"A Platform for Indigenous African Writers." A Chat with Jonathan Oladeji, Editor of Itanile
South-Africa-based editor takes us into the world of his magazine
Happy March, friends! And guess what. Another editor interview is in the books!
I’m delighted to kick off this month with an interview with Jonathan Oladeji, Founder and Editor of Itanile, “a platform for African writers to publish stories they want to tell about the African experience.”
Itanile began with Jonathan and a small group of fellow writers in Nigeria exchanging work and having readings, then grew to a larger community that included thousands of people, until a magazine became inevitable. With Itanile, Jonathan (who now lives in South Africa) wanted to create an official platform that would give opportunities to African writers to tell their authentic stories.
An authentic story, of course, is a complication notion. In today’s chat Jonathan and I discussed the importance of writers telling stories true to their experiences and not pandering to an assumed audience’s pre-conceived ideas. At the same time, writers and editors both want to grow their readership, so a tension can sometimes appear between work that challenges assumptions and the marketability of that work.
Readership is something Jonathan thinks a lot about. It is evident he not only wants to publish great literature, but also for the writers on Itanile (and throughout Africa) to thrive. “Everyone knows Chimamanda,” he said with smile (referring to Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie). But, of course, there is a wealth of literary talent all over the continent. His magazine aims to introduce as much of that talent to readers as possible
One writer Jonathan particularly recommends is Resoketswe Manenzhe. Her prize-winning story “The Silent Plea” explores complex issues surrounding mental health. Jonathan discussed the importance of capturing these stories in a way that is meaningful and enriching, while being careful not to “sell pain.”
For people who are interested in getting involved with or supporting this project but do not live in Africa, are there ways to connect? Yes! Jonathan said. He is always interested in collaboration with other editors, writers and literary organizations.
Hear that, folks? If you’re a journal editor interested in hosting a reading with other lit mags, or if you’re the organizer of some kind of literary event, why not consider including the voices from another continent? You can reach out to Jonathan directly with ideas.
For those interested in submitting, Itanile is open for submissions now. They seek work from African writers about the African experience.
To all tuning in, thank you!
And, of course, thank you to Jonathan for taking the time to open up the doors of his journal and the African lit mag scene.
Happy viewing!