Written by Idayat Jinadu When I was in primary school, I wanted to be a lawyer. I saw lawyers in Yoruba films I watched with my parents, and I wanted to be one. I imagined myself saying, “Objection, my Lord!” in courtrooms and winning cases. I lived for that dream. Then somewhere it vanished. I can’t figure out how, but I guess I realised I stuttered, and I thought a person who stuttered couldn’t be a lawyer. Later, when I …
Written by Miracle Okah I am not a lesbian, but every time I tell a man that I am bicurious, I notice the way his eyes light up; it is like a switch has flipped. All …
Written by Idayat Jinadu It is said that when Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, they were cursed. Eve’s curse was severe pain in childbearing, and Adam’s was endless toil in life. I think …
Written by Nobuhle . N Nyoni ‘That’s the reason she has not been speaking to me? I mean, I get it. That girl is gorgeous. She has a beautiful body. I stood no chance. But it …
Written by Miracle Okah Imagine posting a beautiful picture of yourself on X (formerly Twitter), feeling confident. Then, a stranger gets hold of it and asks Grok, X’s chatbot, to turn your picture around so they …
Written by Miracle Okah Reader discretion is advised. This piece contains references to sexual violence and trauma. You are seated among the rest of the family at your father’s funeral. When your mother called you for …
Written by Idayat Jinadu A few months back, I needed to get some beads as I was learning how to make bead bags. I knew a woman at the market who sold accessories, and I was …
Written by Nobuhle . N Nyoni Sphe woke up that Monday feeling uneasy. If she could, she would skip everything else and head straight to school, but personal hygiene is a thing. She rushed through all …
You have just returned from the market with a basket of fruits and vegetables. You go to the chapel where your neighbour, a widow in her 80s, often spends the rest of her days in prayers; …
Written by Mercy Williams The first time I said “Fuck!” and meant it was in 2021. I was in my mid-twenties and I was raging. My head was pressed against the cold wall of my room …
Written by Nobuhle . N Nyoni “What are you sorry for, Dad? For barely taking the time out to get to know me as your daughter or for breaking Mom’s heart? I have tried to do …
