Why I No Longer Use Lace & Ankara: A Brief History of Nigerian Textiles
Posted April 9th, 2018 by Ololade in Articles, Blog, Culture, Fashion, Textiles
Antiquity Although the international trade in African textiles is dominated by European and Asian companies, most African nations have rich textile histories and great potential for profitable textile industries. Nigeria has tremendous potential for such an industry, however, modern Nigerians from the underemployed to the elite tend to prefer European and Asian imported fabrics for […]
No Tolerance: My Female Genital Mutilation Story
Posted February 6th, 2015 by Ololade in AFRiCKA, Articles, Blog, Culture, Medical Anthropology, Nigeria, Womanism
by: Dolapo Adedapo Years ago during my Undergraduate studies, I participated in a study abroad program in Tanzania, one of the best experiences of my life. While I do understand as a young Nigerian woman who schooled in Nigeria, that living in another African country doesn’t seem like it should be the biggest deal, I […]
Christians are Hypocrites
Posted March 16th, 2014 by siyonbola in Articles, Blog, Culture, Spirituality
They teach from their soapbox, and then they sleep with their followers. They take your money and buy private jets and gold watches, while you struggle and toil to exit your sufferation. They make you feel uncomfortable in your clothes, telling you to change the way you dress, while they’re having extramarital affairs. They purport […]
Lupita, Whitenicious and the Ownership of Beauty
Posted February 28th, 2014 by siyonbola in Articles, Blog, Culture, Fashion, Race, Womanism
The notion that Lupita Nyong’o is beautiful has been breaking news for several weeks now. I haven’t been able to participate in the public celebration of her beauty for several reasons. Because I wonder if all the people posting and reposting would have hailed Queen Lupita if they’d seen her walking down an Atlanta street […]
I Will Call Him Sochukwuma: Nigeria’s Anti-Gay Problem
Posted February 19th, 2014 by siyonbola in AFRiCKA, Articles, Blog, Culture
I have never been a gay rights advocate, but always a human rights advocate. I have found it very difficult to write on Nigeria’s anti-gay law. It’s heartbreaking. Gut-wrenching are the reports of mass attacks on “suspected” gay individuals. It just seems so 1465. Seriously, Nigeria? Are you serious? CAN WE HAVE LIGHT NOW? Now […]
Nigeria, Africa, Corruption: Funmi Iyanda’s Open Letter to Nigeria’s New Generation
Posted January 4th, 2014 by siyonbola in AFRiCKA, Articles, Blog, Womanism
The importance of Funmi Iyanda’s piece lies not in its eloquence, not in its boldness, for Funmi Iyanda has long been bold, eloquent, sagacious. All things modern revolution. The importance is in the highlighting for the world that there is in fact a Nigerian intellectual elite that brinks on revolution. It is her charge for […]
How Rich People Think
Posted December 22nd, 2013 by siyonbola in Articles, Blog, Business
Intro: Had to repost this, very useful information for those of us who want to “think and grow rich”. Many people will be shocked to find out I’m not a communist. I wouldn’t classify myself as a capitalist either, though. I believe in change-makers using wealth to help people more so than operating off the […]
NO BLEACHING ALLOWED: Fashion Week Bans Models Who Bleach Skin
Posted July 24th, 2013 by siyonbola in AFRiCKA, Articles, Blog, Fashion, Womanism
This is the kind of news that gives you hope in the reversal of our collective self-destruction. Adama Ndiaye–aka Adama Paris–has become my new idol. She is the founder of Dakar Fashion Week in Senegal and during the recent opening declared that she had banned skin-bleaching models from the week-long event. This is what I call […]
How to Protect Black Boys from Cold Blooded Murder, I Mean Self Defense
Posted July 15th, 2013 by siyonbola in AFRiCKA, Articles, Blog, Genocide, Race
I told myself that I wasn’t going to cry about Trayvon, because murder, unpunished acts of genocide are an everyday reality for Black people all over the planet. Because crying does nothing for Trayvon or his family, or the millions of souls victimized by the devil’s imperialism. Marching only tells his family they are not […]
The 256-Year-Old Herbalist
Posted July 11th, 2013 by siyonbola in Articles, Health & Vitality, Spirituality
Source: virsmai.com According to the official records, herbalist Li Ching-Yuen was born in China in 1677 (although he himself claimed that he was born in 1736). Throughout his long life, he constantly practiced herbalism and martial arts. In 1930, the New York Times newspaper printed an article in which they published official Chinese government documents […]