Chika Unigwe’s short story “Miracle in Lagos Traffic” has been adapted for audio on Selected Shorts, the celebrated public radio series and podcast produced by Symphony Space, in an episode themed “Shifting Identities” and hosted by Meg Wolitzer. The story is read by actress Yetide Badaki, known for her role as Bilquis in American Gods, who also sat down for a backstage interview about the piece.

Set in the density of Lagos traffic, “Miracle in Lagos Traffic” is a quietly devastating look at social exploitation and the question of who gets to be seen as fully human. The story was first published in the Michigan Quarterly Review, where it was accepted by novelist Chris Abani during his stint as guest editor. Unigwe has credited fellow writer Sam Kolawole for pointing her toward the submission call in the first place.

The story went on to win the 2025 O. Henry Prize, selected by judge Edward P. Jones, cementing its place as one of the year’s standout works of short fiction. On this episode of Selected Shorts, it’s paired with “Voices” by German writer Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Carol Brown Janeway and read by David Costabile, a story about a computer technician whose mobile phone takes over his life in a way he never expected.

Listeners can catch the full episode, “Shifting Identities,” on the Selected Shorts podcast via Symphony Space.