As part of Africa Month celebrations, Professor Ainehi Edoro—founder of Brittle Paper and assistant professor of Global Black Literatures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison—joined South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)’s Liezle Wilson for a conversation on the global impact and enduring legacy of Nigerian literature. The interview formed part of a special series by SABC marking May 18th’s Africa Day and the continent’s cultural achievements throughout the month.

During the interview, Edoro emphasizes the enduring global appeal of Nigerian literature, describing how writers like Chinua Achebe established a tradition of storytelling that remains vital and deeply rooted in Nigerian worldviews. “Imagine a book like Things Fall Apart,” she says, “Achebe stunned the world by weaving this beautiful story rooted in indigenous Igbo ideas about politics, about cosmology, philosophy… something that felt so true and beautiful.”

The conversation also touches on the work of other literary giants such as Wole Soyinka and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Soyinka, Edoro notes, embodies a rare blend of intellectualism and activism: “He’s always seen art as a space to speak out—to fight against power, no matter how big or dangerous.” She credits Adichie not only for her global visibility but also for “creating a powerful anthem for African feminism… a global phenomenon where millennials and Gen Zers saw themselves as finding a voice in her work.”

While Edoro distances herself from the label of traditional activism, she described her role as an “information activist:” “In a world where information is everywhere, the problem isn’t access—it’s making information meaningful for the right people, at the right time, in the right place.” Edoro understands her work as editor-in-chief of Brittle Paper and as a professor of literature as creating “space for African voices to be heard above the noise. So we can have a place where we see what African literature looks like—what the scene looks like, what we care about as a culture. And to show the world that we’re doing amazing things in the global literary space.”

Edoro also highlights a new generation of Nigerian writers pushing the boundaries of genre and form. She names Akwaeke Emezi, Chukwuebuka Ibeh, and Arinze Ifeakandu as rising voices transforming fantasy, world-building, and storytelling in exciting ways.

As the continent continues to celebrate Africa Month, Edoro’s reflections underscore why Nigerian literature continues to resonate—rooted in history, alive in the present, and shaping a global literary future.

Watch the full interview below!