Must-Read African Non-Fiction Books For the Second Half of 2024 – WAW Edition

Ikenna ChurchillDecember 14, 20243 Mins read39

The second half of 2024 brought an amazing and groundbreaking collection of African non-fiction interrogating history, society, and the human condition. These ten books will be written by some leading African thinkers, creatives, and historians, offering them diverse narratives from the continent.

1. African Possibilities: A Matriarchitarian Perspective for Social Justice by Ifi Amadiume

Publication Date: 22nd February 2024

Ifi Amadiume, celebrated for her influential work Male Daughters, Female Husbands, returns with African Possibilities, a profound exploration of gender and social justice. Drawing from over 40 years of scholarship, Amadiume proposes “matriarchitarianism,” a bold framework that critiques entrenched inequalities. The book examines topics ranging from kinship to religion, offering a vision of shared humanism rooted in matriarchal values. It is a must-read for anyone seeking radical solutions to global injustices.

2. Mentorship Unlocked: The Science and Art of Setting Yourself Up for Success by Janice Omadeke

Publication Date: 2nd April 2024

Janice Omadeke is a celebrated entrepreneur who gives the reader a practical guide in this insightful book on mentorship. She explores the art of finding and cultivating mentor-mentee relationships while reflecting on her journey of starting a groundbreaking company. This is vital for early-career professionals, business leaders, and aspiring mentors seeking actionable advice.

3. Outriders Africa: Essays on Exploration and Return by Various Authors

Publication Date: 14th Nov 2024

This evocative collection invites readers to see Africa through the eyes of its writers. Ten African authors journey across the continent, capturing stories of history, grief, and homecoming. From Ethiopia’s Rastafarian enclaves to the tourist beaches of Madagascar, these essays challenge Eurocentric travel narratives, offering fresh perspectives on African identity and belonging.

4. The Minotaur at Calle Lanza by Zito Madu

Publication Date: 2nd April 2024

A haunting exploration of family, migration, and identity, Zito Madu’s memoir considers his journey from Nigeria to Detroit and his fraught relationship with his father against the eerie backdrop of a pandemic-ravaged Venice. This intimate and lyrical work wrestles with themes of loss, rage, and redemption.

5. Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System by ‘Dele Farotimi

Publication Date: 2nd July 2024

This bold critique by retired lawyer and activist ‘Dele Farotimi examines the systemic corruption plaguing Nigeria’s judiciary. Blending personal anecdotes with sharp analysis, the book exposes how the powerful manipulate justice to the detriment of ordinary citizens. The work doubles as a call for reform to restore integrity to Nigeria’s courts.

Farotimi’s book gained even more attention after he was charged with defamation by legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola. His arrest and arraignment stirred debates on free speech versus defamation laws but ultimately propelled the book to Amazon’s bestseller status.

6. The Imaginative Vision of Abdilatif Abdalla’s Voice of Agony by Ken Walibora Waliaula (Non-Fiction Poetry)

Publication Date: 30th January 2024

This first-ever complete English translation of Abdilatif Abdalla’s Sauti ya Dhiki offers readers a glimpse into the renowned Swahili poet’s reflections on resistance and resilience. Composed in prison, these powerful poems, translated by the late Ken Walibora Waliaula, are a testament to Abdalla’s enduring legacy in African literature.

7. Origins of the Syma Species by Tares Oburumu (Non-Fiction Poetry)

Publication Date: 1st March 2024

Winner of the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets, Tares Oburumu contemplates single parenthood, love, and chaos in this moving poetry collection. Anchored in Nigeria’s oil-producing Syma region, Oburumu’s work inspires hope amid hardship as he brings together music, politics, and ancestry within his poetry.

8. Afro-Centered Futurisms in Our Speculative Fiction, edited by Eugen Bacon

Publication Date: 17th October 2024

This anthology of creative-critical essays on Afrofuturism and Afro-centered narratives goes into bold reflections on African spirituality, history, and cultural identity. This book features contributions from well-acclaimed African writers like Nuzo Onoh and Dilman Dila, which celebrates black speculative fiction and challenges colonial paradigms.

9. History and Its True Colors by Tanure Ojaide (Non-Fiction Poetry)

Publication Date: 30th April 2024

The latest poetry collection by the Nigerian literary giant Tanure Ojaide plunges deep into Africa’s past, present, and future. His poems traverse personal experiences and societal histories to give profound insights into how history has continuously impacted human lives. A poetic masterpiece that bridges time and memory.

10. Morafe by Khumisho Moguerane: Person, Family and Nation in Colonial Bechuanaland, 1880s to 1950s

Publication Date: 30th March 2024

Historian Khumisho Moguerane chronicles two generations of the Molema family navigating colonial South Africa and Botswana. Morafe is a powerful reminder of how personal lives and family histories intertwine with nation-building, offering a profoundly human perspective on Africa’s colonial past.

By the end of 2024, these selected books will speak to the multiheaded realities of West Africa, from personal narratives and stories to critiques of societally constructed systems that act to prove the intellectual vibrancy and storytelling prowess of the region. Whether through identity, justice, or resilience, these works should equally entertain, challenge, and inspire readers to think deeply about their worlds. As we look ahead to another year, these authors remind us of the power of literature in shaping our societies and narratives.