Twenty-five years ago Black History Month was officially launched in the UK with an aim to “Promote race equality, equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups”. The premise was that it would eventually be eliminated when black history became fundamental to general history. Since then, year after year, come October, black…
Houses that heal and where conversations happen
Last weekend I was in Germany and while there I visited a house known as the Green Citadel of Magdeburg (pictured above). It was designed by Friedenreich Hundertwasser, who saw himself as an ‘Architect Doctor’ and a healer of sick buildings. While at the Green Citadel, I could literally feel a part of my…
Women, leadership and inspiration: Pan-African Powa Panel
This is a transcript of a speech I delivered at the Southbank Centre in July. I call it a POWA panel because I was in the company of some of the continent’s most powerful voices and inspirations – Angelique Kidjo, Lebo Mashile, Theo Sowa and our moderator Jessica Horn. Below is also a clip of…
Africa Utopia, celebrating Africa in the UK
As part of the Africa Utopia festival, which kicked off on Sunday July 1, I’ll be participating in a panel discussion titled WOMEN, INSPIRATION & LEADERSHIP. I’ll be joining singer and activist Angelique Kidjo, poet Lebo Mashile, Theo Sowa of the African Women’s Development Fund and member of the African Feminist Forum, Jessica Horn to discuss these…
A postcard from Libreville
I’m in the beautiful city of Libreville in Gabon. From the little that I’ve seen I immediately feel at home here. I especially love how Libreville’s population seem very level-headed, and how despite what feels like a heavy military presence the city’s parks and streets are characterized by people relaxing and enjoying their charming environment….
Honoured as one of BlogHer’s OpEd “Voices Of The Year” 2012
Yippie!! MsAfropolitan has been chosen as one of twenty OpEd Voices of the Year by the BlogHer Publishing Network. I will receive an honour in the “OpEd” category for my post “Is feminism really un-African?” You can read the article here and the contributions of all honorees here. The 5th annual Voices of the Year Community Keynote will be on…
Key themes of African thinkers x 7. Notes from OpenForum 2012.
I got back in to London this morning from the YouthSummit and the OpenForum 2012 in Cape Town, a very relevant conference that brought together African thinkers from creative, activist, scholarly, political and technocratic backgrounds. It was expertly put together by OSISA, who as promised created a truly “unapologetic space for reflection and debate”. From…
Upcoming keynote speech at University of Northampton, Padare conference
On 15th June, I’ll be one of three keynote speakers at an international conference promoting the Black African social work student experience. I’ll be speaking about systematic silencing and transforming muteness into empowerment. The idea with Beyond Horizons – Padare Conference, is to bring together students, academics and social work practitioners to explore developments in the way…
Participating in OpenForum 2012 and OpenForumYouthSummit in Cape Town, South Africa
From May 22 – 24, the OpenForum 2012 in Cape Town will provide an unprecedented opportunity for activists, academics, businesspeople and policy-makers to take a critical look at the factors that will influence the African democracy and governance agenda over the next decade, debate the paradox of unequal growth and turn innovative ideas into action…
Speaking about African fashion history at Afro-European conference in Berlin
On Sunday, I will be presenting a photographic and discursive journey of fashion history in Africa to explore and incorporate into our social and political memory ideas of womanhood through looking at fashion. We are going to look at…
My poetry featured in Naija Langwej antoloji
Three of my pidgin/brokin English poems have been featured in a new anthology titled ‘IF YU HIE SE A DE PRIZIN’’ (Antoloji of puem-dem fo Naija) edited by Edwin Eriata Oribhabor This anthology contains 93 poems and themes of the poems span all fields of human endeavour; love, politics, the environment, corruption and the Niger Delta…
Lagos Black Heritage Festival 2012 – Exploring Afro-Italian connections
I’m looking forward to attending the LAGOS BLACK HERITAGE FESTIVAL this week, which this year is mapping out the black African presence in the Mediterranean with a cultural exploration of the Afro-Italian connection. Nigerian connections with Italy appear to go back a long way! Amongst other things the festival will highlight similarities between the Italian Commedia dell’Arte, and the…
Speaking about race, sisterhood and citizenship at BE.BOP 2012 Berlin
I’m participating in BE.BOP 2012- BLACK EUROPE BODY POLITICS, an international screening program and transdisciplinary roundtable on Black European citizenship in connection to recent moving image and performative practices. My presentation is on race, sisterhood and citizenship. BE.BOP 2012 aims at facilitating a long-term exchange between specialists and time-based art practitioners of different contexts and…
Running a workshop on race & identity at Mobilising young African women in the UK
I’m taking part in an event titled Mobilising Young African Women in the UK. It will be an afternoon of interactive workshops and panel discussions on December 3rd at the Africa Centre Why should you attend this event? Are you fed up with the negative images of Africa especially of women and want to promote…
Speaking about African feminism at the Global Feminism Symposium, University of Warwick
I am currently in Lagos. I am working on projects with TV and Radio Continental and the STAR company/Seeing through the Arts collective who are using art and creativity to promote important causes in society. There is a similar reasoning behind the MsAfropolitan Boutique, namely to use fashion and creativity to highlight the importance of the African…
Speaking on the ‘Inspirational Nigerians panel’ at Africa Rocks Expo
I will be taking part in the inspirational Nigerians panel at the Africa Rocks Expo this Sunday, a one-day event celebrating African culture and showing why Africa is a great place to visit, work and do business in. This year’s expo focuses on Nigeria and “aims to dispel the misconceptions and show people that Nigeria is…