Open Country Mag

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Open Country Mag
Open Country Mag logo.png
Open Country Mag cover.jpg
Cover of September 2021 with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Editor-in-chief Otosirieze Obi-Young
Categories African literature, Nollywood, and culture
FrequencyOnline weekly
First issue2020
Country Nigeria
Based in Lagos
LanguageEnglish
Website opencountrymag.com

Open Country Mag is a Nigerian magazine that covers African literature, the Nigerian film industry, and culture. [1] It was founded in 2020 by writer Otosirieze Obi-Young. [2]

Contents

The magazine has been praised for "building a permanent record of African cultural figures through long-form storytelling." [3] The University of Maryland's Department of African and African American Studies has described it as "one of the most important and ambitious platforms for African writers." [4]

Features

Open Country Mag publishes culture journalism, commentary, book and film reviews, new writing, book excerpts, and is reputed for its longform profiles. [5] These include cover story features on writers Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Wole Soyinka [6] , Teju Cole, Damon Galgut, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Maaza Mengiste, and Chinelo Okparanta, and actor Rita Dominic. [7]

The publication Communique wrote:

Open Country Mag’s work carries a symbolic and practical significance. It shows what is possible when African publications commit to longform storytelling: that the continent’s writers, thinkers, and cultural figures can be chronicled with nuance, rigour, and ambition. Even if its model is difficult to replicate at scale today, it establishes a blueprint, a proof of concept if you may, that longform in Africa is not only feasible but essential for documenting the intellectual and cultural life of the continent. [8]

Contributors include Dangarembga, Leila Aboulela, Diriye Osman, Chibundu Onuzo, Jamal Mahjoub, and Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu. [9]

In March 2023, the magazine announced that it was now the publisher of Folio Nigeria, [10] a content platform that was the exclusive media affiliate of CNN in Africa. [11] The same year, it announced a fellowship for African curators. [12] [13] [14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "'A Writer Who Has Nothing to Say Has Nothing to Write': Otosirieze Obi-Young's First Draft". The Republic. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  2. ↑ de Waal, Shaun (4 January 2023). "African literature and film in the global conversation – an interview with Otosirieze Obi-Young". News24. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  3. ↑ Otomewo, Oritsejolomi. "Communiqué 105: Open Country Mag makes a case for African longform writing". Communiqué. Substack. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Open Country Mag's Anticipated African Literature of 2023". University of Maryland. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  5. ↑ Oguike, Nnamdi (22 March 2023). "5 Outstanding Online Literary Magazines For Lovers Of African Literature". Style Rave. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. ↑ Bhatia, Gautam. "Words for Worlds - Issue 110". Words for Worlds. Substack. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Look At Her Now! Rita Dominic Covers Open Country March Issue in Red Ensemble". Exquisite Mag. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  8. ↑ Otomewo, Oritsejolomi. "Communiqué 105: Open Country Mag makes a case for African longform writing". Communiqué. Substack. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "New Writing & Excerpts". Open Country Mag. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "FOLIO MEDIA PARTNERS WITH OPEN COUNTRY MAG TO REPUBLISH FOLIO NIGERIA BY CNN CONTENT". P.M. Express. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "Times Multimedia Partners with CNN to Create Folio.ng". Business Day NG. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  12. ↑ Omonigho, Emmanuella. "Open Country Mag Curatorial Fellowships (Prize: $6000)". Creative Writing News. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  13. ↑ Ogar, Jude. "Open Country Mag Curatorial Fellowships 2023". Opportunity Desk. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  14. ↑ "African curators can submit entries for this fellowship". i79media.com. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
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