Born Again – Innocent Chizaram Ilo
Born Again Innocent Chizaram Ilo IThe women of Awele come to Miss Kish at Chalet 97 to be born again. A tall woman with black-pepper-sprinkled-on-sunflower skin and eyes that pretend to not see you owns the place. She is also the first woman to leave the man she was...
Bye Bye to B’ẹ́lẹ́ja yán – Temitope Owolabi
Bye Bye to B'ẹ́lẹ́ja yán Temitope Owolabi I still pick up my husband’s laundry every Friday, even match his socks for him, so he’s not running around like a headless chicken in the mornings trying to get ready for work. But these are mere gestures, actions...
The Cosmonaut – Rešoketšwe Manenzhe
The CosmonautRešoketšwe Manenzhe i. the life seekerThe life seeker resumed his flight. The night would bring rain, as told by the clouds. So the seeker crossed to the border where the deserts met. There, the rain fell in soft patters.ii. ...
Return to Me – Roy Udeh-Ubaka
Return to Me Roy Udeh-Ubaka She returns to me in a dream, in the large beige house with the little porch and the screen that never quite fit into the doorjamb. Tonight, she takes the form of a slightly younger self, a little narrow around her waistline....
The Caller – Ope Adedeji
The Caller Ope Adedeji As with most things, it didn’t start as an obsession; it was an interest spurred by a documentary he watched as a boy. He told himself he was a collector of voices, like his co-worker, Nnamdi who collected jewellery from the women he...
Possession – Jarred Thompson
Possession Jarred Thompson I watch the women who come to shake my husband’s hand. “Thank you Pastor for the great anointing I received today.” “Bless you Pastor, I feel so blessed. Thank you.” “It’s so good to be visiting your church today.” It’s the same snippets of...
Mothers – Keletso Mopai
Mothers Keletso Mopai “The heart of a hurt child can shrink so that forever afterward it is hard and pitted as the seed of a peach.” – Carson McCullers Often, a mother looks her new born baby in the eyes and sees endless stars. Sometimes, she rubs her belly and feels...
Our Girl, Bimpe – Olakunle Ologunro
Our Girl, BimpeOlakunle Ologunro 1. In 2017, Bimpe Adedeji created another Facebook account. The reasons for this are numerous, but to sum it up in one point, she had become mature. The first time she created a Facebook account was in 2013, the year...
The Ache of Longing – Chukwuebuka Ibeh
The Ache of Longing Chukwuebuka Ibeh It was a mistake. The only thing the Professor was capable of doing effectively nowadays was making mistakes. Once, he had slipped his house keys into his shirt pocket and had spent the next few minutes searching for it...
The Giver of Nicknames – Rémy Ngamije
The Giver of Nicknames Rémy Ngamije Prelude. When we were clowns, children, and things – before we sprouted personalities, individual hopes, and collective guilt; before we reconciled all aspects of our conflicting beings – there were four Donovans at our school:...
The Couch – Zanta Nkumane
The Couch Zanta Nkumane IThe couch is a living thing – did you know? That’s why I can’t take it with me. I can take the fridge because it’s not a living thing. It breathes cold air. I can take the cutlery or maybe the washing machine for practicality and...
Hungry Days – Tammi Browne-Bannister
Hungry Days Tammi Browne-Bannister 1 I overheard this conversation between the people sitting on the strip-up van seat in front of me. The latest was about a woman who had to run for her life. I heard that she was panting, dripping sweat, snot and tears,...