A Decade On…
When we started this journey ten years ago, we had an idea that it would be daunting, but maybe we didn’t realise just how much it would change us and how much it would change the speculative fiction in Africa. The co-founders, Mazi Nwonwu and Chinelo Onwualu, knew they wanted to provide a platform for voices like theirs that were often not given a voice or whose voices were not understood, not appreciated by the big western media. They knew that our people have always told stories of the speculative ilk and they wanted the rest of the world to see us in our full glory, without pandering to some set rules. Omenana has been blessed to share many such stories with you all since 2014, and we have taken pride in watching many of those writers of African Speculative Fiction soar from the pages of Omenana to greatness—this has only brought us joy and pleasant surprise.
Omenana was an experiment that we didn’t know will last this long. Despite the struggle it has been to keep doing this for 10 years, we do believe our worst days are behind us and Omenana will continue to be what it set out to be: a platform for everyone who dares to tell stories that defies normalcy.
The stories we bring to you in this issue gave us a thrill to read and edit, and we hope that you find them exciting too. Did you ever hear that when something is too good to be true, then it probably is? When you read Obera, that saying will become apparent, and maybe like me it will make you wonder how any living creature is supposed to keep faithful watch over bird’s eggs in the height of famine.
Beneath the Water is an interesting take on relations between humans and mermaids/mermen, and it also queries environmental decay—especially as it concerns the different bodies of water on planet earth and human complicity.
We also bring you a bit of a ghost, metaphysical story with Koko’s Body. This piece is more gripping because it is told in the eyes and voice of a child.
New Beginning is our shortest piece this issue. Between trying to decide if we just walked into the exhuming of a murder victim or a hatching, this story brings new meaning to short and spicy! Read it, people!
A little bit of dystopia and a struggle to regain their submerged home is what drives the plot of Things We See Under Water. It does present a thought-provoking view of a futuristic Ijawland many decades away from now.
We are looking back at the last decade, and we are grateful to the many writers who have graced our pages since 2014, and to all our artists and editorial team over the years. Everyone remains a family and we hold all of you very dear to our hearts and love how well everyone has done over the years. While we look forward to doing more creative work in the coming years, we are also considering ways in which Omenana can better serve you, our readers.
We’ve also had the unshaking support of many people over years; however, we have to mention the fact that it would have been impossible for Omenana to remain a paying platform without the support of our Patreon patrons. You can join them by following this link to donate to Omenana and keep the dream of showcasing African and African diaspora speculative fiction to the world.
Mazi Nwonwu, Omenana’s Managing Editor, has also added “published author” to his list of achievements as his collection of speculative fiction stories was published by Narrative Landscape press in Nigeria. Book available here.
And to you, our dear readers, where would we be without all your support in the last ten years? The stories are waiting and ready. Thanks for reading and sharing as you always do!
Iquo DianaAbasi
In this edition:
New Beginnings | by Trisha Simone
Things We See Under Water | Prosper C. Ìféányí
Koko’s Body | Nkereuwem Albert