the halls of a Lagos hotel to the deadly deserts of North Africa, The Road to the Salt Sea invites reflection on the human cost of displacement and the power of resilience.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
General opinions on Able God—arrogant, entitled, or a product of his environment?
A fiery debate on standout characters: Able God, Ben Ten, Akudo and Dr Badero.
A perspective changing theory on Able’s obsession with Akudo and Dr. Badero.
A deep dive into survival, desperation, and Able God’s Sahara journey.
Reflections on resilience—what truly fueled Able God’s strength?
Unconventional insights on religion as guide, weapon, or escape.
About the Book The Road to the Salt Sea is a gripping and debut exploring the global migration crisis. Winner of the Whiting award and shortlisted for The Pen America Longlist award, It takes us on a journey from Nigeria to Libya to Italy, we follow Able God—a hotel worker with big dreams and a sharp mind—as he’s thrust into a dangerous journey of survival after a chance encounter spirals into violence. Caught between hope and desperation, Able joins a group of migrants led by a self-proclaimed prophet, facing traffickers, starvation, and the harsh truths of displacement.
Listen, like, and subscribe for more author interviews, African storytelling, and book club conversations. Share your thoughts in the comments—have you read The Road to the Salt Sea? What did you make of the ending?
We are grateful to our sponsors, Àjàrà Foods. Please check out their instagram here. To order your Àjàrà products, click on this link.
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Twitter (X). You can attend our October book club meeting here.
In this Member Book Chat, host Benny and Modupe Daramola, a member of the Noisy Book Club, dive into The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kolawole—a gripping, deeply emotional novel about survival, migration, class, and the search for a better life.
Together, Benny and Modupe unpack the powerful journey of Able God, a low-paid hotel worker whose life is upended after a violent encounter forces him to flee into the desert with a group of migrants. Along the way, we discuss how Kolawole’s novel unravels the myths of salvation, exposes the brutal realities of human trafficking, and challenges our notions of faith, ambition, and belonging.
This reflective, raw, and passionate discussion captures the essence of what The Noisy Book Club is all about—stories that move us, questions that challenge us, and voices that demand to be heard.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
1. A breakdown of the plot and themes in The Road to the Salt Sea
2. Their reflections on Able God’s journey and transformation
3. Honest conversations around migration, religion, and class in Nigeria
4. A deep dive into Kolawole’s writing style and narrative choices
5. An open discussion about what the book made us feel, question, and confront
About the Book
The Road to the Salt Sea follows Able God, a hotel worker whose chance encounter with a sex worker catapults him into a dangerous world of violence and escape. Joining a group of desperate migrants led by a self-proclaimed prophet, Able’s journey toward a new life quickly spirals into a fight for survival. From the corridors of a four-star hotel to the harsh edges of the desert, Kolawole’s novel is a haunting, suspenseful, and emotionally rich exploration of hope, faith, and the harsh costs of displacement.
Whether you're part of a book club, interested in African literature, or drawn to stories of survival and identity, this episode is full of insight, honesty, and thought-provoking conversation.
Listen, like, and follow us for more member chats, author interviews, and deep dives into books that matter.
Share your thoughts in the comments—what did you think of The Road to the Salt Sea? Which part of Able God’s journey stayed with you the most?
Our September book of the month is The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kolawole. Get tickets to attend our September book club meeting here.
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Twitter (X).
For our very first Author Book Chat, podcast host Benny sits down with award-winning Nigerian-Canadian writer Francesca Ekwuyasi, the brilliant author of Butter Honey Pig Bread. Together, they dive deep into the novel’s unforgettable characters, powerful themes, and the creative journey behind this internationally acclaimed debut.
In this warm, reflective, and engaging conversation, Francesca shares her thoughts on faith, family, queerness, love, food, and the bonds that hold us together—all central to Butter Honey Pig Bread. From Lagos to Halifax, from the myth of the Ogbanje to the quiet complexities of sisterhood, this episode explores how storytelling bridges cultures and continents.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
1. Francesca’s journey to writing Butter Honey Pig Bread and finding her voice as a storyteller
2. How food and memory become acts of love and healing in the novel
3. Deep dive into characters Taiye, Kehinde, and Kambirinachi—their pain, choices, and growth
4. The creative process of writing across Nigeria, England, France, and Canada
5. A lighthearted “This or That” Nigerian food game with Francesca
Whether you’re part of a book club, a fan of African literature, or simply love hearing authors talk about their craft, this episode is packed with insight, laughter, and inspiration.
About the Book
Butter Honey Pig Bread is a stunning novel of love, loss, and the resilience of family. Shortlisted for the 2020 Giller Prize, it follows twin sisters Taiye and Kehinde as they navigate trauma, forgiveness, and reconnection, guided by their enigmatic mother, Kambirinachi.
Listen, like, and subscribe for more author interviews, African storytelling, and book club conversations.
Share your thoughts in the comments—have you read Butter Honey Pig Bread? Which character stayed with you the most?We have monthly book club meetings in Lagos, every last Saturday of the month.
Our September book of the month is The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kolawole. Get tickets to attend our September book club meeting here.
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok & Twitter (X).
Noisy Podcast presents “The Noisy Book Club” a podcast series where we will bring to you, interviews with African authors of our Monthly reads, town hall episodes of our actual monthly Book club meetings as well as reviews and conversation around books that will make you laugh, cry or rethink something you thought you knew!
The Book Club Podcast is a place to discuss and celebrate African stories and authors. Subscribe to be a part of the conversation.