Every Sunday, week after week, all through an uncertain year, the Lagos Review has published over 48 newsletters and over 300 original articles, all while social distancing and collaborating through social media channels.
To mark the end of this trying year, we are sharing a list of twenty of the most popular Lagos Review pieces of the past twelve months, to reflect the year’s unique highs and lows.
Piece by piece, the list encapsulates the stories we have covered as a literary platform all through the duration of one year.
We hope you enjoy reading these high converting articles again, if you haven’t already done so during the course of the year.
Here are our top 20 stories:
LITERARY ESSAYS:
- Afterword: Who is a Young Writer? – Dami Ajayi.
A harmless banter about ‘young writers’ ƙ goes south and the twitter ecosystem does what it does best; criticize. Dami Ajayi in the aftermath of the viral buzz, schools us on who a ‘young writer’ really is. www.thelagosreview.ng/afterword-who-is-a-young-writer-dami-ajayi/ - Where were you when you heard Pius Adesanmi was on that flight?- Toni Kan
But to me he was a foolish boy who somehow managed to capture our collective imagination with his prodigious intellect. Pius Adesanmi was a bonafide multi hyphenate – Poet/Prose Stylist/Academic/Public Intellectual. https://thelagosreview.ng/where-were-you-when-you-heard-pius-adesanmi-was-on-that-flight-toni-kan/
- Five Things COVID-19 has taught me about life – Nnedi Okorafor.
From Wale Okediran to Helon Habila, the series had everyone talking about lessons learnt in isolation, taught by an unwelcome virus.
Read Nnedi Okorafor’s answers here:
https://thelagosreview.ng/five-things-covid-19-has-taught-me-about-life-nnedi-okorafor/ - The first time I saw God – Bisi Adjapon.
And he was gazing at me out of soft blue eyes, his long blond hair glowing from the sun’s rays behind him. A man with custard colored skin, facing me from that most precious engagement gift of all.
https://thelagosreview.ng/the-first-time-i-saw-god-bisi-adjapon/
MUSIC REVIEWS:
- Annotations on Brymo’s “Yellow’ – Dami Ajayi.
To think about Brymo’s style is to consider a surfeit of influences because what he lends his gravelly tenor to is a range of discourses. Brymo is at heart a griot, one who is enamoured of storytelling. And he fancies Lagos.
https://thelagosreview.ng/annotations-on-brymos-yellow-dami-ajayi/
6. Teni Billionaire: Giving new life to a forgotten TV show and its host – Dotun Olutoke.
Billionaire, with its “aspirational” message, is an addition to the collage of songs like Dice Ailes’ Otedola, Adekunle Gold’s Pick Up, and Burna Boy’s Dangote; songs where Nigerian billionaires have been eulogised by music stars.
https://thelagosreview.ng/teni-billionaire-giving-new-life-to-a-forgotten-tv-show-and-its-host-dotun-olutoke/
- Album Review: MI Abaga’s “Judah” reminds us how incredible Mr Incredible used to be- Udochukwu Ikwuagwu.
Judah EP chronicles his last days as a Choc boy. Prior to its release, a pair of singles, “The Viper” and “The Warrior” were released. The former was a scathing attack on Vector while the latter re-introduced singer Kauna.
https://thelagosreview.ng/album-review-mi-abagas-judah-reminds-us-how-incredible-mr-incredible-used-to-be-udochukwu-ikwuagwu/ - On “Twice As Tall” Burna Boy Transforms Afrofusion – Dami Ajayi.
Burna Boy’s sound has neither changed nor wavered; it is more deliberate, charged and sharpened for pop currency.
https://thelagosreview.ng/on-twice-as-tall-burna-boy-transforms-afrofusion-dami-ajayi/
MOVIE REVIEWS:
- The Herbert Macaulay Affair: A Sign of Things that Should come –Ayodele Ibiyemi.
Watching The Herbert Macaulay Affair, it is difficult to miss the scripting as it is engaging and interesting. The story is well researched and well written; and the historical events are rendered with uncanny accuracy.
https://thelagosreview.ng/the-herbert-macaulay-affair-a-sign-of-things-that-should-come-ayodele-ibiyemi/ - “Oloture” by Kenneth Gyang is a very GOOD disappointment – Ruona Meyer.
Thelagosreview.ng serves you the first review of Kenneth Gyang’s Netflix original, Oloture, on the streaming platform. The review is by Ruona Meyer, Emmy nominated investigative journalist.
Read it here:
https://thelagosreview.ng/oloture-by-kenneth-gyang-is-a-very-good-disappointment-ruona-meyer/ - “Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story” fails to thrill as a heist caper – Dika Ofoma
The truth is, Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story is not quite sure what it wants to be; in trying to be so many things at the same time, its interesting ideas become convoluted with none taking centre stage.
https://thelagosreview.ng/rattlesnake-the-ahanna-story-fails-to-thrill-as-a-heist-caper-dika-ofoma/ - “Citation’s” Moremi Oluwa and the legendary Moremi Ajasoro – Halima Adisa.
The movie is a dramatization of “No To Sex For Grades” – a satirical one to right the wrong. In her role as fighter for justice, Moremi’s character is relatable to the legendary Moremi Ajasoro from whom she gets her name.
https://thelagosreview.ng/citations-moremi-oluwa-and-the-legendary-moremi-ajasoro-halima-adisa/
BOOK REVIEWS:
- TLR exclusive: Onyeka Nwelue reviews Wole Soyinka’s “Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth.”
With a few days to the release of Wole Soyinka’s eagerly anticipated new novel, ‘Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth’, Onyeka Nwelue’s pens his unique thoughts regarding the octogenarian’s first novel in over four decades.
- The Secrets that keep us: a review of Olukorede Yishau’s “Vaults of Secrets” – Sima Essien.
Vaults of Secrets is comprised of 10 stand-alone stories which collectively focus on the lives of Nigerians, as well as the secrets that define them. All of the stories brim with the force of Yishau’s signature prose: a balance of measured narration, crisp detailing, stellar wisdom and sensitive unfolding.
https://thelagosreview.ng/the-secrets-that-keep-us-by-sima-essien/ - Limbe to Lagos: Young African writers and the extinction of taboo – Toni Kan.
This is a ground breaking book that curates experiences of young writers through the prism of two neighboring countries, Nigeria and Cameroun.
https://thelagosreview.ng/young-african-writers-and-the-extinction-of-taboo/ - The Post Publication Blues Of “RAINBOWS ARE FOR LOVERS”-Wale Okediran.
“The solution to Post Publication Blues is to start another story” Even Hunter advised in the Writer’s Handbook, another valuable book. But try as I may, I could not get myself to write a single sentence and my typewriter soon gathered dust and cobwebs.
https://thelagosreview.ng/the-post-publication-blues-of-rainbows-are-for-lovers-wale-okediran/
INTERVIEWS/PROFILES
- Sylva Nze Ifedigbo in conversation with Nancy Adimora – “We should be careful with how much emphasis we place on external validation.”
thelagosreview.ng contributor, Sylva Nze Ifedigbo interviewed Ms Adimora and they spoke about Chimamanda, Biafra, Harry Potter, Aminatta Forna and sleeping 8 hours every night.
https://thelagosreview.ng/sylva-nze-ifedigbo-in-conversation-with-nancy-adimora-we-should-be-careful-with-how-much-emphasis-we-place-on-external-validation/
18. Toni Kan in conversation with Oyinkan Braithwaite -“Hell no, I don’t have time for a new novel.”
Culture critic, Toni Kan takes on award winning novelist, Oyinkan Braithwaite in a fact finding interview session about her literary predilection.
- KoniBajeBaby! Meet the man behind Agba (@oli_ekun) – Dami Ajayi.
At every instance of his act, Agba is poised on a serenade. His gift of the garb is aimed at dazzling a sexual interest. His promise, with a brisk lick of lips, is toe-curling orgasms, vacation in exotic locales, and a shitload of dash money.
https://thelagosreview.ng/interview-with-the-man-behind-the-instagram-comic-impression-agba/
20. The Lagos Review In Conversation with Jude Idada, NLNG Prize winner and author of Boom Boom, Exotica Celestica , Oduduwa King of Edos etc.
The Lagos Review sits down with award winning storyteller, Jude Idada as they discuss stories and winning the NLNG prize.
