Not Your African Cliché

Get philosophical with us! On this episode we reflect on change as it relates to ourselves and other people. Do people change or do we have fixed selves? We explore how we’ve changed physically, mentally, spiritually and financially, amongst other ways. We also discuss why people are obsessed with and often reluctant to change. --------------------------------------- Reading: Leye Adenle’s Easy Motion Tourist Watching: Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther Listening: Praiz’ 2 mins (EP) Ric Hassani’s Believe Extended Remix Feat Falz & Olamide Black Panther Soundtrack Album ----------------------------------- Episode was mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

On this episode of NYAC, the ladies participate in a "get to know you" tag. We take a trip down memory lane and swap stories about our birth, our childhood neighborhoods and our first email addresses. We also have a few laughs over books we read as kids, and the superstitions we still hold on to. Listen and let us know what your answers to some of these questions are! Reading: - Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde - Tar Baby by Toni Morrison - We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union - The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis - The Five Love Languages for Singles by Gary Chapman Watching: - Westworld (HBO) - Grace & Frankie (Netflix) - Marvel’s Runaways (Hulu) - Stepsisters (Netflix) Listening: - Last Daze of Summer by Maleek Berry - Outside by Burna Boy - Your Great Name by Todd Dulaney ---------------------------------------------------------- Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

Happy 2018! On this episode (the last one recorded in 2017) we speak with Sarah (sarahadeyinka.com) a humanitarian worker who works with migrants and victims of trafficking. She tells us about her experience working with Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) rescuing migrant boats in international waters. We talk about our understanding of trafficking, explore the motivations of migrants, unpack some (Nigerian) cultural norms that can be inhumane, and discuss the Libyan slave markets and factors that contributed to their presence. ----------------------------------------- Resources http://www.msf.org/en/article/libya-open-letter-european-governments-are-feeding-business-suffering http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-malta-summit-leaders-warn-strand-thousands-refugees-libya-deal-concentration-camps-crisis-a7560956.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/refugee-crisis-migrants-libya-europe-eu-italy-abuse-torture-slavery-forced-labour-iom-report-msf-a7366361.html http

On this episode, the ladies of NYAC talk with Sarah Diouf, founder of Tongoro (an e-commerce fashion label in Dakar, Senegal), Noir (a lifestyle magazine)and Ifren Media company. We chat about how her identity has been shaped by multiple familial ties to several African countries, the origin story behind Tongoro, and her vision for products being "made in Africa." (https://www.tongoro.com) http://www.okayafrica.com/in-conversation-sarah-diouf-tongoro-young-african-creator/ Reading - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Listening - Here and Now by Toulouse - The Bloody Win by Tye Tribett - Shokolokobangoshe by Jeff Akoh

On this episode of NYAC, the ladies chat with Ladi and Sam (two-thirds of the Road Preppers team)about Lara.ng, a chat-bot designed to provide transport information to individuals living within the Lagos metropolis. We learn about their professional careers prior to creating lara.ng, the necessary and intensive legwork required for data collection and how the chat-bot is sustained financially. Before the episode ends, the chat-bot's hair style gets critiqued, and suggestions are offered. (Contact: hello@lara.ng; sam@roadpreppers.com; ladi@roadpreppers.com) Announcement: tiny.cc/thenigerianmanproject --------------------------------- Reading - Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi - Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama - She's Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan - Startup CEO by Matt Blumberg - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - Shoedog by Phil Knight Watching - Underground (TV Series) - The Good place (Netflix Series) - Queen Sugar (TV Series) - Madiba (BET Limited Series) Listening - Eminem's Walk on Water (Song) -

On this episode, we speak with Michael (@MichaelMaponga), actor and CEO of AfroLandTV, about his journey as an actor and entrepreneur. We chat about Hollywood’s portrayal of Africa, how to navigate being typecast, and what distinguishes his streaming platform, AfroLandTV, from similar sites. He tells us his criteria for classifying media as “premium African” content, the barriers to distributing African content, and his big dreams for African media in general and AfroLandTV in particular. More Info about TEDxEuston: http://tedxeuston.com/#/events/metamorphosis --------------------------------- Reading - Roger Martin’s Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works - Shonda Rhimes’ Year of Yes - Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power Watching - This is It (Webseries) - Baby Daddy (TV Series) - Greenleaf (TV Series) - Sense8 Season 2 (Netflix Series) - Suits Season 7 (TV Series) - Voltron (Cartoon Series) Listening - Jessica Bongos Broken to Peace - Falz’s 27 - Nigerian Radio - Asa’s Debut Album, Asa - TD Jakes

On this episode our guest, Congolese American Salem Soni, recounts his experience fleeing The Congo with his family as political refugees and settling in America. He gives us some cliff notes on Congolese history and politics, tells us about his struggles fitting into his new home, talks about how erasing one’s identity is often a form of survival, and describes how being in community with other Africans helped revive that identity and pride. --------------------------------- Reading: - Donna Tartt’s Secret History - Roxan Gay’s Bad Feminist, especially the essay “When We All Lose” - Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist - Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You Watching: - Video of Jidenna, Major Lazer, Ice Prince’s Particula - DJ Cuppy and Techno’s Green Light - Netflix’s Master of None - YouTube Series Shop Talk - YouTube Series, Hot Ones Listening To: - Johnnyswim’s Albums - Podcast The Afropreneur

On this week's episode, the ladies of NYAC chat with Nancy Adimora, editor of AFREADA, about her online literary platform, and her identity as a Nigerian born and raised in London. She spoke to us about how she started AFREADA (Africa + Reader), the necessity of accessible short stories written by Africans and her strong sense of identity as a Nigerian. Resources: www.afreada.com www.brittlepaper.com https://soundcloud.com/mostlylitpod ------------------------- Reading: - What It Mean When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah - A Moonless, Starless Sky by Alexis Okeowo - Men, Women and the Mystery of Love by Edwards S. Rogers III Watching: - Skinny Girl in Transit [YouTube] - Transparent [Amazon] Listening: - The Color in Anything by James Blake [album] - Love & Hate by Michael Kiwanuka [album]

On this week's episode, the ladies of NYAC chat with Dimma Umeh, a Nigerian beauty blogger, who spoke frankly about her journey to YouTube, which involved ditching a Masters in Accounting. She also gave tips for growing one's online audience and discussed the amount of work necessary to create quality and consistent visual work. Plus, the ladies all chimed in to dissect the beauty standards in Nigeria, the glorification of “yellow pawpaw” women in Nigerian songs and our makeup choices (from selective to carefree). Resources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r72NRuzf_GU https://afreada.com http://brittlepaper.com https://africanbookaddict.com https://www.ifeyinwaarinze.com Mostly Lit Podcast ------------------------- Reading: -I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou -The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz -An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole Watching: -Game of Thrones -Stranger Things -Breaking Bad -Power -Insecure Listening: -Artists: Pink, Housefires, Worship Central, Elevation Wo

Let’s talk about sex, baby! On this episode, we are joined by public intellectual Keguro (@Keguro_) as we explore sex, sexuality and gender using the knowledge of how our ancestors viewed and practiced the erotics as the main point of reference. We ask ourselves, what informs our idea of sexuality and gender? How do our ancestors’s views and practiceof the erotics differ from those of the west? How do they differ from contemporary African practices of the erotics? Who are the people taken seriously as those who have knowledge about sexuality and gender? How should our knowledge of how our ancestors view and practice erotics inform our present day, especially how we relate to and be in community with gender and sexual minorities? -------------------------- Resources: - Osunality, or African Sensuality: Going Beyond Eroticism: https://www.africaknowledgeproject.org/index.php/jenda/article/view/776 ------------------------- RWL Reading - Janet Mock’s Surpassing Certainty and Redefining Realness Watching - Ga

In the first half of this episode we discuss some of the themes we noticed in Naija Beta, the film made by Arthur, our guest in our previous episode. Amayo then gives us a recap of the talks she heard at TEDxMaitama, an independently organized TED event in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The TEDxMaitama talks referenced are by: Simi Fajemirokun; Aisha Augie-Kuta; Dr. Mairo Mandara; Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili; Dike Chukwumerije. Resources - Naija Beta Film - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/naijabeta - Dike Chukwumerije's poem The Wall and the Bridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFAFV6xDlCk Episode mixed by Ifeoluwa Olokode and theme music is Ayo by Femi Leye

The ladies of NYAC are back for season 3! On this episode, they talk with Ghanaian filmmaker, Arthur Musah (@pidgincinema) about his identity, experiences at MIT and in the US, transition from engineering to filmmaking and his two documentaries- NAIJA BETA and ONE DAY I TOO GO FLY. We also discuss the responsibility of turning a lens on African stories with (or without) the gaze of the West hovering over our shoulders. Find out more in the episode! Resources: - Watch NAIJA BETA here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/naijabeta - https://thisisafrica.me/ghanaian-filmmaker-arthur-musah-tells-story-african-immigrant-students/ WWRLW: - ShowDemCamp https://soundcloud.com/showdemmusic/sets/palm-wine-music-vol-1 - The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Adichie - Ekaabo Live by Femi Leye - Call on Me by Adekunle Gold - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie - On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder - Brave Confusion by Nakhane Touré Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

For this episode, we are sharing an interview we did with Memkoh, who is a Nigerian entrepreneur, personal stylist and friend of the podcast. We discussed the origin story of our podcast, how we met and gave advice on starting a podcast. In this interview, we also shared our favorite episodes and our hopes and plans for the future of NYAC. Find Memkoh at www.memkoh.com and on IG: @memkoh

On this episode, the ladies of NYAC talk with the legendary Nigerian comedian Chioma Omeruah aka Chigul about humor. We discussed different theories on humor, the unique features of Nigerian comedy (Amayo believes Nigerians do it best), if living in other countries has affected our sense of humor, and of course comedians who go too far. Find our guest Chigul on FB @Chugul and IG @theonlychigul Also, find us on Twitter @nyacpodcast & on FB @Not Your African Cliche Episode was mixed by Ifeyinwa, and theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

Part 2 of 2. We pick up where we left off last week. On this episode, our guests, Bablawo Ifakunle of Harlem (ifakunle.com) and Oluwo Familusi of Lagos (Twitter @familusiawo; Instagram @familusidamilare), two Priests of the Ifá Yoruba Traditional Religion, give us insight into what being an Ifá priest entails and what informs their morality. They dispel some misconceptions about their religion and teach us about some of the priesthood factions within the Ifá Yoruba Traditional Religion. The Ladies of NYAC discuss how our current religious practices are influenced by our culture, learn more about the proliferation of Ifá Yoruba Traditional Religion in the diaspora and how it’s transformed into religions such as Lucumí, Candomblé and Haitian Vodou. Of course, we ask our guests what they think of the resurgence of African Traditional Religious imagery, specifically Yoruba Traditional Religious imagery in pop culture thanks to Beyoncé’s Lemonade. ---------------------------------- Resources: - http://news.harva

Part 1 of 2. On this episode, we speak to Babalawo Ifakunle of Harlem and Oluwo Familusi of Lagos, two Priests of the Ifá Yoruba Traditional Religion. We discuss their backgrounds and journeys to priesthood, their thoughts on Nollywood’s portrayal of Traditional Religions, and ask if Ifá Yoruba Traditional Religion is in conflict with Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism). The Ladies of NYAC recount their first interactions with Traditional African Religious practices, examine ways in which our current cultural practices are intertwined with Traditional Religions (listen out for when Yeka and Ify realize that they are from the same ancestral home!), and ask our listeners: what does religion do for you and how does your identity come through, if at all, in the practice of that religion? ---------------------------------- Resources: - http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/10/the-spirituality-of-africa/ - http://thegrio.com/2011/10/19/african-religions-gain-following-among-black-christians/

On this episode we speak to African creatives who are: propagating an African interior design aesthetic that’s beyond Safari imagery and Animal prints (Nana from @BluePrintAfrica); fitting people with uniquely shaped feet with comfortable, made in Nigeria shoes (Chimsom from @Nsaata); using language to code emotions into something tangible (Ejiro aka @barelyanyhook). We discuss the unique challenges African Creatives face, from lack of constant power in Nigeria, to poor shipping logistics and inconsistent customs control across the continent, to getting local artisans to keep deadlines. Did you know that Nigeria is one of the largest exporters of unfinished leather? That Hermès carryon may have been a Nigerian cow in a previous life. Let us know what you think of the special musical performances at the end ;) ---------------------------------- Resources: - https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-african-entrepreneurship-is-booming - http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2014/02/19/untapped-economy-africas-creative-sector -

On this episode, the ladies of NYAC take on the hot button topic of immigration. Joined by Satia (who was born & raised in Portugal by parents from Guinea Bissau and now lives in London) & Nnenda (who was born in Nigeria, spent her teen years in Italy & went to England for uni) we all share our stories of migration, qualms with expat vs immigrant labels, our issues with assimilation, and the benefits of both worlds. Resources: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/the-not-quite-american-feeling-of-being-a-15-generation-immigrant http://fusion.net/story/215708/nikita-redkar-first-generation-american-problems-essay/ http://www.seattleglobalist.com/2013/06/19/first-generation-alienation-in-tukwila/14050 http://thoughtcatalog.com/helina-daniel/2014/06/8-things-you-experience-as-a-first-generation-american/ ----------------------------------------------------------- Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye

The latter part of 2016 was filled with dramatic elections taking place all over the world, some of them happening on our continent. The Ladies of NYAC chat with Jemila Abdulai (@jabdulai) from Ghana and Aisha Dabo (@mashanubian) from The Gambia about the recent elections in their respective countries. We examine the political histories of our countries, discuss the trials our democracies and elections face (low civic engagement, lack of civic education), and ask, what lessons can the rest of Africa learn from recent elections in Ghana and The Gambia? ------------------------------- Resources - http://mgafrica.com/article/2016-12-12-ghana-proves-that-peaceful-free-and-fair-elections-are-not-a-dream-in-africa - http://circumspecte.com/2016/11/ghana-election-2016-democracy-silence/ - http://africasacountry.com/2016/11/all-you-need-to-know-about-ghanas-december-7-2016-elections/ - http://qz.com/876761/five-african-2017-elections-to-watch-rwanda-kenya-angola-liberia-and-drc/ ------------------------------- What

On this episode, the ladies of NYAC talk with Gbenga Olatunji, healthcare consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)about the healthcare system in Africa. The discussion covers everything from the gaps in the healthcare system to the ideal role of the government in the health sector. Resources: http://www.janssen-emea.com/sites/default/files/The%20Future%20of%20Healthcare%20in%20Africa.pdf http://cerebrallemon.com/nigeria-loses-immunization-funding-support-from-gavi/ ----------------------------------------------------------- Reading/Watching/Listening to: - Atul Gawande's Complications (Book) - J.Cole's High For Hours (Music) - Kehlani (Music) - Luvvie Ajayi’s I’m Judging You (Book) - Cathy O'Neil's Weapons of Math Destruction(Book) - Anderson Paak's Malibu (Music) - NBC's This is Us (TV Show) - ABC's The Bachelor (TV Show) - Amazon Original Series: Good Girls Revolt (TV Show) Episode mixed by Ifeyinwa Arinze. Theme song is Ayo by Femi Leye