Inumidun Seyiolapade
I like looking back in time to gain perspective on the future.
Published works
19 pieces
Tales of An Ashanti Father
A British Chancellor's granddaughter marries into Ashanti aristocracy, and spends fifty years in Kumasi writing down spider stories for children
9/6/2026 · 12 min
Durban's Street "Chow" as an Artifact of Apartheid Resistance
South Africa has plenty of fusion street foods that tell stories of adaptation and survival, but the Bunny Chow, a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with curry, born out of the necessity of its times, became the sign of a subtler resistance to apartheid structures.
11/23/2025 · 6 min
You're Team Book Too? The Lost Manuscripts of Ancient Timbuktu
Are you one of the people who think Timbuktu is a mythical land of desert and dust? Think again, because this place was an old-time Silicon Valley that valued books more than cars and had a decentralized library system as the best cloud storage network a city could ask for.
10/17/2025 · 14 min
Iyalode & Iyaloja: Twin Pillars of Precolonial Yoruba Economic Empire
While Western society was busy telling women to stay in the kitchen, Yoruba women were out running the markets, controlling the wealth, and holding so much power that not even a king could tell them what to do. The question is how?
10/17/2025 · 11 min
Zulu: From Trickster Spirits to Lightning Birds
In the world of Zulu folklore, the line between human and spirit is thinner than the walls in a rental apartment and one can only hope that these ancestors are on their sides, because Lightning can indeed strike the same place twice.
9/9/2025 · 11 min
Ghanaian Waakye and Its Transatlantic Counterparts
Waakye (pronounced “wah-chay”) isn’t just rice and beans; it’s a Ghanaian classic with a story to tell. This article highlights its many variations and traces how the dish journeyed across the Atlantic, leaving its mark on food cultures far beyond Ghana.
8/19/2025 · 15 min
Hibiscus Through Time, Cultures and Science
Hibiscus sabdariffa is more than a vibrant drink ingredient, it’s a plant with deep historical roots and remarkable health properties. From its role in traditional cultures to modern scientific research, this piece looks at how hibiscus has endured as both a cultural staple and a subject of cutting-edge study.
8/15/2025 · 12 min
Gle Mask-Spirits as Agents of Social Order Among the Dan of Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia
Among the Dan people of west-central Côte d'Ivoire and northern Liberia, Gle masks aren't just carved objects sitting behind glass. This exploration dives into how the entities behind these masks function as both spiritual guardians and problem-solvers in Dan society.
7/5/2025 · 14 min
Yorùbá Ìsìnkú Practices and Taboos
Death isn't the end—it's just the beginning of an incredible journey home. This article will take us through the world of Yorùbá Ìsìnkú practices and taboos, where funeral rites aren't just about saying goodbye but about ensuring safe passage through the afterlife.
6/12/2025 · 13 min
Comparing Madam Koi-Koi's Film Portrayal to Traditional Nigerian School Folklore
In 2023, Netflix brought the urban legend of Madam Koi-Koi to global screens with "The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi," Nollywood's first horror series on the platform. But the question is, did they get her right? Let's compare the ghost we grew up fearing to her slick new streaming makeover.
6/11/2025 · 8 min
The Griot's Voice in Senegalese Cinema: Djibril Diop Mamébty's Adaptation of Oral Poetics
Djibril Diop Mambéty never trained a day in film, yet he built a cinema all his own from satire and dreamlike images. In his hands the camera became a griot, carrying West Africa's oldest oral storytelling into a wholly modern form.
6/11/2025 · 10 min
The Vèvè of Haitian Vodou
Ever seen those gorgeous geometric patterns in movies about Haiti? Those aren't just fancy floor decorations—they're vèvè, the spiritual calling cards of Haitian Vodou. This article will delve into the evolution of these ground drawings, from their potential roots in Dahomean traditions to their sacred and symbolic role in contemporary Haitian Vodou.
5/8/2025 · 9 min
The Twelve Gates of Duat
The ancient Egyptians believed that death marked the beginning of a soul’s journey to eternal life. Central to this belief was the Duat — the Egyptian underworld — through which the soul had to travel. This article explores the twelve gates of the Duat, the guardians who watched over them, and the meaning of each stage in the soul’s passage to eternity.
5/8/2025 · 12 min
Modjadji: The Rain Queen of South Africa
The history of Modjadji is one from the Balovedu tribe of South Africa. The article delves into the significance of this personage and her importance to the people of her tribe.
11/14/2024 · 7 min
Variations of the Myth of Mami Wata
The illustrious Mami Wata is a deity of great reach and many different faces. This article dives into the waters she visited and takes a look at the regional variations of her myth.
9/2/2024 · 10 min
Iwas: Haitian Spirits of Rebellion
Iwas are spirits in the diasporic religion of Voudou. This article explores their journey over transatlantic waters to the Caribbeans where they finally settle into Haitian soil.
9/2/2024 · 12 min
The Cwezi People of Uganda: An Illumination on the Subject of the Enigmatic Populace
The topic of the transcendental Cwezi people of Uganda who existed thousands of years ago, is one that is filled with speculations and hypotheses. This article aims to shed light on the historical, cultural, religious, and mythical aspects of these conjectural beings, by delving into their origins, heritage, and attributes.
6/29/2024 · 11 min
Abiku: The Yoruba Concept of Spirit Children
The abiku is a spirit child the Yoruba believe is born only to die young and return to the same womb again and again. Caught between the world of the living and the spirits, it carries supernatural knowledge and leaves grieving families searching for ways to break the cycle.
4/28/2024 · 8 min
The Yoruba "Ila": The History and Significance of the Yoruba Art of Scarification
Long before it was ever a slaver's brand, scarification was an art across Africa, and among the Yoruba the marks are known as ila. Cut with a blade and stained with charcoal, they once named a person's family and lineage at a glance, and were even used to keep abiku children from dying.
3/5/2024 · 7 min