Award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie dissects the complexities of race, class and hair in her novel Americanah, writes Michael Nnaji*. Born and bred in the Nigerian university town of Nsukka, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie already has two universally acclaimed novels, Purple Hibiscus and Half of A Yellow Sun, and the collection of short stories The Thing Around Your Neck, as …
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Book Review: When an African odyssey ends tragically in Germany
Beatrice Onyele’s “Chikwe: es bleibt ein Traum” represents a significant contribution to the growing body of work now known as “Migrant Literature”.
Read More »Interview with Germany-based Ghanaian chief, Oteng Kuffour Amani Kwarteng II
The businessman, who is based in Duesseldorf, talks about his title, what it means, the responsibilities it entails for him, among other issues, in an exclusive interview.
Read More »Niniola, Femi Kuti in new music video of ‘Fantasy’
Nigerian singer Niniola has launched the music video for her latest single “Fantasy”, which was originally released in February. The video features Grammy nominee and Afrobeat icon Femi Kuti The track, produced by Kel-P, features rich vocals from Niniola, and classy saxophone riffs and horn arrangements from Femi Kuti. “I used to watch videos of Fela Kuti and Femi Kuti, …
Read More »“Africa has taken back its right” – Remembering Chinua Achebe
Africa’s literary giant Chinua Achebe died aged 82 on 21 March 2013. In celebration of the memory of the world-renowned Nigerian novelist, we republish here his speech in Frankfurt’s St Paul’s Church on 13 October 2002 after he received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. It’s one of his most important and enduring messages to Africans and the …
Read More »Music legend Manu Dibango dies of coronavirus in Paris
Afro-jazz legend Manu Dibango is dead. The family of the Cameroonian singer and saxophonist announced his death at 86 of the new coronavirus on his Facebook page on Tuesday (24 March). “It is with deep sadness that we announce to you the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove,” a statement on his official Facebook page read. Dibango’s agent Thierry …
Read More »Brussels Airlines suspends flights over coronavirus pandemic
Due to travel restrictions as a result of the global outbreak of the new coronavirus COVID-19, Brussels Airlines has suspended its flights. According to a press statement by the airline’s CEO, Dieter Vranckx, the Belgian carrier will suspend its operations from 21 March until 19 April. “All passengers with a ticket booked before or on 31 March (with flights until …
Read More »Amma Darko: African women writing back
Our contributing editor Alexander Macbeth writes on how the Ghanaian novelist focuses on the experience of women from their perspective, exposing how male authors have long neglected the true desires and challenges of the continent’s women. Amma Darko’s tales of wise grandmothers, resilient daughters and strong-willed victims, often caught in difficult circumstances, have made her a favourite on both sides …
Read More »Mali government protests singer Rokia Traoré’s arrest in Paris
Rokia Traoré has been arrested in Paris over a child custody dispute. She was arrested on Tuesday as she arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport, in Paris. The Malian is being held under a European arrest warrant issued by a Belgian court in a case involving the singer and her estranged Belgian partner over the custody of their daughter. The …
Read More »Turkish Airlines clarifies cancellation of Nigeria flights
Turkish Airlines has issued a press statement on the suspension of its flights to and from Nigeria. The airline had on Tuesday said it had cancelled “several” of its flights to to its destinations in the country ( Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt) due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Turkish has now clarified the situation to his passengers in a letter …
Read More »Afro-German literature as tool for building the Black community
African Diasporas is a scholarly examination of the Afro-German literature through a comparison with African-American literature and the role it has played in the creation of a Black community in Germany. Literature has been the chief tool of people of African descent in Germany in their efforts to reclaim their African heritage and carve an identity for themselves. Through a …
Read More »Berlin-based DJ Aisher challenges men in their domain
Deejaying used to be a male-dominated affair. Not any more as women are gradually joining the fray. Philly Ojalla aka DJ Aisher, as she is popularly known by her fans, is giving male DJs a run for their money. She stole the show at the Battle of the DJs contest in 2016 in Frankfurt, pulling the biggest crowd to the …
Read More »Illegal in Berlin: How the dream of a better life goes awry
A book about the migration experience of a young African shows how the search for the Golden Fleece could end in disaster Illegal in Berlin is the story of Tony, a 26-year-old university educated man, who leaves his native Nigeria, abandoning a job as an engineer with an oil company, to seek the realisation of his dream of a better …
Read More »Frankfurt university makes African literature more visible on the net
The Senckenberg Library of the University of Frankfurt runs a web-based library for Africa. The Internet library on sub-Saharan Africa ilissAfrica (www.ilissafrica.de) offers useful material on African history and culture, with special emphasis on the German colonial history in Africa. In an exclusive interview with our correspondent Muhammed Faisal Garba, the librarian of ilissAfrica, Nadia Cohen, talks about the objectives …
Read More »Motown releases record celebrating legacy of Martin Luther King and 1963 March on Washington
Historic 1963 album recorded on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on 23 August 1963, during The Great March on Washington, sees its first-ever digital release Los Angeles – March 6, 2020 – The Great March On Washington – one of the most significant recordings made during the civil rights movement of the 1960s – is now …
Read More »Coronavirus could push some airlines out of business – BA warns
The holding company of British Airways (BA) warned on Friday that the growing impact of the new coronavirus outbreak on international air travel could force some troubled airlines out of business. The global impact of the virus is likely to be severe enough to push some airlines over the edge, Willie Walsh, the chief executive of International Consolidated Airline Group …
Read More »Netflix is now in Nigeria. What does it mean for Nollywood?
Netflix has announced its official presence in Nigeria. The streaming giant announced the arrival of Netflix Naija with a new Twitter account on Tuesday, 26 February. An analysis of the likely impact of the development on the Nigerian film industry by News Agency of Nigeria. Netflix has been wooing Nollywood stylishly for a while now; from streaming Nollywood movies from …
Read More »ITB Berlin: World’s biggest tourism fair cancelled over coronavirus
After days of uncertainties over the rapidly spreading coronavirus, the organisers of the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin has cancelled the event, which was to hold from 4-8 March. “With more than 10,000 exhibitors from over 180 countries ITB Berlin is extremely important for the world’s tourism industry. We take our responsibility for the health and safety of our visitors, …
Read More »World’s leading travel trade fair holds in Berlin
The International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin will hold from Wednesday to Sunday, 4 to 8 March, on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds ICC. ITB is the world’s leading travel trade show. Last year, the event attracted a total of 10,000 exhibitors from 181 countries and 160,000 visitors. Countries, cities and regions, tour operators, airlines, online booking portals and hotels, and many …
Read More »Okoroshi in Germany: Nigerian film dazzles Berlin audience
Berlin Critics’ Week, an independent event about film criticism which yearly takes place during the Berlinale festival in Berlin, showed two films on Sunday (23 February). One of the films is The Lost Okoroshi, the second feature of Nigerian director Abba T. Makama, while the other is the Brazilian entry Seven Years in May by Affonso Uchôa. Set in the …
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