Editor's picks
The Myth of Bayajidda
Bayajidda is the founding myth of the Hausa kingdoms. Or legend, depending on who you ask. Shamsudeen joins this episode to tell the story and weigh in.
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Beyond Currency: The Enduring Lives of the Cowrie Shell in Igbo Cosmology
A shell once carried from hand to hand as currency, became a vessel through which history, spirituality, and identity continue to speak
By Akunna Danugwu· 6 min read
Eight Ways a Dead Twin Becomes a Bird in Ga Ritual
When a Ga twin dies, the story does not end with burial.
By Benjamin neil Ibrahim· 5 min read
Coming Home Through Gborodigondi
A viral TikTok clip of a twenty-year-old Nsukka music video pulls a childhood memory back into focus
By Nneoma Sally· 7 min read
The Literal Voice of the Oja
A flute I dismissed as too archaic to notice stopped me mid-stride on an NYSC parade ground
By Nneoma Sally· 6 min read
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From the Oriire Codex
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All episodes →The Jollof War
UNESCO has officially named Senegal as the birthplace of Jollof rice. The war is far from over. Pamela, Adwoa, and Jen join this episode to argue for their regional version, and why theirs is the one to beat.
The Ishi Tradition
In Delta State, there is a marital tradition that forbids a married woman from sleeping with anyone other than her husband, with severe spiritual consequences for breaking it. Anthonia joins this episode to talk about Ishi and how it continues to be practiced among the Aniomas, Isokos, and Urhobos.
Forced Dating in Ancient Ethiopia
In ancient Ethiopia, courtship was not always a matter of choice. Eden joins this episode to talk about how forced dating actually worked, and who could be subjected to it.
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