The Nigerian Scam

Prior to his having been declared ‘wanted’ by the Nigerian authorities, we converse with the Iva Valley bookshop owner, Drew Povey on 31st August 2024, about the #EndBadGovernance protests and the invasion of his bookshop and the NLC headquarters. We talk about the terrorism and espionage charges, details of the case with regards to his wife, comrade Yomi, the assets that have been seized or ransacked and the treatment of the arrested protesters. We also cycle through topics such as his stance on the Francophone coups and ongoing military regimes and the general strategy of the NLC among other things.

In another film club special, Commander Matrix @_missward and Comrade Pedro @pedro_omolola join us in reviewing Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti's biopic. What were the general reactions to the film? Does Bolanle Austen-Peters do justice in her take on the life of the Lioness of Lisabi? What is the place of class within feminism? How did colonialism contribute to the misogyny that permeates Nigerian society? Is there hope for a more well-rounded and dynamic effort within Nigerian feminism?

Listen and find out in our latest episode. Shoutout @Oloriebiobasa who helped us out with episode art.

Also check out their social media presence

-Take It Back Movement

- Fighting Two Colonialisms: Women in Guinea-Bissau by Stephanie

In the heat of the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests across the country we voice our early observations and assess the response of the Tinubu administration so far.

While discussing possible fissures and tendencies in the political elite as well as the masses, we also ask what strategies the current administration has employed to deal with the protests, what demographics are represented in the current events, what shape the response of the people to Tinubu's speech might take and much more.

In this episode we discuss a few recent political developments across Africa, their budding effects and their possible outcomes.

How might we assess the fate of ECOWAS and West Africa’s international relations in light of the rise of the Alliance for Sahelian States (AES— or ASS depending who you ask)? What do we know about the recent #FinanceBill and #RutoMustGo protests in Kenya? What have they learned from #EndSARS? And why does the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC always seem to drop the ball at the most crucial moments? You’ll find these and more questions (and even some answers…) if you listen to the full episode.

In our first of many conversations with Baba Aye (@BabaAye), a revolutionary trade unionist, historian, and theorist, we discuss the origins of neoliberalism in Nigeria and how it shaped and was in turn influenced by the development of the Nigerian Left. To what extent did resistance to Structural Adjustment allow the Left to reconstitute itself in the 1980s? How is the Left responding to the deepening of these reforms under the Tinubu administration?

Shouts to @Homieismoi for the production support.

In this episode, we sit down to talk to Comrades Fatai and Sango of the Movement for African Emancipation (MAE). Amongst other things, we get a feel of its organisational mission as it builds on the work of Late Comrade Baba Omojola. Also, as part of our What is Left of the Left series, we discuss the bolt and joints and other mechanics of the ongoing project of digitizing the Baba Omojola Memorial Library (BOML).

Check out their social media presence and gofund me campaign to support the new library:

-Movement For African Emancipation

-Help Build Baba Ọmọjọlá Socialist Memorial Library

Nigerian politics is certainly more and more comedic - but can Nigerian comedy be more political?

In this episode, we spoke to Dexmond, a budding act in the Nigerian comedy scene. We briefly discussed his entry into comedy, the evolution of the industry, and its peculiarities in the social media era.

Naturally, we also examined the status and role of comedy in the context of Nigerian politics. Is comedy in Nigeria already a conquered terrain? Or is comedy able to raise consciousness and challenge power? Should it?

Be sure to check out Dexmond's Youtube channel and look out for his upcoming special on your usual platforms.

And also stop by his Instagram page for more laughs.

Hello there. We've been on a health break. But we are still here. We still pod. We've got a new episode for you.

In our latest episode and the first of a new and exciting mini-series (henceforth WLNL) on the actually-existing Nigerian Left, we have a chat with Comrade Chido Onumah, a journalist and archivist, about the Socialist Library and Archive (SOLAR) Calabar, and its ongoing digitization project. We were curious to know, amongst other things, about the origins of SOLAR, their ongoing work, what lay behind the impulse of Comrades Eddie and Bene Madunagu handing over their Combined and Extended Library over to the Nigerian Left -- and, of course, what the gesture means in practical terms. Enjoy.

Links:

The SOLAR Website: http://socialistlibraryandarchives.org

Generations of the Nigerian and African Left – History and historicity, By Biodun Jeyifo https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/606335-generations-of-the-nigerian-and-african-left-history-and-historicity-by-biodun-jeyifo.html?tztc=1

In light of the recent #EndHunger Protests around the country, we talked to one of the organisers and director of the #TakeItBack Movement ( @AyowoleSanyaolu ) to assess the politico-economic conditions leading up to the mass action, historic (in)actions of the Unions and its effects on the citizenry.

We also discussed possible actions that could reinvigorate mass consciousness and deepen on-the-ground political work towards a fundamental change.

Image Credit https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-protests-government-economy-inflation-2dcb6ec98716772b6630476e13880c82

In our latest episode, we examine the Vietnamese socialist project in a lighthearted conversation with Taofeek ( @afolxbi ), a young Nigerian communist who visited recently. Amongst the many things we looked to learn, we were curious to know if and/or how, decades after their protracted civil war, a 'unified' Vietnam is moving on. We also covered issues around attitudes towards (economic) development outside of the cities. The Vietnamese lesson (hammers & sickles), as you might find, is that an engaged citizenry is a vital component of nation building