Below, we have curated ten creators that you should look out for in 2025:

The Cast of This Week Tonight

The first entry on our list is not one person but a group of comics who have consistently created sketch shows that table the myriad of issues that keep us all at night in the vane of Saturday Night Live. Everything from government policies to campaign billboards has been on the sharp end of the commentary from the cast of This Week Tonight.

Temi Adetayo, Fejiro Omu, Eme-Uche Chidera, Okiki Aribigbola and Kolamide have been able to break through the trend of making caricatures of already marginalised people as comedy by elevating relevant topics with humour.

Ama the Amazing

Perhaps one of the hardest categories to break through is the food category, in large part because many of us are not as willing to proclaim that our mother’s food might not be the best out there. But Ama was able to do that. His videos, cooking for his friends, have been exciting to watch. Though he still has under 100k followers on Instagram, brands already see his potential and have partnered with him for dozens of his videos.

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Aida

Aida cultivated a following in 2024 for her unique spin on an otherwise familiar brand of TikTok content. Gist has always been a huge part of the internet and how news is consumed online, but she has been able to elevate the format by presenting herself as your best friend. Think Gistlover for the Republic Journal crowd.

Fido

His December hit song, “Joy Is Coming” is already the song of the new year. After a year filled with economic upheaval and a very wonky power grid, the musician Fido preaches hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. Already, critics are highlighting the similarities between his sound and Kizz Daniel, who also rose to fame by consistently dropping hits.

Bloody Civilian

The musician Emoseh Khamofu, known as Bloody Civilian, has been trying to break through as an Afrobeats artist for years. But after she called out the controversial minister, Helen Ukpabio, who has been criticised for causing large-scale harassment and violence against children accused of witchcraft late last year, she found new fame that led to a renewed interest in her music.

Iremide Adeoye

As a young Israel Ransome-Kuti in the Bolanle Austen-Peters original Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Iremide Adeoye ushered himself into a new level with his acting. He currently stars in three Showmax originals, including the latest season of the hit show Wura, where he first got the public’s attention. He started out in the creative space as a drummer, but after an actor didn’t show up on set, he was offered the role and has been taking his acting seriously ever since.

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Ifeoma Nkiruka Chukwuogo

The trifecta creative—actor, singer, and dancer—Ifeoma Chukwuogo has been working her way up in entertainment for some years now. But at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) last year, the feature film she directed, Phoenix Fury, was met with critical acclaim. Chukwuogo won Best Director for this film. While it has not yet had its cinema run or debuted on a streaming platform, it’s expected to be successful.

Dahmola

Stylist to the stars, Dahmola had one of his best years yet in 2024, culminating with Christmas in Lagos, for which he was the costume designer. Toke Makinwa, Simi, and Bonang Matheba are among his clientele. In an interview with Zikoko last year, he said he was ready to expand his offerings to include bridal styling. Some brides and their grooms have already enlisted his services for their big day ‘fits.

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Angel Micheal

Think of Angel Micheal’s brand of content as “A day-in-the-life” on steroids. He took an old internet format and reimagined it by attempting to show the lives of others. He has done A-day-in-the-life videos of the pre-internet world, bricklayers, mechanics and more.

Chidimma Adetshina

After facing a series of xenophobic attacks in South Africa that ultimately pushed her out of the Miss South Africa contest, she emerged winner of the Miss Universe Nigeria contest, which saw her represent the country at the global Miss Universe contest. Though she didn’t win, she was the first runner-up, which was a huge victory considering the year she had.

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ALSO READ: 8 Nigerian Albums To Look Out For in 2025

Whether setting the scene in party anthems or adding flair to smooth love songs, Hennessy has become synonymous with celebration and success. Here are 13 times Hennessy made an appearance in Afrobeats hits from the 2000s to the 2020s, cementing its place as the go-to drink for good times.

“Yahooze” – Olu Maintain (2007)

“Yahooze” was a cultural moment, marking the rise of a new wave of wealth and success in Nigeria’s party scene. Sipping on Hennessy became symbolic of making it big. For many, Olu Maintain didn’t just release a song. It was a crash course on a kind of street luxury that has held the culture firmly for decades. Hennessy’s presence in the lyrics further sealed it.

“Bumper To Bumper” – Wande Coal (2009)

In 2009 Wande Coal’s hit, “Bumper To Bumper” was certainly the song of the year. It also is a song that continued the reign of Hennessy as a status symbol among those who like to live life. “Oya come see wetin I dey see/ People popping champagne and the Hennessy/ Everybody in de club dem be feeling me,” he sings in the second line.

“Ever Since” – Reminisce Ft 9ice (2012)

We were ushered into a new decade also with Hennessy in the lyrics of the rap song “Ever Since” by Reminisce. “Too much money like Mic Jagger/ Hennessy in my liver dey make me dey stagger/ They call me the baba,” Reminisce sings announcing his status as one of the greatest Nigerian rappers. The line shows that when the Henny hits much can be achieved.

“Dance Go (Eau De Vie)” – 2Face Idibia & Wizkid (2014)

In this iconic collaboration, 2Face and Wizkid give a nod to Hennessy, the drink that keeps the party going. “Hennessy yapa, I no dey see person” is a perfect way to describe how Henny helps you forget your worries and dance the night away. You’re either dancing, or you’re not in the room—no in-between.

“Tiwa’s Vibe” – Tiwa Savage (2018)

In this song, Tiwa Savage explores her vibe, which is to have fun and shayo. “Hennessy for my cup/ henne dey for body oh/ Shayo gallore/ see oju ti leri oh yeh yeh,” she sings. For her, the party only starts when the Henny enters her cup.

“Bad Influence” – Omah Lay (2020)

Omah Lay’s “Bad Influence” might’ve had us deep in our feelings, but he still made sure to let us know Hennessy was part of the mix. “I’m drinking Hennessy now, I hope you see now” speaks to those moments when a sip of Henny is all you need to reflect and vibe out.

“Ginger Me” – Rema (2020)

Rema takes romance to a whole new level in “Ginger Me,” comparing his lover to the feeling Hennessy gives. “Only you wey dey high me like Hennessy” captures the smooth, warm feeling you get when both love and Henny hit just right. This one’s for lovers who enjoy their romance with a touch of luxury.

“High” – Adekunle Gold ft. Davido (2021)

Adekunle Gold and Davido weren’t playing around in “High.” Mentioning Hennessy 250, they took flexing to a new level. The song is all about being on a high, and what better way to symbolise that than with a premium bottle of Henny? It’s the ultimate luxury for those living large.

“It’s Plenty” – Burna Boy (2022)

Burna Boy brings the energy in “It’s Plenty,” and of course, Hennessy is part of the party. When Burna sings, “Hennessy for the head top,” you know it’s a time for celebration. The song is all about enjoying life to the fullest, and Hennessy is the drink that fuels the fun.

“Won Da Mo” – Mavins ft. Rema, Boy Spyce (2022)

The Mavins team came through with “Won Da Mo,” giving Hennessy a special mention in the line, “Mix my Monster with Hennessy.” Whether it’s to keep the party lit or to push through a grind, Henny’s got a role to play, mixing smooth vibes with energy to keep things rolling.

“Arizona” – Lojay ft. Olamide (2023)

Lojay and Olamide delivered a hit with “Arizona,” where they shout out Hennessy with the line “Hennessy gbe mi trabaye.” Henny has the power to elevate your vibes to a whole new level. This track is all about living outside and feeling good, with Hennessy providing that extra boost.

“Bad Vibe” – Ayra Starr ft. Seyi Vibez (2024)

Ayra Starr and Seyi Vibez bring a 2024 hit with “Bad Vibe,” where Hennessy gets a special shoutout. The carefree, unbothered energy of the track fits perfectly with Henny, as they sing about mixing it up with no stress. “Mix it with that Hennessy” is the anthem for living life on your own terms, with Henny by your side.

“Ilashe” – BNXN & Ruger (2024)

BNXN and Ruger show us how to live it up in “Ilashe.” With lyrics like “Hennessy on the way,” it’s clear that Henny is the drink that keeps the good vibes going. If you’re in the mood to splurge and enjoy life, this track—and the Henny in it—is for you.

The movies listed below were chosen for their remarkable efforts to elevate the standard of excellence in an industry where that has often been the greatest challenge.

Here are the 10 Best Nollywood Movies of 2024:

Everybody Loves Jenifa

The latest instalment in Funke Akindele’s beloved Jenifa franchise is the talk of the town! Everybody Loves Jenifa takes fans on a heartwarming journey as Jenifa embraces a new role as a humanitarian. In a surprising twist, Jenifa and Toyo Baby (Juliana Olayode) reconcile, bringing back the fan-favourite duo. Shippers are also treated to updates on Jenifa and Sege’s (Falz) love story.

The star-studded cast includes Nancy Isime, Stan Nze, Bisola Aiyeola, Patience Ozokwor, Chimezie Imo, Jackie Appiah, and Layi Wasabi.

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

Bolanle Austen-Peters’ biopic, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, based on the life of the iconic activist, is as relevant today as it would have been in the early 20th century, when it is set. Themes of unjust taxation, government oppression, and a populace conditioned to endure subjugation remain strikingly familiar.

Beyond these timeless tropes, the film offers a fresh and compelling exploration of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s life, portraying her not just as an educator and activist but also as a wife, mother, and fearless pioneer of “good trouble”—a perspective far richer than any Social Studies class could provide.

The cast includes Kehinde Bankole as Funmilayo, Joke Silva as Older Funmilayo, Adunni Ade as Mrs. Thompson, Jide Kosoko as Otun, Oga Bello as Alake, Dele Odule as Osi, Omowumi Dada as Grace Eniola, and Iremide Adeoye as Young Israel.

House of Ga’a

House of Ga’a, directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters, chronicles the rise and ruthless reign of Bashorun Ga’a during the height of the Oyo Empire. The story follows Ga’a as he orchestrates the downfall of several Alaafins, amassing so much power and influence that he becomes more formidable than the Alaafin he served. Despite securing numerous victories for the empire, his ambition and tyranny lead to a gripping tale of power, betrayal, and legacy.

The cast includes Femi Branch as Bashorun Ga’a, Mike Afolarin, Tosin Adeyemi, Funke Akindele, Ibrahim Chatta, Toyin Abraham, Lateef Adedimeji, and Tope Adenibuyan.

Lisabi: The Uprising

Set in the 18th-century Oyo Empire, Lisabi: The Uprising tells the gripping story of an Egba farmer who sparks a rebellion against the oppressive regime. Rallying his fellow farmers and harnessing mysterious abilities, he leads a daring revolt that results in the defeat of over 6,000 Oyo soldiers. This pivotal act secures Egba’s independence after centuries of subjugation, etching his name into Yoruba history.

Executive produced by Lateef Adedimeji and directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, the film features Femi Adebayo, Odunlade Adekola, Ibrahim Itele Yekini, Ibrahim Chattah, Mo Bimpe, Eniola Ajao, Liquorose Afije, and Lateef Adedimeji.

The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos

Directed by The Agbajowo Collective, The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos is a powerful drama that brings attention to the plight of the Otodo-Gbame settlement, a slum community in Lagos that was forcibly demolished in 2017, displacing over 30,000 people. The film follows a young single mother who stumbles upon a bag of cash, viewing it as her chance for a better life.

However, her escape from poverty is threatened when corrupt politicians manipulate members of the community to settle old scores. The film explores themes of survival, corruption, and social injustice in contemporary Lagos. The cast includes Teniola Aladese, Temiloluwa Ami-Williams, Gerard Avlessi, and Kachi Okechukwu.

Farmer’s Bride

Farmer’s Bride tells the story of Funmi, a young woman forced by her parents to marry a wealthy older farmer. As is often the case in Nollywood dramas, sparks fly when she crosses paths with Femi, the farmer’s young university-dropout nephew, leading to a forbidden romance that unravels their lives and sets the stage for a gripping tale.

As the story unfolds, Funmi falls deeply in love with Femi, but tragedy strikes. In her village, strict customs dictate that if a child’s paternity is questioned, the baby’s life is forfeit, and the mother faces severe consequences. This shocking turn of events pits Funmi against her community with devastating stakes.

The cast are Wumi Toriola, Tobi Bakre, Mercy Aigbe, Efe Irele, Ayako Kirishima, Femi Branch, Gaichi Kôno, and Gbubemi Ejeye.

Christmas in Lagos

Jade Osiberu’s latest Prime Video original, Christmas in Lagos, is a dazzling exploration of love, friendship, and self-discovery set against a backdrop of Lagosian opulence and flair.

The story centres on Fiyin (Teniola Aladese), a young woman navigating unrequited love for her best friend, Elo (Shalom C. Obiago). Elo’s return from the U.S. to propose to his girlfriend, Yagazie (Angel Anosike), sets off a chain of emotional events. In her pursuit of Elo’s affection, Fiyin tests their friendship and the foundation of Elo and Yagazie’s relationship, leading to revelations that change everything.

Adding to the intrigue is a parallel romantic subplot featuring Gbemi (Shaffy Bello), whose heart is sought by two suitors: the charming Toye (Wale Ojo) and the powerful Chief Dozie (Richard Mofe-Damijo).

Tòkunbò

Directed by Ramsey Nouah, Tòkunbò is a gripping action-drama starring Gideon Okeke as Tokunbo, a former car smuggler forced back into the dangerous criminal world when his son falls ill. Tokunbo must deliver a kidnapped child to the Seme border or face deadly consequences for his family.

As he navigates betrayal, Tokunbo faces a dangerous conspiracy involving Deputy Governor Raymond and the daughter of a high-ranking government official. The film also features an all-star cast, including Majid Michel, Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, Adunni Ade, Ibrahim Itele Yekini, Tosin Adeyemi, and Richard Mofe-Damijo.

Momiwa

Directed by Biodun Stephen, Momiwa tells the poignant and drama-filled story of a single father, Naeto (Uzor Arukwe), who is forced to raise his children alone after his wife leaves him during a financial crisis. However, Momiwa (Blessing Jessica Obasi-Nze) enters their lives as a supportive figure, helping Naeto rebuild his life and creating a unique family dynamic.

Their newfound happiness is disrupted when Naeto’s ex-wife, Kiki (Iyabo Ojo), returns, and the family is torn between the past and present. Naeto struggles with anger towards Kiki, but Momiwa persuades him to give her a second chance.

The Weekend

The Weekend is a gripping Nigerian thriller about the complexities of in-law dynamics, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats with unpredictable twists. Directed by Daniel Oriahi, the film follows Nikiya (Uzoamaka Aniunoh), an orphan yearning for a family who finds solace in her fiancé, Luke (Bucci Franklin).

Despite his reluctance, Luke eventually agrees to introduce Nikiya to his family. However, what starts as a simple visit quickly unravels as Nikiya discovers the deep-seated family secrets that Luke has been hiding, leading to tension and conflict. The cast includes Ekpenyong Bassey Inyang, Meg Otanwa, Gloria Anozie-Young, Damilola Ogunsi, James Gardiner, and Bryan Okoye.

ALSO READ: 10 Best Afrobeats Songs of 2024

Osiberu takes a break from critiquing the systemic inequalities that define modern Lagos (as seen in Gangs of Lagos) to reimagine the city as a fantastical haven. Lagos is portrayed with stunning visuals—sprawling mansions, lush gardens, and traffic-defying luxury cars. Costume design by Dahmola heightens the fantasy, with characters dressed to impress, from Ajani’s (Ladipoe) rugged charm to Ladi’s (Tris Udeh) stylish, self-made wardrobe. Yet, this romanticized Lagos leaves little room for the gritty realities of the city. Those seeking a raw depiction of the world’s poverty capital may find this film’s escapism unsettling.

Where Christmas in Lagos excels is in its nuanced take on the morality of “snatching” and the growing discourse around sugar-baby feminism. The film questions the transactional nature of modern relationships, challenging the notion that material gifts and financial stability are sufficient to win someone’s heart. For example, Gbemi, courted by both the wealthy Chief Dozie and the less affluent Toye, ultimately seeks something more genuine than the chief’s offerings. She will take her burnt dodo and piece of mind any day over expensive designer bags and sleepless nights.

Osiberu’s characters, particularly the women, refuse to conform to societal expectations. They value authenticity over materialism, a striking deviation from the tropes of sugar-baby feminism. “Signing up to be a sugar baby is not accepting a man’s sexualization. It is, fundamentally, a clever means for women to refute the same system that perpetuates catcalling, unwarranted, explicit private messages, and harassment by demanding payment,” a screed on the subject in the Harvard Crimson argues.

Gbemi’s choice to reject Dozie’s wealth is not framed as a rejection of privilege but as an assertion of agency. Similarly, Ajani’s insistence on staying true to himself, even picking up his love interest on an okada, underscores the film’s theme of self-acceptance.

“I think Ivie is used to a certain way of living, and something unfamiliar will intrigue her. Lagos can sometimes be high-end and very pretentious. But he said it as it is, and she appreciates that” Rayxia Ojo, who plays Ivie, the IJGB who rides with Ajani on their first date on an okada, told Zikoko.

It is the kind of experience that would have given fodder to the gender row for days on TikTok, with the man chided for not being rich enough but wanting to still go on a date, as if having money and finding a lover are mutually exclusive (or are they not?)

Playing Ajani, Ladipoe was very conscious of this. “I am a delivery guy. I am a guitarist, and I’m going to pick up my girl. I have my okada. Why won’t I take it?” he told Zikoko. “He knew who he was. People in Lagos probably should do more of that. That is why they are renting cars that they can’t afford. Try and be who you are.”

The film’s central love triangle is more complicated. “Sometimes with a number of people, you like someone, and there’s unrequited love, and that is Fiyin’s situation,” Teniola, who plays Fiyin, told Zikoko. “I understood where she was coming from. She thought she was in love with her best friend. She thought they were meant to be together because of their history. But that doesn’t always work.”

Angel Anosike, who portrays Yagazie, is more critical, calling Fiyin “delusional” but empathizing with her vulnerability. “I have a lot of empathy for her watching it. She was just confused. Emotions are very tricky. I won’t villainise her.”

In one pivotal moment, Fiyin kisses Elo, disrupting his engagement plans. While this act strains relationships, it also reveals Elo’s own flaws. Shalom C. Obiago reflects on Elo’s struggle to balance his relationships: “One of Elo’s flaws is his need to people-please. It’s what gets him into trouble and escalates the situation.”

Waje, who plays Caroline, Yagazie’s aunty, shifts the responsibility away from Fiyin’s overstepping to Elo’s own accountability in managing his relationships. “As long as she is your best friend, there is this other woman that you also have to assure that she is your everything. When you go out with Fiyin you invite Yagazie. You let her know you’re coming with a girlfriend that you intend to marry,” she said.

Despite its glossy visuals and escapist narrative, Christmas in Lagos engages deeply with themes of love, agency, and emotional authenticity. Jade Osiberu masterfully balances the fantasy with hard-hitting questions about human connections in a society obsessed with wealth and appearances. While not without its flaws, the film offers a refreshing take on romantic drama and Lagosian life, leaving audiences to ponder: Is love about what you give—or who you are?

ALSO READ: The 12 Best Nollywood Films on Netflix and Other Streamers (December 2024)

There were no bodyguards pulling people out of the way, and there weren’t long media lines—in fact, there almost weren’t any media lines at all. There were rising hotshot directors, writers, cinematographers, and directors of photography.

Interns waiting for their big break joined queues with established filmmakers for Quacktails. Inside Alliance Française, audiences watched the opening film, an A24 feature, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, directed by Rungano Nyoni. Later they watched more movies in that vane, some of which were too preoccupied with being films that truly understanding them was nearly impossible. After all, this is the house that the Surreal16 Collective—Michael Omonua, CJ Obasi, and Abba Makama—built.

“It’s a festival where we know that the filmmaker and the film are the most important aspect of the festival, period,” Omonua, one of the founders, told Zikoko. “It’s incredibly hard work.”

For at least the last decade, Nollywood has relied heavily on celebrities and other big brand personalities to grow. It wasn’t always like this. People once watched Nollywood films for the reasons that motion pictures became the most influential storytelling tool—great acting, suspense, action, the stupidity of the characters, tact. 

But somewhere in Nollywood’s development, an aggressive push for profitability led to a meteoric rise in the quantity of films it produced. The quality fell flat, and young Nigerian audiences enamoured by huge-budget Hollywood productions fled.

The Nigerian film industry has been trying to attain profitability again in the last few years. The strategy has been to make films with big celebrities, hoping that fans of these stars will pay to watch them at the cinemas or on streamers. The downside of this is that films without big celebrities almost never make it to the cinemas, or even to production.

It has also turned the industry into something of an endless jamboree. Films are stuffed with famous influencers. To accommodate these influencers, directors are compelled to smash unaccounted-for scenes into their films. The premieres look like carnivals, and the films forget that they are, first, works of art.

“10 years ago, if you had told me that there would be talented artistic-minded filmmakers coming out of Nigeria, that would probably have been hard to believe,” Omonua said. But now he said, “No one can ever tell me Nigeria doesn’t have amazing filmmakers with unique voices, an artistic mindset, and the ability to make films that can compete with anyone in any country.”

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It was suspicion that led him to this conclusion. Scanning the state of the industry, he knew that there were “crazy, mad talented young filmmakers in Nigeria” who just wanted to make really great films that carried important messages. “They just needed a place to come where they could see them.”

He hopes that S16 is that place. “We want to be a place where the best works come to screen for audiences in Nigeria,” he said.

This year, the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), the biggest film festival on the continent, hosted Star Wars actor John Boyega and the rapper Skepta. There were also off-site parties, five screens showing films simultaneously, red-carpet events, and an army of PR experts. Some guests were lodged at the Art Hotel.

Filmmakers who have had their work screened at other international festivals in the West said it was a good place to network, but complained that the films were not the centre of attraction. Some didn’t bother submitting their work this year.

“Our vision is a film festival that is filmmaker-focused first, and I hope we are on the journey to better that every single year,” Omonua said of working with his co-founders. “We all share that vision. There are no egos. Everyone pulls their own weight.”

But doing this has not been easy. “It’s not easy to run a festival and keep surviving every year,” he said.

Getting funding for a festival that almost makes no money and very little noise in an industry accustomed to noise is tough. “Often, we’re not even funded until the last week, but we prepare everything and are just working towards the vision. That has actually been the case in almost every single edition. It all comes together somewhere at the end,” he said.

“As long as we stay consistent with our goals, I think the festival will inevitably grow over time.”

ALSO READ: What Problems Does a Film Festival Like AFRIFF Solve?

See below 12 things Chloe Bailey should try during this trip to Nigeria:

Take Danfo bus

The first thing she must do is take a Danfo bus to one of her events. This way, no one will ever doubt that she was indeed in Lagos. You know how people forget the things that they did on a trip? If she takes a Danfo to her event, she will never be part of that set of people.

Attend an Owanbe

We definitely suggest Chloe Bailey attend an Owanbe. Let her party in Aso-ebi, dance to King Sunny-Ade, and see food pass her face.

Try amala and ewedu

Since she is in Lagos, she should also try Amala and Ewedu. We recommend Amala Skye.

Try roadside rice and beans

The roadside rice and beans will definitely slap as a welcome-to-Lagos meal for Chloe Bailey.

Try suya

Street suya is a must for Chloe Bailey and her entourage from abroad, who want to show that they really came to Nigeria for Detty December.

Feature Portable in a song

To give her that oomph, a feature with Portable, Skepta style, will also bang this Detty December.

Do Mother Christmas

We also suggest that Chloe do some Mother Christmas. Let her feed the people with rice and groundnut oil, the gold of this T-Pain years.

Hold a masterclass on wearing shoes on stage

By popular demand, we need Chloe Bailey to hold a masterclass with some Nigerian musicians on how to wear shoes while performing on stage. Say no to bare feet.

Beg T-Pain to take it easy on us

It would be nice if she could help us beg T-Pain to have mercy on us and take it easy with the suffering.

Support Nollywood 

Chloe Bailey should definitely visit ICM during this visit to watch Funke Akindele’s Everybody Loves Jenifa and show support for Nollywood. Even better, let her do a meet-and-greet.

Shop Okrika at Yaba

It will be nice to see Chloe at Yaba Railway shopping for okrika and shoe gben gben for her performance later.

Got a tattoo at Ikeja Underbridge

If you come to Lagos and don’t get a tattoo at Ikeja Underbridge, did you even visit Lagos? We recommend a flower tattoo on her breast.

ALSO READ: Soft Power: How Nigerians Dominated the Internet in 2024

After being shortlisted for the Young Designer Platform at the Lagos Fashion Week in 2018, he presented a collection of clothes for his brand, Emmy Kasbit, made with Akwete, a hand-woven fabric popular in South Eastern Nigeria. Now he is at the forefront of sustainability, showing his collections at shows like Paris Fashion Week. Fans of his work include Toke Makinwa, Angela Merkel and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.

In this week’s edition of #MadeinNigeria, he opens up about how far he has come on his journey, the cost of making fashion in Nigeria, and his ambitious plans for the future.

What was your earliest experience with fashion?

It goes back to when I lived with my parents in the East. I was born in Abia, but after secondary school, I lived in Calabar until I moved to Lagos in 2015.

When I got back from school, I’ll attempt to make my own clothes. Whether I’m going to see my mother at her shop or wherever I try to make my clothes look a particular way. Then when I got into university, I wanted to make more money for myself and what I could think of was transforming denim jackets by adding studs to them and selling them to other students. People were keying into what I was selling. It was a means to go through school without asking too much from my parents. 

Why did you move to Lagos?

I moved to Lagos because I wanted to pursue fashion. As we all know, Lagos is the centre of fashion in Nigeria and Africa. People kept telling me to go to Lagos and take this fashion thing seriously.

But when I came to Lagos, I had to do more research to widen my knowledge. So, I ended up working with some fashion houses in Lagos and interning with some designers. I had started Emmy Kasbit on the low, but it wasn’t official until I felt ready.

What was moving to Lagos like?

I came to Lagos for the very first Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) because I was dressing a friend, Uti Nwachukwu. He wore the outfit, and people really liked what I had made for him. 

That was also when I met Ezinne Chinkata, the founder of Zinkata, who became a retail partner for Emmy Kasbit. She saw me at the awards, and she liked what I wore, and I told her I made it. I also took her to Uti and showed her what I had made for him. 

She invited me to her store the next day, and that was the beginning of my career in Lagos. I went back to Calabar and started making plans to move to Lagos. In 2015, I moved fully to Lagos.

How did you meet Uti?

At the time, Uti was the host of 53 Extra on Africa Magic, and they had come to Calabar for the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF). He needed a designer and put out the word, and someone recommended me. I dressed him for that event, and he advised me to try the Lagos market.

How were you able to break through in Lagos?

It was very tough trying to break into Lagos, a market that even then was saturated and currently is still saturated. I knew only a few people in the Lagos fashion scene, and it was an ecosystem that demanded a lot of hard work, consistency and networking. I tried doing that as much as I could in those days. I went to many events and made notes. I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions. People who I saw and loved their style I went to check their Instagram. It was always about enlightening myself more.

What was your big break?

Everything started when I won the Fashion Focus Prize at Lagos Fashion Week prize in 2017. I had enrolled for the Young Designer Platform initially, but I didn’t get in, and that threw me off balance. I thought maybe I wasn’t good enough, and I didn’t want to apply again. But a friend encouraged me to, and I found success the second time.

I went through all the stages and was shortlisted for the top five. We were going to show a collection to win the prize. For me, it was a do-or-die affair because I really needed that big moment. I felt that it would step up my game on the Lagos scene. I won, and it registered my name with the press. I landed my first BellaNaija feature.

What was building a fashion business like?

Branding took a lot of time and hard work. I have a business partner now who focuses solely on the business of Emmy Kasbit while I focus on creating.  He is a friend of mind and joined in 2020. Initially, Emmy Kasbit was just a fashion label that made clothes. A lot of mentorships from people already in the industry helped me rethink branding. I knew that fashion was a business, and I had to survive off it and wanted to. Now, we have structure. Even when I’m not in Lagos, the business doesn’t suffer.

Who was the first person you hired?

The oldest tailor on the team. This was after winning the prize. I set up a little production space in my living room. I got his contact from an agent who links designers with tailors, and I told him the skills I needed, and he recommended him. I also had to train him and teach him my style and how I wanted the clothes to appear.

In the early days of building, you were still dropping collections. How did you keep the business afloat?

I believe in consistency. Because I knew I wanted to be here for a long time, even if the business wasn’t making a lot of money, I still did collections. It keeps your name afloat. I don’t think we have missed any season. I knew I had to be consistent. Even when we’re stuck with work, we still find time. We always do two collections yearly.

When did you start to experiment with Akwete?

I never worked with Akwete until my debut season at Lagos Fashion Week, S/S17. I was looking for what would set me apart from the other competitors in the top five. I had a mentor who told me I needed to do something people had not seen before. I went online and researched textiles, and I found a community of Akwete weavers in Abia.

I spoke to one of them, and she keyed into my vision. We designed the production, and she singlehandedly made all the fabrics we used in that collection. It was so well received, but I also knew I owed it to these women to continue this craft. We have to take it to the global market.

What has working with Akwete, a handmade fabric, been like?

It’s been challenging because sustainability isn’t cheap, and working with Akwete also demands so much patience because it’s hard-woven. A lot of time and manpower is involved. It is done by hand, and the women can break down anytime. But what I want to do is ensure that this craft doesn’t go out of style and that the next generation can continue it.

Do you hire the women who weave the fabric for Emmy Kasbit, or are they contractors?

The women are part of the Emmy Kasbit Initiative, which we started in 2022. The whole point of the initiative is to cater for these communities, especially the Akwete communities. We hire the women, and they produce per season.

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How do you maintain quality control?

We have people in charge of quality control. Before a piece leaves, it must have gone through three stages of quality control. We have a quality control manager and a product manager who check the pieces. It’s about letting people get value for their money. Everything must be in place.

What has been your experience working with Gen Z?

I think working with Nigerians generally requires a lot of patience. But I personally like to see the good in people. When you hire a young Nigerian, they might make mistakes, but with time, they get better. I believe that there are processes to things, and over time people evolve to where you want them to be. I have never had an issue with a person just quitting abruptly. I also don’t just hire. I always ask the team for their feedback before we hire, and we collectively agree on who we bring in.

When did Emmy Kasbit begin to go international?

In 2021, Vogue conducted a scouting in Africa in partnership with the African Fashion Foundation, and I was selected. I was one of two winners, and a perk of winning was presenting a fashion film at Milan Fashion Week. After that, we started attending fashion shows. We did not do any shows in Milan, but we’ve done a couple at Paris Fashion Week.

What have you noticed is different from the fashion shows in the West and the ones we do in Nigeria

I think it’s a different audience. Nigeria is where Emmy Kasbit is rooted, so showing here is like showing at home. But in Paris, you’re showing to strangers who might not have seen or heard of you before. You might even send an invite to the press, and they might not come because they don’t know you. But good work speaks for itself, and sometimes they check the work online and are fascinated. 

One thing the European fashion scene loves is the good craftsmanship that comes with African fashion. In Paris, when African designers show, people always want to see more. They are used to the silhouettes they see in the West, and African designers are bringing something fresh, and they are eager to see it and discover new talent.

Do you think Emmy Kasbit would have succeeded internationally if you hadn’t experimented with Akwete?

I think so, but Emmy Kasbit’s DNA is Akwete. Perhaps it would have been harder to do something else that would have captivated the audience.

A lot of designers are experimenting with Akwete and Aso-Oke. Do you think this is a trend?

I’ll say that sustainability is at the forefront of fashion right now, and African fashion relies heavily on traditional practices, including tie-dye and hand-weaving. These are the things that make today’s fashion.

We’ve had situations where Western designers have hijacked African stories and not told them the right way. I think that our duty as African designers is to own these stories and tell them better. We do this by reaching into old traditions and presenting them to the world. I think it’s here to stay and not a phase.

Are Nigerian designers becoming too expensive?

What I will say is that the Nigerian economy is a bit shifted at the moment. 

So much so that pieces can now start at ₦1.5 million?

To each brand their business model. If a brand offers a garment for that price, then you need to consider the steps the designer went through to make the garment. They must have done their markups. We don’t just sell things at any price. When you look at a garment, you should be able to tell why it is expensive. But really, the state of the economy is primarily responsible. We’ve had times when we reviewed prices at Emmy Kasbit within three days. The economy is affecting all industries.

What do you think of influencer gifting?

We hardly do influencer gifting. Maybe all year, we might just do influencer gifting once. If we do, it might just be for five customers who have been supporters of the brand all year. It’s also a way to promote that collection, so it’s a win-win situation.

What advice will you give to a young designer on attaining profitability?

Know your numbers and target client. Knowing your target client allows you to understand how much your customers can spend. And start from a minimum price. When you build the clientele, you can take up the prices. Also, don’t always expect to make millions from a limited capsule. Sometimes you might run into losses.

Where do you see yourself and Emmy Kasbit in five years?

I still want to be a designer, but we’d have opened multiple stores worldwide, and I’ll be shuffling my stores. I see the brand with multiple retail partners worldwide. I still see us experimenting with Akwete worldwide. I see myself gracing the covers of many magazines.

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“As a hometown hero, T-Pain has inspired countless fans and artists worldwide, and we’re proud to call him one of our own,” the mayor posted on X. T-Pain posted a video from the event thanking the mayor and the city. There was a small reception after. He gave a speech, and there was applause.

But in the Nigerian cyberspace, this was further proof that they had successfully revived his career. “When God decide[s] to lift u up, He will make Nigerians remember you. Nigerians are [the] giant of Africa fr,” a user posted on X.

As the Nigerian economy continued to nosedive, to critique President Bola Tinubu and his policies that got the country here, young Nigerians gave him the moniker “T-Pain” as a constant reminder of how painful the year had been.

While Nigerians may not have been the reason T-Pain received the honour in his hometown, the conversation online quickly moved away from him to the dire state of the naira against the dollar.

This was only one of many times that Nigerians hijacked an otherwise foreign conversation and became the primary commentators in 2024. In April, after the American investor Paul Graham claimed that the appearance of “delve” in formal written communication was evidence that Chat GPT had been used, he spent days going back and forth with Nigerians who branded him “naive.”

When the American musician Khalid came out as gay in November, he was responding to a Nigerian who had replied to his post on X, saying, “Wait, hope Mr Khalid isn’t GEHHH?” It was the spelling of “gay”—gehhh—that had become a mainstay in the comment sections and captions of Nigerian gossip blogs that regularly post about men their editors suspect, for whatever reason, were gay.

Days later, Khalid announced that he was releasing “Make It Up To You,” his song with the musician Ayra Starr. When Oprah Winfrey denied allegations that she was paid to endorse Kamala Harris for president of the US, she was responding to a post made by the Nigerian marketing strategist Idia Ogala.

How did Nigerians find themselves in the thick of online discourse like this in 2024?

“What’s made it infinitely easier to be visible on the internet is all the culture we’re exporting through Afrobeats and Nollywood. We have a rich pop culture that serves as a portal connecting us to the rest of the world,” Samson Toromade, who works at Archivi, a startup that archives old Nigerian newspapers said.

“We’re not just the home of the Nigerian Prince scam emails—which was one of our earliest prominent reputations on the internet—we’re also where all the funny Aki and Pawpaw memes and Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ originated from.”

Across the internet, famous celebrities or just rising influencers looking for virality have leaned into Nigerian culture to promote everything from a new album to an owanbe-themed pornographic film.

D James, a UK DJ, toured Nigeria and other parts of Africa this year after he started posting Afrobeats mixes that went viral on WhatsApp. When Nicki Minaj promoted her new album, The Pinkprint (Tenth Anniversary Edition), she made multiple posts on X in Pidgin. She later announced that she had featured Davido on the album. In the song with Davido, “If It’s Okay,” she also featured the French DJ, David Guetta.

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“We’re very dramatic people by nature—it bleeds into everything—and that’s a potent recipe in humour that sticks. You just have to look into our local proverbs for example,” Toromade said. “The Pidgin English and how we deploy that in our humour is also an interesting touchpoint. It sounds exotic in a way that creates a huge draw.”

Even as the country has continued to rise up every negative World Ranking, from Worst City to Live (#9 for Lagos) to Country with the Least Educated People (#12), on the internet, the influence that Nigerians have built for themselves is undeniable. The “bro to bro” TikToker, Luis Olivas has been posting his content where he offers dating advice to mostly young men for a long time. But after Nigerians stumbled on his account this year, his follower count, which stood at just under 100k, has now reached over a million.

“The internet is getting smaller,” Toromade said. “Nigerians have hacked virality on these social platforms. There are really influential Nigerian voices on Football Twitter, for example, and it’s shocking to me sometimes.”

This year, there were debates about “soft power” and how Nigerians can use this influence to challenge old stereotypes about the country as a third-world nation with corrupt leaders and a hotbed for online scammers.

But it is one thing to attain virality, and it is something else to use that virality to gain positive outcomes and significant social capital on the global stage. If Nigerians are still being treated poorly at many ports of entry in the West and even in other African countries, then what is all this razzmatazz on social media really about?

When he thinks about this, Toromade is very optimistic.

“We’re making inroads in connecting with the global community and actually getting hits. The world is using our memes, attempting to use our special version of English, and seeking collaborations with our creators enough that they’re even coming down here,” he said.

“I don’t know what it means, but it’s clearly something.”

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We asked Toyosi, who has been attending CCI for three years.

As Told To Dennis

The story of my life is a long one. I grew up Muslim with my siblings in northern Nigeria. Now, my siblings and I are all born-again Christians. Our parents never forced us to practise any religion, be it Christianity or Islam. We got to choose .

I attended a primary school where both Jumat prayers and Christian fellowships were observed weekly. Later, I went to a secondary school run by Baptist missionaries, and it was there I started practising Christianity. By the time I got to university, also in the north, I found a fellowship that deepened my faith, and I became born again.

In 2021, I moved to Lagos for my master’s,  searching for a church where I could serve and learn. This was after the pandemic, and I was almost falling into a depression. I was downcast.

I decided to deepen my spiritual life, so I started a fast that was accompanied by daily prayers. During one of those days, I stumbled upon Pastor Emmanuel Iren’s sermons on YouTube. In April, someone shared a flyer with me announcing that CCI was moving to Yaba, where I lived. My goodness, when I saw that, I knew it was a sign.

I attended the inaugural service in May and was just blown away. Pastor Iren was there in person, and preached that day. It felt as though I was hearing the word of God for the first time. I can’t even remember the topic, but I remember that particular day I said to myself, “This is the church for me.”

I felt a sense of community, especially from members from other branches who came for the launch. They had built relationships, and I wanted to be a part of that.

My idea of a church has always been a community that emphasises the right teaching and doctrine, where believers have the opportunity to grow, not one that people just attend and go back home. I joined the church and currently serve as a member of a unit. It’s been from glory to glory. My faith work has grown, and I believe it can only get better from here.

Many people go to church to fulfil righteousness, but I wanted a church where my faith in Christ would be strengthened. 

Teachings and discipleship are a major part of CCI. CCI’s goal is to ensure that all men celebrate an endless life in Christ. The church’s mission is to equip the saints for the work of ministry and build up the body of Christ. This is something I believe in.

We have meet-and-pray groups. My group meets on Saturday every week to pray and fellowship with each other. We also have short daily prayer meetings that last 15 minutes throughout the day that members can join. They are held at 1 a.m., 6 a.m. or 7 a.m., 12 p.m., and 8 p.m. All of this happens online. The world has changed. With digital platforms, there is a structure to help believers meet and pray online. The sessions are well structured. It allows people to attend even if they’re not in the country.

These sessions have been very effective for me. I have been attending CCI for three years now, and they have been the most productive in my faith work. I like the fellowship at CCI the most. You build relationships with members, and we check in with each other. I have made good friends whom I can call my brothers, whom I met in church.

We have accountability partners. With my accountability partner, I can discuss almost anything. He is like my best friend. We tell each other everything, and we pray over it together. I met him at CCI.

CCI is very intentional about the relationship of the members. It’s a genuine community. They encourage members to open up to each other which is something I believe the church is meant to do. People should not just go to church and go back home. Pastor Iren has positively impacted my life and the lives of many young people through this church.

The church has come through for me in so many ways. I have not received any financial or material assistance from the church, but that was not my focus when I started attending. My focus has always been my spiritual growth, and it has grown.

However, I have witnessed people assist members in need financially. In my unit, people have received assistance. The heads of the unit most of the time don’t tell us who has requested assistance, but we routinely make donations for people. We contribute money for people preparing for their weddings. For me, this is the church helping members even if the money is not coming from the church coffers. The people in the church make up the church.

Some time ago, Pastor Iren donated cars to members of the church. Typically, when this happens, we don’t investigate what the cars are used for. However, it was obvious that the people who received the cars benefitted from this gesture because they had children and special needs.

I regularly pay offering and tithe to CCI. I believe every believer should not have a problem with paying tithe or offering. Give in general. I don’t concern myself with how the money is being used or how expensive Pastor Iren’s agbada or suits are. Pastor Iren always teaches modesty. I believe if you can afford it, then you should wear it, and this also applies to Pastor Iren.

At CCI, I learned that tithing is not an ordinance but an act of gratitude. We give because God has blessed us, and I want to help spread the gospel. If you believe everything you have comes from God, then giving your one-tenth should come from your heart. I understood this after it was explained to me at CCI.

Pastor Iren has been using various media, including films and music, to share the gospel. His latest album, “Spirituals,” shows how committed he is to using creative outlets for ministry. People have raised concerns about his collaboration with mainstream actors, even though the films are faith-based.  We are open-minded at CCI. You will likely not ask medical doctors what their faith is before receiving treatment from them. I believe in engaging professionals for their expertise.

I have found my community at CCI, as have many young Nigerians. There is nothing about Church I don’t like.

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Her 2023 book, The List interrogates the excesses of the #MeToo movement at the peak of the anonymised shitty men list. It became an instant bestseller and is being developed into a TV series by HBO Max, the BBC and A24. She’s an executive producer, naturally.

In this week’s edition of #MadeinNigeria, she opens up on starting a magazine at 20, having a lot to say about #MeToo, and how the left is losing its way.

When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?

It took me a long time. I studied law at university. It wasn’t the cliche of my parent pushing me into law, but I definitely did grow up with the awareness that creative pursuit doesn’t necessarily lead to financial stability, and that was my priority. I’m Nigerian, after all. I wanted something that was going to make sense for my future.

Almost immediately after arriving at university, I knew I wasn’t a lawyer and that liking to argue doesn’t mean you’re a lawyer. Painting and writing were the way I always expressed myself but I saw writing more like a hobby. So I started a blog. It had a couple of readers and was about pop culture. It was actually a guy (who is actually in the acknowledgement of my book, The List) who first told me I could make money writing. He used to read my blog, and he said to me, “Do you realise you can get paid to write this? This is pop culture journalism.” I had not even thought of it. It was a hobby. 

The idea of being paid to do something that you enjoy felt kind of foreign to me. I’ve always had this idea that you must toil for your money, so I realised this late.

So how did you get your first writing job?

I took a year out of university. During that year, only God could tell you how many applications I filled out. It has to be in triple digits. I applied for every single internship at every single magazine. I remember applying for a casino magazine, a gardening magazine. But no one was taking me. This was 2012, and England had so many initiatives and charities that would encourage creativity among young people. One was called O2 Think Big and they used to give a grant. It wasn’t a lot of money, maybe like £500, that you’ll use for a creative project. They was also Vinspired, and they gave £300. I took those grants. If I could not get work experience, I was going to make work experience.

So, something that I will never think to do now, I said to myself, “I was going to start my own magazine because I’m applying to all these magazines and they are not hiring me.” You know the vicious cycle: You need experience to get experience. So I was like, “I’m just going to create something and show that as my work experience.”

I launched a magazine called Birthday Magazine, aimed at young black women and girls. I used to distribute it at the hair shops in my area. I lived in an area called Croydon in London and it is a very black area. Back in 2012, the media wasn’t really catering to black women the way it is now. You didn’t have articles about how to look after natural hair in mainstream publications.

I did that for a year, and I used that to say that this is the evidence that I can write.

Why do you think the industry didn’t see your talents prior to starting the magazine?

In the UK at that time, the percentage of black female journalists under the age of 30, even now, is remarkably low, especially if you’re not privately educated, which I’m not. So back then, in 2012, trying to knock on this door, this little scrappy girl who wasn’t white and wasn’t necessarily middle class in the British context, was hard. The things I wanted to write about were the things that I wasn’t seeing in the media generally.

It’s crazy to think of a time when Afrobeats was a niche genre of music. When I was growing up, many white people didn’t listen to Afrobeats and Grime music, and I wanted to write about the music I liked: Grime music, Afrobeats. I wanted to review them, and there just wasn’t appetite for it. I used to write about racism, sexism. I wrote about things that felt community-specific, and they were like, “This matters to you and people like you, but most of our readers aren’t like you”. The pitches I’d send people, they just didn’t get it.

What was the experience building Birthday magazine?

It was so much fun.

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I thought you were going to say it was so hard.

It was hard, but I think I didn’t even notice it so much. I think I was 20 or 21. You just have this delusion and energy when you’re young that you’re able to do things. It was hard, but the stakes felt so low. If the magazine turns out rubbish, they won’t tell me to return the money, you know. I wish there were more initiatives like that. A lot of these charities have been shut down under our conservative government. I was the editor. I was in charge of everything, finding contributors. I look back now and I’m like, who sent me? I was doing photoshoots. We had a website. It was just me on my own working on my laptop.

How do you balance being passionate about work and knowing it is a capitalist system?

I’m freelance now but it’s something that I thought about a lot when I was in full-time employment. When I started my career, we were moving into how many views and shares something gets. The value of the piece is tied to how many views it gets and not if they engaged with it, and often when people share the article, it doesn’t mean they’re engaging with it. This was the rise of the thing that people called “churnalism.” They are basically churning out stories that they think will go viral.

A lot of journalists measure the value of what they write by how viral it goes, and it’s not our fault because if we are not able to get those numbers, the platform could shut down. I struggled because there were so many pieces that were important to me, but I wasn’t sure if people were interested in them. I pitched a story about infant and maternal morbidity rates, but it was difficult to get the piece off the ground.  Now, thankfully it’s a conversation we’ve started having.

What is also different now is that I am still a journalist, but my primary source of income is from books. This means that when I’m writing about something, it’s a topic I’m really passionate about. That’s not a luxury most journalists have.

What does it feel like to have that luxury?

I think it feels creatively freeing. I consider myself a privileged person because I used to write for free and have always written for free. To be able to monetise it to a small degree is great, but to be able to monetise it to the extent that it has changed my life is incredible. I feel so lucky that I never feel like I have to do anything I don’t want to.

Why did you decide to write The List?

I wrote it during lockdown. I didn’t think it was going to be lucrative or anything. Everybody was making sourdough bread, and I was like “That’s not me”. Much to my parents’ disappointment, I’m not be able to cook. I didn’t think it was going to be a bestseller or anything. I had hoped it would. But the reason I was able to take that risk was because I had written other books that had been successful. I was trying to write something that meant something to me, and by virtue of that, I think it did very well. I write what feels authentic to me, which many people don’t have the luxury of doing.

The book is also about the #MeToo movement and mob culture. Why is that?

I had a lot to say. In late 2017, I came across many allegations that were disseminated via viral lists. There was a really famous one in America called “The Shitty Media Men List,” which was looking at male journalists that have been abusive. When I saw the list, I was like, “This is great. There is no smoke without fire.” Many women have been denied justice for so long. Men have been able to abuse with impunity. It’s great to see the internet be a means to providing justice. All kinds of things have become social justice causes online, like #BlackLivesMatter.

I grew up watching TV shows like Catfish, where someone is talking to someone they think is someone online, only for it to be revealed it’s someone else. I grew up with my parents always saying, “Be careful of who you speak to on MSN Messenger because you might think you are also talking to a teenage girl unknown to you it’s a man halfway across the world trying to groom you.” Also, as journalists, we’re in the middle of a fake news crisis. Now, we’ve even got AI, which is exacerbating the crisis.

As much as I understood the aims of these lists, as a journalist, I had to question their ethics. Two things can be true at once. It can be true that abusive men need to be held accountable. Women are being failed by the system; that’s either the police, the legal system or just HR at work. But it can also be true that lists of this kind, being anonymous, but also anyone online having access to them means they are very susceptible to being used for nefarious purposes, being undermined which now undermines a whole movement. People lie online.

Nuance is my thing. I’m a fence-sitter, so I was like, “Let me work out my thoughts in writing.” I was going to write a long piece weighing the pros and cons of the ethics of this, but everyone was on lockdown, and I was like, “I could just write a novel.”

There have been arguments about how critiquing the #MeToo movement or the ethics of those lists makes one a right-wing head. What do you say to that?

I think it’s an intellectually dishonest argument. Acknowledging that more than one thing can be true is just part of being a critical thinker. To me, acknowledging that women are very rarely given justice in the legal system does not negate the fact that anonymised lists online that have not been checked are susceptible to being abused. How can you acknowledge that catfishing happens, that we have a fake news crisis and say it’s impossible?

This type of approach to justice is flawed. What I have seen repeatedly happen is that even though 99% of the allegations on the list are credible, if one person was mistakenly put there or you don’t have the context, everybody latches onto that story and says, “Look at this one person.” That pulls our movement backwards.

What is happening is that right-wing people are owning the conversation on cancel culture that should be happening on the left. Rather than weaponising my book, what people are weaponising is the silence of the left, our complicity often in not having real conversations about cancel culture and free speech.

We’ve pretended that everybody who has been cancelled deserves it, which simply isn’t true. There are multiple conversations where someone can say someone has taken advantage of our well-meaning movement. But because we are silent, right-wing people come in and say well, according to the left, there is no such thing as cancel culture. And if you are a person who thinks these lists are flawed, then you need to be having these conversations with us on the right. You then play into the hands of extremists.

There is nothing you can do to stop me from going to Twitter, making a burner account and accusing you of whatever I like. The only thing that is stopping us is sanity. Not everybody is sane online. People will take advantage of anonymity online to lie.

Will you ever write for the website, Unherd?

I personally don’t think that I will need to write for a platform like that. I think that often, a lot of the arguments on the website come from a political viewpoint that doesn’t align with my own. I’m not mad at people who choose to write for people with different views from their own. But I think that my voice is better placed somewhere like the Guardian. 

They are preaching to the converted. Many contributors seem to be right-leaning. And they are having conversations often about cancel culture. I might have arrived at a similar conclusion, but I didn’t reach it in the same way. 

But it also scares me when people say if you believe this thing as well, then you must share this political idealogy. There are some ideas that are like that. But we’re getting to a place where if someone that is right-wing said the sky is blue, acknowledging it makes you right-wing. That’s not clever. For me, there are some things that are absolutely true. One of them is that anonymised lists being disseminated with certain allegations are subject to potential abuse, and I don’t think that is a controversial issue. 

Free speech is a pillar of left-thinking idealogy. But we now allowed the right to come in and commandeer conversations around free speech. Why is Chimamanda speaking about free speech, and she’s being posited as right-wing because she’s speaking about free speech?

With Chioma Nnadi leading Vogue and Kemi Badenoch leading the Tories, Nigerians have risen atop UK legacy institutions. Why do you think this is happening now?

I think it has always been happening. I think Kemi Badenoch has made it more obvious, but Naija no dey carry last. The Nigerian spirit is inherently ambitious. My parents used to say to me if you want to write, you’re gonna be the best writer. If I were really about money, I wouldn’t be a writer. But I think it’s very Nigerian of me to have been able to turn it into a lucrative thing. When you are in the UK, there is that phrase that as a black woman, you’ll work thrice as hard, but my parents never said that to me. They’ve always said you will thrive because of your identity, not in spite of it. I think Kemi Badenoch is getting way too much credit because we’ve been doing it.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I just finished writing the pilot for my TV show, so my show will be out. My life will be quite different. I’m really excited about it. It will bring a new audience. I’m writing my next book; I hope it will be out. I’m excited about resting and allowing my work to breathe and speak for itself. I’m really excited because I’m just one girl in Croydon talking.

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