#african writers

[adannamdi]

INCORPORATING IGBO CULTURE INTO MY NOVEL

Bringing Authenticity to My Story Through Language, Traditions, and Daily Life

As I continue researching and expanding my knowledge on this topic, I’ve realized that incorporating culture into a story isn’t just about adding traditions—it’s about immersing readers in a living, breathing world. Whether you’re writing a novel, a graphic novel, or any other form of storytelling, cultural elements can add depth and authenticity.

Modes of Communication and Transportation

The primary mode of transportation in traditional Igbo society was walking, while communication relied heavily on word of mouth. In my video, I gave an example from my story where an individual is tasked with spreading announcements within the community.

You might wonder if horses or donkeys were used, but in reality, they weren’t common in Igbo land. Even today, horses are a rare sight in Eastern Nigeria. Instead, the animals most commonly seen are goats, cattle, and poultry.

Traditional Housing and Cutlery

Traditional Igbo houses were built using mud, with bamboo structures as support. However, market spaces and shops were less developed, often featuring bamboo frames and mats used to divide sections.

Another key cultural element I incorporated into my novel is Nsibidi symbols. These symbols were historically used in communication and could often be found on walls, gates, or even attire like the Ukara cloth.

When it comes to traditional Igbo cooking, firewood was the main fuel source, and clay pots were used for cooking, storing food, and fetching water.

Calabash vs. Clay Bowls

At first, I found it difficult to differentiate between calabashes and clay bowls. Here’s a simple breakdown:

Clay bowls: Used for cooking, storing food, and ritual practices.

Calabashes: Made from dried gourds, used as dishes, bottles, cups, and cooking spoons—but not for direct cooking over fire.

Using Igbo Language in My Novel

One of my favorite aspects of world-building has been incorporating Igbo language into my story. Here are some of the names and words I’ve included:

Character Names:

Ijeoma Maduka – The main character

Obinna Chetachukwu

Amobi Nwakaego

Nduka Jidenna

Dike Azubuike

Deberechi Obiora

Igbo Words & Their Meanings:

Anwụansi ojii – Black magic

Eze Ọjọọ – Dark Lord

Ebe izu ike – Resting place / grave

Nkwu elu – Palm wine

Enyi m – My friend

Ike mana – Strength

Dibia – Physician / doctor

I have also divided the use of Igbo language in my novel:

The gods, goddesses, and priests/priestesses speak Igbo fluently.

Common people speak it incompletely but use key phrases for rituals, greetings, and traditional contexts.

This distinction adds a mystical quality to the language and makes it feel like a sacred part of the culture.

What’s Next?

In my next video, I’ll discuss more aspects of traditional Igbo life, including food, daily rituals, and beliefs.

Have you ever incorporated elements of your culture into a story? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

[importantwomensbirthdays]

Ayobami Adebayo

Ayobami Adebayo was born in 1988 in Lagos, Nigeria. Adebayo's debut novel Stay With Me was a bestseller that won the 9mobile prize for literature and the Prix Les Afriques. Her novel A Spell of Good Things was longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize. Adebayo's work has been translated into more than twenty languages, and she was selected as a judge for the 2025 Booker Prize.

[african-international-magazine]

Elon Musk: The African International Magazine's Person of the Year 2024

By The Editors 

The concept of free speech has always been fiercely contested, yet its importance cannot be overstated. In recent years, one figure has emerged as a champion of this principle: Elon Musk. His takeover of X (formerly Twitter) has sparked debate, praise, and criticism in equal measure. However, amidst the clamor, one fact is indisputable—Musk’s actions have reinvigorated the fight for open discourse. For this reason, _The African International Magazine proudly names him our Person of the Year 2024._ 

This decision was not made lightly. As part of the Uyokanjo Group, our publication has endured years of systemic suppression. Since we began covering the struggles of Donald Trump that made our sister title AfricaWorld News to name him man of the year in 2020, the Igbo people in Nigeria and their fight for independence under the Biafra movement, we have faced relentless pushback. Governments have worked tirelessly to silence our reporting, engaging tech giants like Google and Facebook to curtail our reach. Our websites were taken down, our followers mysteriously reduced, and our ability to share stories with the world severely hampered.

Yet, there was a turning point. Elon Musk’s acquisition of X brought a refreshing shift to the digital landscape. While platforms like Facebook continued to impose restrictions, X under Musk’s leadership became a space where our voices could be heard. Musk’s approach has not only restored a semblance of balance to the global conversation but has also allowed marginalized voices, like ours, to thrive once again. It is this direct impact on our freedom to operate that cements our recognition of his efforts.

Musk is no stranger to controversy. Critics have labeled him unpredictable, egotistical, and, at times, irresponsible. They argue that his management style, particularly at X, has created chaos. However, these criticisms often fail to consider the bigger picture. Free speech is not tidy; it is not meant to be. By nature, it challenges norms, disrupts comfort zones, and, yes, offends. Musk has demonstrated an understanding of this complexity, choosing to embrace the messiness of open dialogue rather than retreating into sanitized conformity.

For a publication like The African International Magazine, this perspective resonates deeply. We have seen firsthand the dangers of censorship, not just for media organizations but for the societies they serve. When governments suppress dissenting voices, they do more than silence individuals; they undermine democracy itself. Musk’s refusal to bow to external pressures, even when it puts him at odds with powerful entities, reflects a commitment to principles that are foundational to free societies.

Elon Musk’s influence extends beyond his role at X. He is a figure of immense complexity: a visionary entrepreneur, a disruptor of industries, and a polarizing personality. While some see him as a reckless billionaire, others recognize his contributions to technology, sustainability, and now, freedom of expression. His advocacy for open discourse aligns with a broader global movement against the monopolization of information by a few corporations. For smaller media outlets like ours, this alignment is not just symbolic—it is practical and life-changing.

That is not to say Musk is above criticism. His detractors often point to the potential dangers of his approach. Critics argue that his policies on X have allowed misinformation and harmful content to spread unchecked. These concerns are valid and warrant scrutiny. However, they do not negate the positive impact of his broader mission. Free speech is a double-edged sword; it can be misused, but its absence is far more dangerous. Musk’s willingness to engage with this tension, rather than shy away from it, is what sets him apart.

At The African International Magazine, we have always believed in the power of storytelling to transform societies. For years, our efforts have been stifled by forces that fear the truths we expose. In Musk, we see a kindred spirit, someone unafraid to challenge the status quo, even at great personal and professional risk. His actions have reminded us that free speech is not just a right to be enjoyed; it is a responsibility to be upheld, even when it is inconvenient or unpopular.

The story of Elon Musk and X is still unfolding. Whether his experiment in free speech will succeed in the long term remains to be seen. But in 2024, his impact is undeniable. Musk has not only reshaped the digital landscape but has also reignited a global conversation about the value of open dialogue. He has reminded us that the ability to speak freely is not a privilege but a necessity, and one worth fighting for.

As we close another year, we reflect on the challenges and triumphs that have shaped our journey. Naming Elon Musk as our Person of the Year 2024 is more than a symbolic gesture. It is a recognition of the vital role he has played in defending the principles we hold dear. Musk may not be perfect, but his unwavering commitment to free speech is a beacon of hope in a world increasingly divided by censorship and control. For this, we honor him and look forward to a future where more leaders embrace the courage to defend the freedom of expression.

[thenacrossing]

These are some dark academia novels on my radar right now.

As I outline my first dark academia-themed novel, I will be reading these four books - and more over time - to get a sense of what writing this genre entails, a lay of the land per se, and hopefully grow as a writer.

-HG

[b4evaa]

still ugly, still ugly.

Ugly!

they said when pointing my direction,

younger me may not have understood

what ugly is

but i knew it meant unacceptable

i knew it meant rejection

i knew it meant i should shut up

i eventually knew what it meant

the word ugly was used to describe me

but all it did was dehumanise me

i became a creature

not only was i ugly,

my persona tasted unfamiliar

it tasted strange

i was no stranger to me

i did not see a fault in my authenticity

until i heard the words

“unusual, but not in a good way”

used to describe me

awkwardness was acceptable

in only the ones favoured by the

privileged afforded to them

by their genetic makeup

their beauty bought them the world

while rejection sold my world

when the coin was tossed,

i experienced the opposite side of the coin

i was now the ugly girl

clothed by beauty

i was acceptable as ideal

not as who i am

i apologize,

for i am not your idealisation

but i am still the awkward girl

now dressed in a costume

a costume made with

pretty privilege and white beauty standards

i am still ugly,

still an unfamiliar taste,

still unpalatable,

just dressed in a suit.

sorry if i don’t accept your compliment,

or if i’m too loud

i’m still ugly inside,

just a little prettier outside.

(((b4evaaa)))

[afrotumble]

Man, I love this one. Ngugi originally wrote Matigari in his native Gikuyu while he was in political exile from Kenya in London. When it was published in Kenya 1986, people were talking about this fictional Matigari guy like he was a real person. The government wasn’t too happy about it, and they issued a warrant for Matigari’s arrest. They felt pretty stupid when they found out he wasn’t real, and in February 1987, the dictatorship raided every bookstore in Kenya to burn all copies. It is a great story of one man’s quest to restore justice to his homeland. Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s The River Between is a much more serious book dealing with Christian influence on two African tribes and the controversial issue of female circumcision. Petals of Blood is also one to put in your TBR pile.

-- Emily Gatlin

[lesgensdeslivreslisent]

My childhood can be measured easily, in pools of light spilling onto

pages and books blanketing the surfaces of our house in Aba. When

the electricity died, as it often did, I read by candlelight or with a torchlight

balanced against my body. Both my parents had been heavy readers; they

dragged their libraries into their marriage and kept them separate, distinct,

as if they both knew their relationship would end. My father had a

collection of Reader’s Digest condensed novels on the top shelf of the

bookcase in my brother’s room. In one of them, a little boy called his sister

stupid because she was seven years old. I took it personally when I first

read it, bristling with rage, because I was seven, too. That didn’t mean we

were stupid.

When my parents discovered I’d started reading the sex-advice columns

in my mother’s magazines as a child because I had run out of material, they

quickly bought me more books. Stories became my entire world, unchecked

and unrestricted; I was nine when I read V. C. Andrews’s Flowers in the

Attic, which I think is entirely too young for a child as lonely as I was. My

sister and I rummaged through my mother’s trunk, a steel tomb tucked in a

corner of the house, and we found a copy of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca,

with that haunting first line: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley

again.” My father’s library had a copy of Ken Follett’s book The Key to

Rebecca, which I’d read before, and eleven-year-old me was in awe at

finding a book that I’d first read about inside another book; worlds eating

worlds, all made by words.

By the time I started college in the States, I’d read every book in my

childhood home. The white dean of my school kept introducing me as the

sixteen-year-old freshman from West Africa who’d already read Dickens

and Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, as if any of that was surprising or special. I’d

only read those books because they were there; the awe associated with a

certain European literary canon wasn’t relevant. I’d also read Cyprian

Ekwensi, Ayi Kwei Armah, Buchi Emecheta, Chinua Achebe, the secret

copy of The Joy of Sex hidden away in my parents’ room, every

encyclopedia entry in my school library on Greek mythology, labels on

shampoo bottles, the sides of cornflakes boxes and Bournvita tins during

breakfast, countless contraband Harlequin and Mills & Boon romance

novels bartered with secondary-school classmates, narrative interludes in

my brother’s video games, and all the parts of the Bible that referenced sex.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized that there was a canon I was

expected to prioritize, especially if I wanted to consider myself a writer, that

the work of dead white men could be a type of currency.

Akwaeke Emezi, Dear Senthuran, A Black Spirit Memoir

[aslisjournal]

Before I start I’ll say I have a lot of flaws A couple of fears, And some deep rooted issues But there’s this dream that I have One that I fall asleep to every night One that’s so deeply woven in my heart I don’t care if I’m inadequate 

I don’t care if I’m not enough A life with out my art I lived it, I can’t fathom it It’s like I’m walking around with two weights on top of my heart And that’s not exaggerate I have to reach the life of my dreams By any means Even if I have to fight the earth Cause I’m only here this one time And I probably lived more than half of it So even if the earth decides I’m not enough And raises the standard above the clouds Above my reach Then I’ll go the longest route I’ll build day by day I’ll scavenge for pieces Finding new ways And if along the way I spill it all Fall on my face Even If the earth decides to laugh I’ll start again from scratch The reality is I’m not gonna stop So if we got to go back and forth then so be it It’ll be that way with me until the curtains close And when I die And the earth swallows me whole It will say this one...this one put up a fight I will leave on it a scar or two And when it is asked about it It will tell the story of a girl With too much heart Too much grit Too much love I promise you It will tell the stars and echo into the universe The story of our fight

[unfilteredpointofview]

Are you an African wondering if you should move abroad, but you are not seeing any honest information. Go to my blog I have written 9 reasons why Africans should not think there is greener pastures in countries abroad.

Website: unfilteredpointofview.wordpress.com

[panafrocore]

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: A Pioneering Nigerian Writer's Impactful Journey

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie stands as a literary icon whose captivating storytelling has left an indelible mark on the world of literature. Born on September 15, 1977, in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria, Adichie’s childhood was shaped by the enduring impact of postcolonial rule and the profound imprint of the Nigerian Civil War, which claimed the lives of both her grandfathers. This early exposure to…

[luzingu]

Ijeoma Umebinyuo, such a powerful poet.

[adannamdi]

What genre do you mostly write and can you give tips for writing that genre?

I'm currently exploring various genres, with a focus on family-friendly content. As I write, I share writing tips and advice tailored to each story. For example, my post on Igbo incorporation offers insights on weaving cultural heritage into fantasy stories, as seen in Divine Priestess. Next, I'll be sharing tips on crafting mystery series, inspired by The Hidden Diary. If you have a specific genre in mind, feel free to let me know, and I'll do my best to provide guidance!

[afrodytis]

"Woman is a curved line. Curved are the movements of the sun and moon. Curved is the movement of the wooden spoon in the clay pot. Curved is the resting position. Have you noticed that all animals bend over when they sleep? We women , we are a river of superficial and deep curves in every inch of the body. The curves move things in a circle. Man and woman unite in a single curve in the meandering paths. Curved are lips and kisses. Curved is uterus. Egg. Celestial vault. The curves contain all the secrets of the world."

— PAULINA CHIZIANE (b. Manjacaze, Mozambique, on 4 June 1955)

[african-international-magazine]

The Challenges of Trump's Comeback

With the curtains of change strongly sweeping across America, and in the midst of a powerful political awakening, the stage is set for a familiar face to make a grand re-entrance – will the second coming of Trump bring about a new wave of promises and policies?

This is one powerful question that has erected a huge question mark across the faces of every well-meaning American. No doubt, Trump is a force to reckon with. He has proven his mettle before and this is more like placing a golden crown on his political journey.

His sacred mantra "promises made, promises kept" has remained a done deal for him but now more than ever before, there is a rising concern given the challenging times America is set in. Even Trump in his blunt and characteristics manner of making speeches has not laid down any detailed blueprint or the route he would take to accomplish his promises.

Seasoned economists have expressed their worst fears over Trump's promise to sweep tax cuts, take down every tax on all security payments and influence corporation tax. This may seem good for some investors but what would become of the economy. With due consideration on his plans to cut down trade deficit through his proposed new tariffs of at least 10%, and the move to end inflation, will Trump stand the chance to make good his promises.

For some evasive reasons, Trump has been overwhelmed by his vision to ensure that all the agencies promoting gender transition programs part ways with such engagements. His eagle eyes are firmly set against federal LGBTQ+ non-discrimination policies, and Americans will not forget so soon how he banned trans people from the military in his controversial first term. The growing tension in Trump's decision to come up with more stringent attacks on these people is already mounting up and may not go down without a fight.

Regarding the dramatic climate change and the plans to wrestle down possible disaster in that area, Americans are in a time of their lives where they need to intensify efforts in regulating climate change but Trump has labeled every move in this direction "great scams of all time", and has embraced his idea of "drill, baby, drill”. Project 2025 has it that Trump would shut down the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, having pulled US out of the Paris climate accords. Trump's obsession with supporting oil drilling, pushing for the production of fossil fuel even down to Arctic wilderness and turning down Biden's engaging moves towards cleaner cars would definitely attract the wrath of Americans on his administration.

There would be grievances and reservations if Trump makes good his promise to release the so-called masterminds or those convicted of offences during the riot in Washington DC on 6 January 2021. Whether or not they were wrongfully convicted, releasing them effortlessly without considering the impact of the violence and deaths will justify the claims of those who are still accusing Trump of inciting the riot.

Americans are equally watching closely and it would be on record that Trump's second coming to the White House would mean that he has become he first president with criminal conviction. And he has sworn to sack Special Counsel Jack Smith for indicting him with alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

With the growing concern over Trump's decision to deport undocumented migrants, America may come under legal and logistical challenges, which experts believe have the capacity to slow economic growth. Activists and some key leaders of industries are already coming up with strategies to counter these plans.

Top journalists are not neglected as part of the hurdles Trump must jump in his second missionary journey. He registered his presence during his first as a candidate for attack, trampled on the media, gave them brimstones for ice and has pledged hellfire already. CBS News are carefully placed on his chopping board, libel laws are on the front burner as he labeled the press "fake news".

Again, Trump has stated it in black and white that he would not sign into law a national abortion ban. According to him, states should feel free to decide their own laws on abortion. Yet there is no certainty on how he wants to go about this and chances are, this could weaken the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (Emtala).

To the Russian-Ukraine war, all eyes are stationed on Trump. The whole world is sitting on a time bomb which may carelessly explode if Trump does not carefully detonate it. He has declared that the war will come to an end within 24 hours and no strategy dropped in this regard. An age long English truism should say "easier said than done". Funnily enough, President Vladimir Putin is determined to kill a fly with a nuclear and may be a hard nut to crack. What about the Israel-Gaza war? Trump has taken sides already and it is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf.

In his characteristic manner, he has pledged the sun, moon and stars to end these wars and other rumours of wars but how does he want to achieve all this, following his plans to disentangle US from every foreign conflict? Again, how will Trump join forces with Benjamin Netanyahu to bring to an end Iran’s nuclear programme having told American ally to withdraw its operations? Truth is, it is either the world is too daft to comprehend Trump or he is not being fair enough with his strategies.

At this juncture, it will be human to think that Trump is surrounded by a myriad of oddities. It will equally sound intelligent to say that Trump's second missionary journey is generally unclear, confusing and hunted by attendant challenges which Trump has used rhetorics and composition to downplay. With the monster of mountains interfacing this visionary leader, American dream may become a long prayer waiting for its estranged amen; a realm most African countries have dwelt on for donkey years. (Apologies to the legendary African Writer, Chinua Achebe).

[thenacrossing]

These are some dark academia live-action productions on my radar right now.

I have always loved watching films and tv shows that center magic and learning about magic, witchcraft and all that. Since my growing interest in writing the dark academia genre, I have sought out the kinds of work that reflects the world I have created with my own writing, and these are only a few examples of what the world of CONJURING CHAOS will look like.

Have you seen any of these?

-HG

[afrotumble]