Afrifeature Podcast is about experiencing society and embracing cultural identity. On the show you will hear stories collected from indigenous Africans intertwined with perspectives of my most pressing social issues. You should listen if you are somebody who wants to embrace their identity authentically or simply curious about the captivating, strange and interesting African society.
False Start
Competing in a 10km race at first attempt was a lofty goal for a recreational runner my age. My goal should just have been to finish the race and not to compete.
It wasn’t. Something was different about this race. There was a nagging thought I kept shoving aside that would not stop asking me to acknowledge my innermost aspiration for the race.
Naked Padestrian
She was a woman in her forties or fifties, same complexion as me, with love handles and stretch marks on her torso that suggest we both shared the experience of bringing a life into this world. Where are her children?
Does she have a partner? Does her family know how far she’s strayed? Perhaps she is known in the neighborhood, perhaps not. Why hadn’t anyone cared to hand her a wrapper, dress or get her help?
Strong Woman Paradox
When a woman’s multi-tasking skills saves the family the bills of hiring a nanny or driver as it is common with middle-class families in Africa, some men see it as part of the duties of the woman that needs no special commendation. Smarter men consider it a privilege and leverage on it to make savings on monthly expenditure by rewarding the woman.
They pay her compliments like “good woman”, “strong woman” or “virtuous woman” for those of Christian faith. Whether the compliment is deeply heart-felt or has a patronizing under-tone, it usually has the same effect on the woman. She feels appreciated and validated.
Nana of Koko
Koko is a town in Nigeria’s infamous Niger Delta. A volatile region where hostage taking of oil company workers is common. States in this region live off the loss of their livelihood and neglect from the oil companies operating in that area.
I was introduced to participants at the youth meeting. There was an irritable elder, the inhibited women leader, the ITK (I too know) youth representative, the self acclaimed community development veteran and three other men.