Talking Papers

Co-author: Kalu Victorene It was the twelfth day of the twelfth month of 2012. It was the day I knew we can be the living outside, and the dead inside. Segun and I had planned a romantic trip to South Africa. We were to go hiking on the Amatola Trails and visit the prison Nelson…

It had always been Njideka and her mother. Right from the rainy day when Njideka was delivered by a middle-aged midwife in her mother’s little house that had bowls placed in some strategic places to take in the water that seeped in from the roof to the time she was six years old and considered…

Echioma’s name means Good Tomorrow. However, nothing in her life had been good. Even Amanze who now slept beside her on the bed, curled up like a baby and snoring like a Gorilla, added to her misery. Echioma looked around her bedroom and tried to take it all in; the huge mirror with gold rims,…

August, 2019 They say that to eat with the devil, you must do so with a long spoon. But I am as foolish as they come and I ate with the devil, all fingers in the bowl. November, 2017 Chibuike sat eerily still on the only chair in his small room that served as the…

Folake was not ready to begin sleeping with married men. No matter how promiscuous she was, married men were never her target. There was no doubt that they were helplessly attracted to her flawless dark skin and straight legs. Some promised her the best of things she found really hard to refuse, while some had…

Mum didn’t think it mattered at all that Johnny put on my lipstick, wore my red lacy bra together with his diapers, and catwalked on our marble tiled corridor. I didn’t think it mattered too. What bothered me more was that the ‘little’ guy was still wearing diapers at age six. Johnny loved to watch…

The Pastor had just finished the Sunday’s Service. Most of his congregation came up to him and shook his hand, thanking him for the spirit filled sermon that lifted their hearts and blessed their souls. The Pastor stood straight, tall, and proud in his crisp dark blue shirt designed by Polo and brown chinos pants…

October, 2013 If there is a God, then he is asleep. Gbemisola sat down naked on the red plush velvet chair facing the big mirror that had beautiful silver carvings as its frame. She carefully drew on her face the shape of eyebrows she liked; thin as a pin, the arc sharp as a knife.…