What sort of literature is this, anyway?

Today we introduce some approaches to Nigerian literature, offer a bevy of African writers, and explore how one of Nigeria’s most powerful authors can write her own modest letter to humanity. Also, we learn about hostile architecture from one of our listeners.

African writers from this episode and some of the most rewarding reads:

• Achebe, Chinua (Nigeria): Things Fall Apart, The Anthills of Savannah, Arrow of God, Hopes and Impediments
• Adeyemi, Tomi (Nigeria): Children of Blood and Bone
• Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi (Nigeria): Dream Count, The Thing Around Your Neck, Americanah, Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, Dear Ijeawele
• Armah, Ayi Kwei (Ghana): The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
• Cole, Teju (Nigeria): Open City, Tremor
• Dangarembga, Tsitsi (Zimbabwe): Nervous Conditions, The Book of Not
• Emezi, Akwaeke (Nigeria): Pet, The Death of Vivek Oji
• Farah, Nuruddin (Somalia): Sweet and Sour Milk, Secrets
• Forna, Aminatta (Sierra Leone): The Memory of Love
• Gordimer, Nadine (South Africa): The Conservationist, July’s People
• Gurnah, Abdulrazak (Tanzania): Paradise, Desertion
• Gyasi, Yaa (Ghana): Transcendent Kingdom, Homegoing
• La Guma, Alex (South Africa): Time of the Butcherbird
• Mbue, Imbolo (Cameroon): How Beautiful We Were
• Nwapa, Flora (Nigeria): Efuru, This is Lagos and Other Stories
• Okorafor, Nnedi (Nigeria): Noor, Death of the Author
• Okri, Ben (Nigeria): The Famished Road, Starbook
• Salih, Tayeb (Sudan): Season of Migration to the North
• Soyinka, Wole (Nigeria): A Shuttle in the Crypt, The Trials of Brother Jero

Complete Resources: https://waywordsstudio.com/project/le-guin-omelas/

CHAPTERS

00:00    Where is African Literature?
07:09    Intro Theme
07:45    Why Listen to White Boy Talk?
10:50    Nigerian Frictions, Flux, and Future 1
18:06    Adichie: Intimacy and “Author”-ity
26:56    The Banality of Sexism
31:06    Writing Back: Our Turn
37:05    Closing Credits

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New to Literary Nomads? Check out my introductory episodes (0.1-0.3) to find out what’s going on here! I’ve got an episode for readers, for teachers, and for students: https://waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/waywords-podcast/

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Transcript:  https://waywordsstudio.com/general/transcript/6-23-nigeria-1-adichie

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Literary Nomads is the primary program of Waywords Studio (https://waywordsstudio.com). The podcast posts new material each week, with thought-provoking examinations of literature around selected questions or themes and several smaller supplemental episodes in between the larger programs: history, writing, and contemporary applications of ideas.

Visit us for expanded resources for guests and the Waywords community, for other programs and writing, and for opportunities to support our goal to expand reading. Resources available can include full bibliographies of material referenced, full and partial texts, annotated editions, supplemental and expanded episodes, fictional explorations, teaching and learning resources, additional essays, and online courses.

Website:  https://waywordsstudio.com

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CREDITS:

Original music by Randon Myles (https://randonmyles.com/)

Chapter headings by Natalie Harrison and Sarah Skaleski

USING THIS WORK:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. It is open to be used and adapted for all not-for-profit uses with proper attribution.

MLA CITATION:

Chisnell, Steve. “6.23 Words from Nigeria Pt 1: Adichie and the Literary Manifesto,” Literary Nomads. Waywords Studio, 16 January 2026, https://waywordsstudio.com/project/le-guin-omelas/.