On Thursday, 16 November 2017, "When We Speak of Nothing", the debut novel by Olumide Popoola, was launched in Lagos, Nigeria.
Her debut book, published by Cassava Republic Press, was launched to a crowd of book and art lovers at Colours in Africa, 13a Musa Yar’Adua, Victoria Island.
The event saw Popoola read excerpts from her novel while also giving an intimate explanation of the inspiration behind the book.
The novel has so far been critically acclaimed for its beautiful use of language and exploration of friendship between two young black boys. Popoola explained that Esu Elegba, a Yoruba trickster god, was the inspiration behind the book and that the novel is voice-driven and marked by its use of stream of conscious.
Later in the evening afro-soul singer, OloriAfrica, thrilled the crowd far into the night while fiery spoken word and rap artiste, Ms Eva Johnson, performed series of poetry that intimately explored gender, feminity and love.