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Trailblazing Ivorian journo inspires next gen

Trailblazing Ivorian journo inspires next gen

FOR more than twenty years, M’ma Camara has covered current affairs in Côte d’Ivoire and the region for notable news organisations. A veteran on the security and defence beat, Camara has reported from conflict zones and experienced some of the profession’s harshest realities. Yet, she has found it hard to meet other Ivorian women to trade career stories with. “What’s unfortunate is that in Africa, we women represent less than 1% of video journalists. Some think it’s a job meant for men. But we absolutely belong here,” she told bird. Earlier this year, the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) said…
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New spinoff from Nigerian anime pioneer raises the bar

New spinoff from Nigerian anime pioneer raises the bar

BLESSING Amidu, a film producer and chief executive of Hot Ticket Productions, who has established a bold new voice in African animation, is back. Her latest project, Secrets of the Multiverse, a full-fledged 13-part series, hopes to build on the reception and success of Lady Buckit. “With Lady Buckit, we built a door into the world of Nigerian animation for a global audience… now with the Secrets of the Multiverse, we are inviting them through that door to explore endless corridors of imagination, danger, and moral choices. We are challenging the very fabric of what our heroes can be.” Adebisi…
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An exiled Sudanese singer’s soulful protest

An exiled Sudanese singer’s soulful protest

ON a starry night in Nairobi earlier this month, Sudanese singer Mohamed Adam Abbo, known by his artist name Wad Abbo, stood beneath the lights of Alliance Francaise’s concert stage to launch his first album. His voice, rich and stirring, carried verses in Sudanese Arabic and Darfuri dialects. The audience of Sudanese, Kenyans, other Africans, and Europeans responded in kind with swaying, clapping, and sometimes singing along. He sang for peace in Sudan, repeating lines that felt like prayers. “When hardship passes, peace comes to us. No matter how stubborn the quarrels, we live as dear ones.” In another song,…
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NoViolet Bulawayo wins the best of 25 years of the Caine Prize. Why she deserves it

NoViolet Bulawayo wins the best of 25 years of the Caine Prize. Why she deserves it

ZIMBABWEAN writer NoViolet Bulawayo has been honoured as Africa’s best short story writer after winning the Best of Caine Award. The special recognition marks 25 years of the annual Caine Prize for African Writing. An esteemed panel of judges unanimously selected Bulawayo as the standout winner of the 25 stories awarded the prize so far. Her short story, Hitting Budapest, won the prize in 2011. She has gone on to publish two acclaimed novels, We Need New Names and Glory. Both were shortlisted for the Booker Prize. For me, as a scholar of African literary cultures, Bulawayo’s recognition by the…
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“Art remains our oxygen”: DR Congo’s slam poets refuse to be silenced

“Art remains our oxygen”: DR Congo’s slam poets refuse to be silenced

ON the last Friday of every month, they would gather in public spaces to share their latest verses. At festivals and in stadiums, they would perform to packed audiences who would listen to every line. In classrooms, they stood before rows of students, guiding them through their craft. For the past decade, slam poetry – a form of performance poetry with bite – has thrived in the main cities of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, becoming one of the war-torn region’s most vital forms of cultural expression and political dissent. But the scene is now confronting unprecedented challenges. Since…
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Where creativity conquers chaos: One man’s mission to transform lives through art

Where creativity conquers chaos: One man’s mission to transform lives through art

AFRIKABURN is rightly famous for gathering people to enter an otherworldly experience - without money or cell phones - where they build art, burn it, and celebrate music and life in the Tankwa Karoo. This year, 2025, my daughter Julia, an artist based in London, built a huge sculpture of an ancient beast that once ruled the food chain in those waters 285 million years ago. At AfrikaBurn, Julia also met Nelson Nganisa, who sparked her interest in his art club in Diepsloot. On Saturday, I was cajoled into visiting it. It was an extraordinary experience that made me want…
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Zimbabwean artist Portia Zvavahera turns her prayers into paintings

Zimbabwean artist Portia Zvavahera turns her prayers into paintings

AT the Boston waterfront sits the Institute of Contemporary Art, an architectural marvel that gleams against the harbour in a wealthy neighbourhood. My Uber driver, an African immigrant, remarks as I get out: “Be careful, this is an expensive area.” His comment hints at the subtle tensions of race and class in such affluent spaces, where one’s presence as an outsider is immediately registered. I assure him I’ve just come to see the art. I’d come to see Zimbabwean artist Portia Zvavahera’s first solo museum show in the US, Hidden Battles/Hondo Dzakavanzika. This exhibition is a landmark moment of recognition…
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Without Ego Nwodim, ‘SNL’ has no Black women cast members — again

Without Ego Nwodim, ‘SNL’ has no Black women cast members — again

EGO Nwodim has decided to leave “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) alongside multiple other cast members and writers who are departing the flagship late-night show ahead of Season 51.  As “SNL” goes through a major cast shake-up, Nwodim’s departure stands out because of the vacuum that it leaves: Without her, the show is set to have no Black women cast members. It’s the first time that’s been the case since before 2014, when Leslie Jones and Sasheer Zamata joined the cast. This story was originally reported by Orion Rummler of The 19th. Meet Orion and read more of his reporting on gender, politics and…
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Nigerian photographer Michael Oyinbokure challenges stereotypes about migrants

Nigerian photographer Michael Oyinbokure challenges stereotypes about migrants

AS migration continues to dominate global news and shape political discourse, mainstream media often carry stereotypical images of immigrants, portraying them as displaced, desperate, and criminal. The photographic practice of UK-based Nigerian artist Michael Oyinbokure (also known as Mike Kure) shows how African artists construct counter-narratives. He uses photography to express insider perspectives on life in the diaspora (abroad). His art photography presents what immigrants bring with them: their resilience, inventiveness, and enduring connection to their homelands. I am a scholar and teacher who uses Oyinbokure’s work as a case study in my undergraduate African Photography course. My research uses…
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African stars shine bright: A spectacular night at the 2025 MTV VMAs

African stars shine bright: A spectacular night at the 2025 MTV VMAs

THE lights dimmed at New York's UBS Arena on September 7, 2025, but nothing could outshine the radiant glow of African excellence that illuminated the MTV Video Music Awards stage. It was a night where the rhythms of Africa pulsed through the heart of global entertainment, with the continent's brightest stars painting the red carpet in vibrant hues of triumph and artistry. Tyla's Golden Moment At the centre of this spectacular celebration stood South Africa's phenomenal Tyla Seetha, a vision of elegance and cultural pride. The Grammy-winning Amapiano sensation didn't just attend the VMAs—she owned them. With her infectious smile…
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