“Nigeria is in a post-shame dystopia; A Nigerian is always the loudest person in the room.” – Elnathan John
Writer and satirist Elnathan John, famous for his critical assesment of the peculiar Nigerian situation will tomorrow launch his unrestrained and outrageously funny book, Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide; at an event organized by the Royal African and Cassava Republic Press.
The event tagged “Sinking, Giggling into the Sea: On Satire and Politics” will unpack political comedy and weaponized satire and their role in advocating change.
Elnathan John, alongside chairperson of the event, Sarah Ozo-Irabor, host of the ‘Books & Rhymes’ podcast show, will tackle satire and its role in activism.
The event which will take place on Tuesday, 15th October, 2019, from 19:00 – 20:30, will be at the
Wolfson lecture theatre, Paul Webley Wing, North Block, Torrington Square, London WC1E 7HX
Elnathan’s book, “Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide”, is a searing and darkly entertaining look at how power operates in private and in public; in politics, business, religious institutions and in homes. From the exploration of religious hypocrisy to the pragmatic nature of ‘Nigerian love’, the collection is a jab at Nigerian society.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elnathan John, is one of Nigeria’s most well-known contemporary satirists. He has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing (2013 & 2015) and has been published in Per Contra, Evergreen Review and Chimurenga’s The Chronic. His debut novel, Born on a Tuesday, won a Betty Trask Award in 2017 and was shortlisted for the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature. He is also one of the judges for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize.
