Cynthia Okoroafor

I’m a writer, audio-visual content developer, producer, and budding screenwriter living in Lagos, Nigeria. I love music, movies, arts, culture, food, drinks, and life.


You'd also find me rather impassionate when it comes to policies, innovation, travel, advertising, and dance.

Ventures Africa •

Paint the City - Oshodi: How an NGO is giving hope through colour

Everyone passing by wanted to know why a group of people wearing the same type of branded t-shirts were painting a section of one of the buildings in Oshodi market on a hot, sunny afternoon. People gathered round, intrigued and discussing the unusual scene amongst themselves. “Is it the government that is doing it?” a passerby stopped to ask me. “No”, I replied, “it’s an NGO called Lofelofe, and they’re doing it for free.” He seemed impressed, told us “well done” and continued on his way. Betwe
Culture Trip •

How to Spend Two Weeks in Lagos

One quick piece of advice: try to arrive at LOS (Murtala Muhammed International Airport) around noon for two reasons: firstly, irrespective of the day of the week, you should certainly beat traffic going to your hotel, whether on the Mainland or Island and secondly, you can catch your breath, rest for a while, and be ready to begin your holiday immediately. For the purpose of this itinerary, we’ll say you landed on a Sunday and are staying on “the Island.” Now, depending on how much rest you ne
Culture Trip •

Will Africa Spark Half of the World's Population Growth?

In 2050, the global population is projected to witness an exponential increase of about 2.4 billion people. Such an increase would be a sizable impact on the world. According to the latest United Nations’ report on population, Africa will be responsible for more than half of that growth. Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda have been listed as the top five countries where this population boom will originate. Come 2050, reports predict Nigeria (currently seven
Ventures Africa •

What India’s Zika virus vaccine means for global biotechnology

As India celebrates the 30th anniversary of its Department of Biotechnology (DBT), it simultaneously crowns this achievement with the knowledge that the remedy for one of the deadliest diseases on the planet at the moment could be coming out of a city called Hyderabad, in the country, soon. This remedy is what The Economic Times is hailing as the “Zika biotech moment for India,” particularly in light of the fact that India has no obvious stake in the matter. In India, there have been zero record
Ventures Africa •

15 years later, divorce laws remain unfair to Egyptian women

Before March 2000, no Egyptian woman could file for divorce from her husband except she could convince the courts that she had suffered physically or psychologically at his hands. In the absence of either of the two incidences, Egyptian women endured the rest of their existences as wives to men that they no longer wanted to be with. Then came the advent of ‘Khul’ (no-fault divorce) and women all over Egypt imagined that they could be finally, truly free, even if that belief lasted for what seeme
Ventures Africa •

93 Days: Beyond improving Nollywood, our films should be socially aware

Over the weekend, 93 Days began showing in cinemas across Nigeria after a unique edge-of-the-seat level of anticipation ever since it took the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) by storm early this month. Audiences in Nigeria and the rest of the world remain in awe of the interpretive efforts of the film’s director Steve Gukas, co-producers Bolanle Austen-Peters, Pemon Rami, and Dotun Olakunrin, and members of the cast which include Bimbo Akintola, Danny Glover, Keppy Ekpenyong, Somkele
Culture Trip •

This Nigerian Artist Unveils a Surreal Future of Living in a City

Olalekan Jeyifous’ Improvised Shanty Megastructures uses images of fictional megastructures, constructed in the most unconventional forms, to force urban developers to rethink urbanisation and innovation, particularly as they affect the less privileged communities in Nigeria. The Nigerian artist and designer is based in Brooklyn, New York, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. His images show fantastical cylindrical buildings in Lagos, made out of wood and melds of various metals that s
Ventures Africa •

How a Nigerian'a solo flight around the world is inspiring Africa

This April, Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world will witness a historical event that took about ten years to piece together. It is being organised by a group of individuals whose mission is to inspire Africans everywhere to dream big, achieve those dreams in a truly unique way and shatter stereotypes built around the African continent. This event is The Transcend Project. It will use ground-breaking inspirational and educational events with unique brand promotion and product marketing oppo
Ventures Africa •

Why a history of The Rise and Fall of Nigerian Rock music matters

Musicologist and researcher, Uchenna Ikonne, in collaboration with NowAgain Records and Rappcats released the first volume of two 104-page book series with a compiled album which document the songs and stories of forgotten Nigerian rock bands and musicians who created original rock music during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Wake Up You! The Rise and Fall of Nigerian Rock, 1972 – 1977 is the result of an investigation into the history of Nigerian rock music which spanned ten years in
Ventures Africa •

Are diaspora Africans fashioning their own 'African city'?

That night was the night, as the narrator put it. The city was looking good, and it was starting to look better because Makena and Selom were not only together, but they had also gotten the ‘condom talk’ out of the way. Makena was shocked how easy that part had been, and a feeling of relief washed over her. But barely a second after, shock took over the feeling, as Selom began to fumble with the condom wrapper. And then, as the narrator observes, “she wasn’t so relieved.” Until I watched An Afri
Culture Trip •

How ’70s Nigerian Psychedelic Rock Still Influences the Nation's Youth

In the ’70s, the rock music scene in Nigeria was the biggest in Africa. Bands such as the Lijadu Sisters, Ofo and the Black Company, Tirogo, The Hykkers, War-Head Constriction, its offshoot Grotto, The Funkees, Foundars 15, and many others emerged shortly after the tragic civil war that ravaged Nigeria. They ruled the scene with their lyrics and instrumentation, which they channelled towards highlighting the evils of the war and ways to help make the country whole again. Today, the prominence o
Ventures Africa •

A chip in time saves nine: The various perks of tracking livestock in Nigeria

The business of cattle rearing in Nigeria could be bigger than it is right now. Beyond the infamous Fulani herdsmen-farmers conflict, we can also blame livestock rustling, grazing land dispute, and inadequate identification for the stagnation. But there is a solution in sight. At the sensitisation meeting of stakeholders in Kaduna on Monday, the Cattle Breeders Joint Association of Nigeria called for the installation of tracking chips in livestock. The chips will help owners identify their catt
The Guardian •

Does Makoko Floating School's collapse threaten the whole slum's future?

Like most Lagos residents, I was familiar with Makoko Floating School. Its steep, three-storey triangular roof was visible from the Third Mainland Bridge, which cuts dramatically across the Makoko lagoon, the city’s vast waterworld slum. Designed by the Nigerian architect Kunlé Adeyemi, the Floating School was the winner of multiple awards for architecture and urbanism, attracting great international attention and acclaim. But I had never actually been up close until yesterday, when I approache