Open Country Mag
 | |
 Cover of September 2021 with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | |
| Editor-in-chief | Otosirieze Obi-Young |
|---|---|
| Categories | African literature, Nollywood, and culture |
| Frequency | Online weekly |
| First issue | 2020 |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Based in | Lagos |
| Language | English |
| Website | opencountrymag |
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]
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
[edit]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.[3]
Contributors include Dangarembga, Leila Aboulela, Diriye Osman, Chibundu Onuzo, Jamal Mahjoub, and Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu.[8]
In March 2023, the magazine announced that it was now the publisher of Folio Nigeria,[9] a content platform that was the exclusive media affiliate of CNN in Africa.[10] The same year, Open Country Mag announced a fellowship for African curators.[11][12][13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "'A Writer Who Has Nothing to Say Has Nothing to Write': Otosirieze Obi-Young's First Draft". The Republic. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ↑ 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.
- 1 2 Otomewo, Oritsejolomi (17 February 2026). "Communiqué 105: Open Country Mag makes a case for African longform writing". Communiqué. Substack. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ↑ "Open Country Mag's Anticipated African Literature of 2023". University of Maryland. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ↑ Oguike, Nnamdi (22 March 2023). "5 Outstanding Online Literary Magazines For Lovers Of African Literature". Style Rave. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ↑ Bhatia, Gautam (15 December 2025). "Words for Worlds - Issue 110". Words for Worlds. Substack. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ↑ "Look At Her Now! Rita Dominic Covers Open Country March Issue in Red Ensemble". Exquisite Mag. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "New Writing & Excerpts". Open Country Mag. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ↑ "FOLIO MEDIA PARTNERS WITH OPEN COUNTRY MAG TO REPUBLISH FOLIO NIGERIA BY CNN CONTENT". P.M. Express. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ↑ "Times Multimedia Partners with CNN to Create Folio.ng". BusinessDay. Lagos, Nigeria. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ↑ Omonigho, Emmanuella (28 May 2023). "Open Country Mag Curatorial Fellowships (Prize: $6000)". Creative Writing News. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ↑ Ogar, Jude (25 May 2023). "Open Country Mag Curatorial Fellowships 2023". Opportunity Desk. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ↑ "African curators can submit entries for this fellowship". i79media.com. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2024.