Meet Dayo Ntwari, the Afrofuturist writer using sci-fi to tell African stories

Meet Dayo Ntwari, the Afrofuturist writer using sci-fi to imagine a bold future for Africa and to tell African stories.

A Rwandan Nigerian aspiring writer, Dayo Adewunmi Ntwari has joined a small yet growing movement of African writers turning to Afrofuturism and sci-fi to critique their present and sketch out their visions for the continent’s future.

A big fan of science fiction and fantasy since childhood, his debut book, The Devils Village, translates Nigeria’s battle against religious extremists Boko Haram into a surreal, near-future world with strong echoes of today.

After spending most of his life in Nigeria, Ntwari recently moved back to Rwanda for a job in the country’s blossoming tech industry two year ago. On why he is more focused on writing about Nigeria, he says:

“Rwanda is a place where if you have an idea, and you have confidence in that idea, the sky’s the limit,” he told Huck Magazine.

“I’m more preoccupied with things that are wrong, so maybe that’s why so much of my resources are dedicated to writing dystopian fiction about Nigeria.”

The Devil’s Village was shortlisted for the Writivism 2015 Short Story Prize and is a thinly-veiled critique of the Nigerian government’s response to Boko Haram.

“It’s not present Nigeria, but it’s also not that distant,” he explains.

“It’s a commentary on where this Nigeria might be going, so you can do that with sci-fi. Some topics are not that easy for people to digest, especially when it comes to criticism, so creating distance can make it easier to engage with something more political.”

“I’m completing a trilogy on religion in Nigeria and its place in society,” he explains.

“We have the most churches in Africa and there’s a very strong ‘prosperity gospel’ movement. Of the ten richest pastors in the world, the top five are Nigerian. I’ve watched how these ‘mega-pastors’ are exploiting their congregations, people who are desperate for some kind of change some kind of salvation. The book I’m working on right now imagines a future where these pastors have become dominant.”

Dayo believes Africa’s diverse history, religion, spirituality and mythology can serve as a never-ending treasure trove of inspiration for contemporary African science fiction and fantasy.

"For me, Afrofuturism and sci-fi is about thinking where we want to be.”

Read the interview on Hulk Magazine and a sneak peak of the book on Munyori.

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