“Clavell planned to cover far more of Japan’s history,” Historian Dr. Adam Clulow explained during an interview I had with him as FX’s series adaptation of Shōgun concluded. As the author of The Company and the Shogun: The Dutch Encounter with Tokugawa Japan and a number of other works on Japanese history in this period, Adam Clulow is well qualified to discuss the true stories that inspired James Clavell’s novel, how series creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo paired Clavell’s work with history, the role of the 1975 novel and 1980 miniseries in invigorating massive interest in Japanese culture, and what effect this new series adaptation could have.
But like anyone who is mourning the loss of Toranaga Tuesdays (a fan-branded name for the show’s episodic release schedule), what I really wanted to know was: could there be more Shōgun? I don’t feel ready to say goodbye to this story, and it turns out James Clavell may not have been finished with it either.
Nigerian singer Síkírù Àyìndé Barrister (1948-2010) pioneered fújì, a Yorùbá genre of popular dance music. In February 2024, historian Saheed Aderinto’s documentary on the musician’s life and times premiered. The Conversation Africa’s Wale Fatade asked Aderinto about the film and the music it brings to our attention.
What is fújì music?
Fújì fuses Islamic philosophy and wordsmithing with Yoruba poetry and meaning-making to create sound, idioms and recreational habits. It does this across social classes, from the wealthy in the corridors of political power to the poor at the fringe. Its messages, politics, performance styles, space and sophistication reflect a wide range of realities.
However, fújì did not begin as a secular and commercial sound. Its musical ancestor, wéré, was a seasonal Islamic performance during Ramadan. Wéré’s origin dates to the 19th century or earlier when Islam established firm roots among the Yoruba. The Yoruba are one of the numerous ethnic groups in Nigeria.
If you research philanthropy and well-known philanthropists, you will find a lot of familiar names … Carnegie … Rockefeller … Buffett … Gates. In comparison, you will not find as much historical or current information on donors of color and even less about Black or African American donors.
The Black community has a long history of giving, dating back to traditions on the African continent. The very roots of philanthropy within the Black community stem from the African principle of ubuntu, a Nguni word which means “the quality of being human” or oftentimes referred to as “I am because you are” — the idea that we can only be strong when we have care and concern for our neighbor and focus on collective impact.
Nelson Mandela once reflected on this philosophy: “In Africa there is a concept known as ‘ubuntu’ — the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.”
There is no such thing as a monolithic Black donor, as each donor’s giving is highly personal and based on personal values and lived experiences. However, there are certainly general themes that can be gleaned from the cultural, social and religious traditions of Black Americans that can provide insight into how to engage with this highly philanthropic group.
The original Shōgun was a rare phenomenon. More than 1,200 pages and 400,000 words in length, it proved stunningly successful, staying on the best-seller list for more than 30 weeks and selling millions of copies. The 1975 novel presented a fictionalized account of a real event: the arrival of an English pilot, William Adams, to Japan in 1600. Clavell reimagined the story, giving his hero (whom he renamed John Blackthorne), a starring role in the archipelago’s turbulent domestic politics in the months leading up to the climactic battle of Sekigahara, which brought more than a century of constant warfare to a final end.
Some historians criticized Shōgun as a text rife with errors and national stereotypes. But others like Henry Smith championed the book, arguing that it conveyed “more information about Japan to more people than all the combined writings of scholars, journalists, and novelists since the Pacific War.”
Review of Mr. Fuji: Barry Wonder—The First Episode of the Fuji Documentary
This engaging and richly informative documentary explores fújì, one of Nigeria’s most popular music genres, through the life and work of its founder Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.
Combining archival photos and film clips, contemporary performances, and interviews with a wide range of the musician’s associates – band members, sound engineers, actors and actresses, family members, friends, fújì artists, media scholars, fan club organisers – its expert editing moves us swiftly and satisfyingly through a multitude of facets of the art of “Barry Wonder”.
These include the historical context of the Nigerian civil war followed by the oil boom; Barrister’s biography, from a disadvantaged childhood to extraordinary fame, wealth and social prominence achieved through the sheer genius of his musical creativity; the history of the fújì musical genre itself; the internal dynamics of the band and Barrister’s relations with patrons, politicians and the press; Barrister as husband and father; his last years, illness and death in 2010; and the impressive efforts made by his legions of fans to come together to create lasting memorials.
Gold and silver treasure looted from west Africa by the British army in colonial wars are to be lent to Ghana in a three-year deal, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum have announced.
The precious regalia, which had belonged to the Asante royal court, is regarded as part of the “national soul” of Ghana. Under the deal, 17 objects from the V&A and 15 from the British Museum, will go on show later this year at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of Asante region. Many of the items have not been seen in Ghana for 150 years.
Nana Oforiatta Ayim, a special adviser to Ghana’s culture minister, welcomed the deal as a “good starting point” in righting the wrongs of the UK’s violent colonial past.
The UK is sending some of Ghana’s “crown jewels” back home, 150 years after looting them from the court of the Asante king. A gold peace pipe is among 32 items returning under long-term loan deals, the BBC has revealed.
As special adviser to Ghana’s culture minister, 2022 Dan David Prize Winner Nana Oforiatta Ayim has been interviewed by the BBC about a new deal, which will see the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum lend a total of 32 looted objects to Ghana as part of a three-year deal.
Speaking to the BBC, Oforiatta Ayim explained that the items are “not just objects, they have spiritual importance as well. They are part of the soul of the nation. It’s pieces of ourselves returning.”
Africa celebrates its inspiring men and women who made it to the New African magazine’s annual list of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2023.
The list features a diverse group from various fields and sectors who have made a positive impact on the continent and the world.
2023 Dan David Prize Winner Chao Tayiana Maina was among the 100 selected in 2023, under the category Science & Academia.