Black Books & Black Literature: The Noisy Book Club Podcast

On this month’s Member Chat, Benny sits down with Anjola Robert — known in the club as the “Glass Captain” — for a, lively, and hilarious conversation.
Together, they discuss the book of the month, romance, vulnerability, timing, and emotional risk. For Anjola, the book was nothing short of a Valentine’s miracle — a story that restored her faith.
Beyond the book, the conversation drifts into personal territory, to the chaotic realities of their lives in Lagos, they share their own complicated moments.

Listen, Like & share for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

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In this episode of the Love in Detty December series, Modupe chats with Pearl Bassey, contributing author to Ponmo Is a Bird That Has No Place in a Cultured Culinary Sky and Other Stories and writer of the story Stardust.
Pearl shares the fascinating contradiction in her craft: though she does not consider herself a romance reader, she is deeply drawn to writing love stories.
Together, discuss her process, the what shaped Stardust, and the bold narrative choice of setting a love story in one of the most unexpected places—a funeral.
Stay tuned every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12PM as Modupe continues her interviews with authors featured in Volume Three of Love in Detty December Anthology "Ponmo Is A Bird That Has No Place In A Cultured Culinary Sky" you can get your own copy ⁠HERE⁠

This episode leads up to our February Book Club Meeting on the 28th of February. Tickets are now available. Secure your spot and join the discussion as we unpack the book of the month "Love, Lagos and Other Complications by Zainab Uche Imam. Get your tickets to attend ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠

Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

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Kicking off the Ponmo is a Bird Author Chat Series is a fun and in-depth conversation featuring Oluchukwu Nwabuikwu, author of the titular story in Ponmo is a Bird that has no place in a cultured culinary sky.

In this first episode, temporary host Modupe Daramola sits down with Oluchukwu (DJ 2P2E) to explore his journey from growing up in Aba, Anambra State—where he felt like a “spare part”—to carving out a creative life in Lagos as both a DJ and writer.

They discuss identity, belonging, craft, and a grounded love story that shapes his voice and worldview.

Get your own copy of the book "Ponmo Is A Bird That Has No Place In A Cultured Culinary Sky" HERE

This episode leads up to our February Book Club Meeting on the 28th of February. Tickets are now available. Secure your spot and join the discussion as we unpack the book of the month "Love, Lagos and Other Complications by Zainab Uche Imam. Get your tickets to attend ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.⁠

Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X) ⁠⁠⁠⁠for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

In this episode of the Noisy Book Club Podcast, Benny sits down with author Zainab Uche Imam, the mind behind our Book of the Month, Love, Lagos and Other Complications.

Zainab shares her unexpected journey from balancing a 9-to-5 career to embracing her identity as a writer, after believing music would be her first creative path.

They explore the emotional shift of realising that people are not only reading her work but connecting with it.

They also discuss the evolving landscape of romance fiction in Nigeria, her hopes for the genre, and what authentic love stories rooted in Lagos mean for today’s readers.

This episode leads up to our February Book Club Meeting on the 28th of February. Tickets are now available. Secure your spot and join the discussion as we unpack the book, its themes, and the growing voice of contemporary Nigerian romance.

Perfect for: Fans of contemporary romance, Nigerian literature, urban storytelling, aspiring novelists.

1. This episode leads up to our February Book Club Meeting on the 28th of February. Tickets are now available. Secure your spot and join the discussion as we unpack the book, its themes, and the growing voice of contemporary Nigerian romance. Get your tickets to attend ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X) ⁠⁠⁠for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

This October, the Noisy book club gathered to discuss Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo— an anthology that weaves Nigerian culture with elements of speculative fiction, horror, and magical realism.

In an open and thought-provoking conversation, members explored the book’s central themes, which are organised into three collections: Hunger, Hauntings, and Heralds.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

1. General opinions on the book Caged Ocean Dub

2. Members share their favorite stories and sections.

3. A perspective conversation about reclaiming power in Kaolin

4. A deep dive into the stories and themes with the author.

5. A conversation about the themes of horror and magical realism.

About the Book Caged Ocean Dub  is a haunting and imaginative anthology that redefines the boundaries of Nigerian speculative fiction. Blending folklore, myth, and futuristic visions, Dare Segun Falowo crafts stories that traverse worlds both spiritual and surreal. Through three interconnected collections—Hunger, Hauntings, and Heralds.

With a speculative prose and a distinctly Nigerian lens, Caged Ocean Dub captures the strange beauty of life at the crossroads of the mystical and the mundane, inviting readers to question what it means to be human in a world that is constantly shifting between the real and the otherworldly.

Listen, like, and subscribe for more author interviews, African storytelling, and book club conversations. Share your thoughts in the comments—have you read The Road to the Salt Sea? What did you make of the ending?

We are grateful to our sponsors, Àjàrà Foods. Please check out their Instagram ⁠here.⁠ To order your Àjàrà products, click on this ⁠link.⁠ Follow us on⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ &⁠ ⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠⁠. You can attend our November book club meeting ⁠here⁠.

In this episode of Author Book Chat, host Benny speaks with Dare Segun Falowo, author of Caged Ocean Dub. We unpack the book’s blend of African cosmologies, surreal horror, soft sci-fi and mythmaking, and trace Dare’s creative journey from idea to publication. Hear close readings of standout stories, practical craft advice for emerging writers, and a conversation about how contemporary Nigerian authors are reshaping genre fiction.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
• The inspiration behind Caged Ocean Dub and its use of myth and folklore.
• How Dare blends surreal horror, soft sci-fi and spiritual mythmaking.
• Practical writing tips and process notes for short-story writers.
• Why African speculative fiction is vital to global genre conversations.

Perfect for: fans of African literature, speculative fiction, weird fiction, literary interviews, and book clubs.

Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub. Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Twitter (X) ⁠⁠for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

In this episode of the best African literary podcast, host Benny sits down with Ibifubara Davis — psychologist, writer, book club member, and former Big Brother Naija housemate. Together, they dive into our October Book of the Month, Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo, exploring its themes, their shared love for psychology, and why stories like this matter in today’s African literary landscape.

Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub. Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Twitter (X) ⁠⁠for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Our host, Benny, sits down with poet Inuwa Niimah to discuss her debut collection, In the Wake of What Was.In this episode, they explore her journey of writing the collection, the path to publication, and the inspirations that shaped her poetry.

About the Book

In the Wake of What Was, gathers the fragments of love, loss, womanhood, and becoming into tender verses that speak to the shared experiences of Nigerian women and beyond.

Across 65 pages, the collection carries you through silences and storms, weaving poems that linger long after the last line. It is a book for anyone who has ever stood at the edge of change, carrying memory in one hand and possibility in the other.

Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub.Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend ⁠here⁠.

Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Twitter (X) ⁠for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

In this episode of our Author Book Chat series, podcast host Benny sits down with Samuel Kolawole, author of the internationally acclaimed debut novel The Road to the Salt Sea. Together, they explore the novel’s unforgettable characters, powerful themes, and the creative journey behind this thought-provoking story.

Join Benny and Samuel in this insightful and funny conversation as they discuss Kolawole’s writing process, the inspiration behind his characters, and what readers can expect next from this exciting new voice in African literature.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Behind-the-scenes look at The Road to the Salt Sea

• Samuel Kolawole’s writing process and creative inspirations

• Themes of migration, identity, and resilience

• Insights for writers, readers, and book lovers everywhere

About the Book:
A searing exploration of the global migration crisis, The Road to the Salt Sea takes readers from Nigeria to Libya to Italy through the eyes of Able God — a young man working at a luxury hotel where he flashes his “toothpaste-white smile” for wealthy guests. When he’s not serving the privileged, he dreams big, reads self-help books, and learns life lessons from chess — until one decision changes everything.

Join the Conversation: Whether you’re part of a book club, a fan of African storytelling, or just love hearing authors discuss their craft, this episode is filled with laughter, insight, and inspiration.

Our October Book of the Month is Dare Segun Falowo’s Caged Ocean Dub.
Join our monthly book club meeting in Lagos — every last Saturday of the month. Get your tickets to attend here.

Listen, Like & Subscribe for more author interviews, African fiction discussions, and book club conversations.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (X) for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

This September, the Noisy book club gathered to discuss The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kọ́láwọ́lé, a powerful debut novel that traces one man’s harrowing journey from Nigeria to Europe in search of a better life.

In this open, thought-provoking conversation, book club members explore the novel’s urgent themes—migration, survival, class, and the search for meaning in a broken world. From the halls of a Lagos hotel to the deadly deserts of North Africa, The Road to the Salt Sea invites reflection on the human cost of displacement and the power of resilience.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

1. General opinions on Able God—arrogant, entitled, or a product of his environment?

2. A fiery debate on standout characters: Able God, Ben Ten, Akudo and Dr Badero.

3. A perspective changing theory on Able’s obsession with Akudo and Dr. Badero.

4. A deep dive into survival, desperation, and Able God’s Sahara journey.

5. Reflections on resilience—what truly fueled Able God’s strength?

6. Unconventional insights on religion as guide, weapon, or escape.

 About the Book The Road to the Salt Sea is a gripping and debut exploring the global migration crisis. Winner of the Whiting award and shortlisted for The Pen America Longlist award, It takes us on a journey from Nigeria to Libya to Italy, we follow Able God—a hotel worker with big dreams and a sharp mind—as he’s thrust into a dangerous journey of survival after a chance encounter spirals into violence. Caught between hope and desperation, Able joins a group of migrants led by a self-proclaimed prophet, facing traffickers, starvation, and the harsh truths of displacement.

Listen, like, and subscribe for more author interviews, African storytelling, and book club conversations. Share your thoughts in the comments—have you read The Road to the Salt Sea? What did you make of the ending?

We are grateful to our sponsors, Àjàrà Foods. Please check out their instagram here. To order your Àjàrà products, click on this link.
Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠. You can attend our October book club meeting here.