Welcome to Vol 124 of The Spread!

Hello and welcome back to The Spread; your weekly edit of all the best stories and global news about Africans shaping mainstream culture.

Now, on to the real peel 👇

FEATURE STORY

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is Bringing Dream Count to Life in a Stunning Audiobook

Image Credit: Chimamanda Adichie/Instagram

Great news for book lovers and Adichie fans—Dream Count, her highly anticipated new novel, is coming as an audiobook! Even better? It’s narrated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie herself, making this a truly special listening experience.

Thanks to an exclusive partnership between Narrative Landscape Press and Genti Audio, this release brings Dream Count–which is hitting bookshelves on the 4th of March–to an even wider audience. Genti Audio, known for championing African storytelling in African voices and languages, is the perfect platform for this collaboration. And with Narrative Landscape Press’s dedication to making African literature accessible across multiple formats, this is a win for both readers and listeners alike.

In Dream Count, Adichie weaves a rich and deeply moving story of four Black women whose lives intertwine across continents and social classes. The novel moves between Nigeria and America, exploring love, longing, and the pursuit of happiness with Adichie’s signature warmth and keen insight. Described by The Telegraph as a “luxuriously layered new novel,” Dream Count is an unforgettable read—and now, an equally unforgettable listen.

Read on Afrocritik
Image Credit: Timeea M Ahmed/Instagram
Image Source: Tems/Instagram

⏳ Trivia Time

Before becoming a global music star, what was Tems' pursuing as a career?

A) Economics
B) Fashion Design
C) Digital Marketing
D) Software Engineering

Scroll to the very bottom for the answer.

ICYMI

🧭 Guide: Aminata on Identity and Reclaiming the Past Through Creative Expression

Image Credit: Aminata

Aminata's work is a testament to the power of memory, emotion, and personal history. Through her art—whether it's writing, photography, or ceramics—she finds ways to externalise the feelings and experiences that have shaped her. Little Girl Blue, one of such deeply personal pieces, was born from a need to honour her younger self, to make tangible the complexities of growing up, and to challenge the ways we extend (or withhold) grace based on appearance.

Her creative journey isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about validation, about making space for emotions often dismissed, and about transforming pain into something beautiful.

In this conversation, we explore Aminata’s artistic process, the roots of her creative house, Iyeketi, the stories behind her most personal works, and how photography, in particular, has become a vessel for preserving the intangible. We discuss the ways colourism, memory, and identity influence her art, and how she has learned to reclaim moments from her past and turn them into something lasting and beautiful.

Read & Share Guide

What We're...

📰 Reading: We Have Everything We Need to Start Again, by Koleka Potuma; a hopeful poetry collection about growing up in today’s complex world.

🎧 Listening to: Ayra Starr dishing about her plans for the year, and making music on the I Said What I Said podcast.

📺 Watching: ‘African Queens: Njinga’, a bold retelling of the brave efforts of warrior queen Njinga in precolonial Angola.

🎟️ Booking: Toyotastes' Table, a curated, multi-course spread of all the best Nigerian and West African flavours. It's sponsored by DOdO, and happening this Sunday, so don't forget to grab your tickets!

Image Credit: toyotastes' table

👀 Eyeing: Loza Maléombho’s fabulous Accep Jacket

🧡 Member Spotlight: Toyo Odetunde

Image Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Meet Toyo, a food and travel writer, private chef, and storyteller celebrating Nigerian flavours with a global twist. When she’s not hosting vibrant supper clubs, she’s probably experimenting with spice blends or reminiscing about her childhood TV debut.

Get To Know Toyo

We See YOU!

At Marmalade, we believe in celebrating all the incredible voices that make our community thrive. Are you a creative shaking up the scene, an entrepreneur building something bold, or a culture enthusiast with a story or two to tell? We'd like to hear from you!

Share Your Story

👏 That's a wrap!

Did we miss anything? Or just want to say hey? We'd love to hear from you! You can...

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Trivia Answer: (C) Digital Marketing
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