Shows
Glocal CitizensEpisode 274: Navigating Creativity with Wana UdobangGreetings Glocal Citizens!
As we hit the halfway mark on 2025 our treat this week is a thought-provoking conversation with Wana Udobang, a multifaceted writer, poet, performer, curator, and storyteller based in Lagos, Nigeria. I met Wana last year during the Pa Gya! Literary Festival in Accra where she faciliated her own unique writing workshop - “Comfort Food” a storytelling and poetry workshop that uses food as a conduit to explore memories, history, joy, and healing which was born out of her culinary quality time during the pandemic. In this lively conversation we cover Wana's extensive body of work...2025-06-0359 min
OdejumaThe Evolving Artistry of Wana UdobangIn this episode of Odejuma, Harry is in conversation with Wana Udobang, an incredibly talented storyteller, writer, poet, performer, and curator. Wana has the gift of weaving poetry, performance, and art curation together into a vehicle to implore her audience to dig deeper. In this conversation, she opens up about her journey from writing just for herself to using her art to tackle big societal themes and explore identity. We dive into her unique Comfort Food Storytelling Workshop, where food memories spark creative storytelling and bring people together. Plus, we talk about the inspiration behind her iconic...2025-05-0850 min
The ConversationThe power of performance poetrySpoken word poetry is a powerful tool for storytelling, activism and self-expression. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two award-winning poets who use the craft to amplify issues they care about.Sofie Frost is a Norwegian actor, slam poet and spoken word artist. She won the Norwegian Poetry Slam Championship in 2017 and was a finalist for Norway's Got Talent the following year. Sofie's poems have repeatedly gone viral, amassing millions of views online.Wana Udobang from Nigeria is a writer, poet and performer. She has released three spoken word albums that explore the themes of familial relationships...2025-05-0526 min
JudeslistWana Udobang: Finish Line, We Move!In this episode I speak with Wana Udobang a writer, poet, performer, curator, and storyteller with three spoken word albums: Dirty Laundry, In Memory of Forgetting, and Transcendence. Her work has taken her across Africa, Europe, and the US, and she has worked on prestigious commissions for events like the Edinburgh International Festival and The Gates Foundation. With a background in journalism, she has contributed to major outlets like The Guardian, Al Jazeera, CNN, and the BBC.Her curatorial projects include exhibitions for Rele Gallery and a video series exploring history through food. Wana also runs The C...2024-06-261h 09
NYUAD InstituteInvest in Women: Accelerate ProgressJoin us in celebrating International Women's Day 2024 with an inspiring event themed Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. The program features a lineup of speakers who are at the forefront of women and youth empowerment across the globe and will discuss the interplay of education and diplomacy regionally and globally, with a focus on women in innovative leadership.
Speakers
Gugu Ndebele, Executive Director, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
Ouided Bouchamaoui, Nobel Peace Prize Co-Laureate, Former President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts
Opening Remarks
Wana Udobang, Multidisciplinary Artist and Storyteller
Lisa Coleman, Visiting Professor, NYU Stern School...2024-04-251h 59
Crushing on My Girlfriends with Chinedu IrocheCrushing on Wana - Episode Seven #CoMGOn this episode, Chinedu sits down with the multifaceted, multitalented, and self-proclaimed ‘Woman of Multitude,’ Wana Udobang, who defines herself as a storyteller, but she is much more than that. They talk about how she realized the power she possessed in her hands, her uncanny gift of turning trauma into art, and much more.
#CoMG #MsWanaWana #BellaNaija #WCW2024-04-241h 29
Crushing on My Girlfriends with Chinedu IrocheCrushing on My Girlfriends with Wana - Episode Seven #CoMGOn this episode, Chinedu sits down with the multifaceted, multitalented, and self-proclaimed ‘Woman of Multitude,’ Wana Udobang, who defines herself as a storyteller, but she is much more than that. They talk about how she realized the power she possessed in her hands, her uncanny gift of turning trauma into art, and much more. #CoMG #MsWanaWana #BellaNaija #WCW2024-04-241h 29
A Couple of Things by Lade TawakS02E049 - Is imposter syndrome real?In this episode, I challenge the idea that when I feel worried about not knowing something or not doing well, then I have imposter syndrome. I argue that it is possible to not know something and learn it and then be good at it.What if we approached unknown and new experiences--whether starting a new job or taking on new responsibilities or adding on a new skill--with curiosity and the belief that we can grow and learn.Links Wana Udobang's LinkedIn post How to use imposter syndrome as...2024-02-1906 minA Couple of Things by Lade TawakS02E049 - Is imposter syndrome real?In this episode, I challenge the idea that when I feel worried about not knowing something or not doing well, then I have imposter syndrome. I argue that it is possible to not know something and learn it and then be good at it.What if we approached unknown and new experiences--whether starting a new job or taking on new responsibilities or adding on a new skill--with curiosity and the belief that we can grow and learn.Links Wana Udobang's LinkedIn post How to use imposter syndrome as...2024-02-1906 min
#WithChudeWana Udobang sits #WithChude: Vocalizing the experience and life of a Poet, Writer and Artist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-07-2108 min
The Poetry DoctorCatfish by Wana Udobang2023-02-0902 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African Women‘Learn To Self-Soothe’
“We pretend like there is a manual, but there isn't,” Ghanaian LGBTQ+ activist Moh says about sex. “So we just have to go with the flow, what makes us comfortable.”
In this final episode of the season, Nana Darkoa and Malaka bring together a fabulous panel of ‘semi’-experts to answer your questions about sex and relationships.
In a candid roundtable discussion, Nana Akosua Hanson; creator of the graphic novel, Moongirls; Kinna Likimani, Nana’s favorite feminist; and activist and communications strategist Moh give their advice on polyamory, prejudice, parenting, and pussy scents.
Malaka Grant a...2022-08-2947 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African WomenA Pleasure Masterclass“Pleasure is critical.” Zimbabwean master of all trades, Tapiwa Guzha, tells us.
In this episode, Malaka and Nana Darkoa ask you to slow down the pace and catch your breath as Tapiwa and Namibian artist and tantric coach Nakashwa Julia ya Hango talk us through how to curate and celebrate a session of self-pleasure.
“When I'm finding myself in that place of, ‘I'm feeling really emotional or angry,’ then I love to set up a little space for myself to channel this energy,” Julia explains. “I think pleasure is such a healing pathway.”
Malaka Grant and N...2022-08-2228 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African WomenThe ‘Yumminess’ Of Kink“That thing changed my life, and my expectations as far as sex is concerned,” Shazz Nderitu, a Kenyan comedian and blogger at queendom.blog admits about kink.
So, in this episode, Nana Darkoa and Malaka are encouraged to bring elements of kink into their bedrooms, as connoisseurs share their experiences and shatter stereotypes about BDSM.
As our hosts explore contradictions, care and consent within the kink world, they discuss its racial dynamics, and the difficult histories that whips and chains might bring up for Black people, and learn about the power and pleasure of after care.2022-08-1527 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African WomenA ‘Hiroshima Of Pleasure’A decade ago, Nana Darkoa wrote ‘How can you tell when a woman orgasms?’ for the Adventures blog. It remains one of the most popular posts to date. So, in this episode, Nana and Malaka dig into the mystery and mystique of the orgasm.
“It just feels like something's bubbling under, and then there's an explosion of pleasure,” Kenyan sex educator Kaz says. “It's a Hiroshima of pleasure.”
We’re talking about everything from science to screaming, politics to peeing. And most importantly, women share what the big O feels like…and give their tips on how to achieve it...2022-08-0829 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African Women(De)Centering The DWith society’s traditionally binary views on gender, so much of what it means to be a ‘man’ is tied to the omnipotent power and performance of the penis. So, when Malaka and Nana Darkoa decided to explore the topic of dicks and masculinity, they expected the usual ‘size matters’ arguments to come through.
But, they soon learned that BDE may not actually have much to do with what’s in your pants. This episode gets a surprising take from a range of cis and trans men, as well as a gender non-conforming person, as they share their fears a...2022-08-0130 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African WomenThe Aunty Factor“What was the point of hurrying?” Sex toy guru Iheoma Obibi says, when asked what advice she would give her 20-year-old self. “I would've learned and understood my body better.”
In this episode, sexy ‘aunties’ tell Nana Darkoa and Malaka what they have learned about their bodies, and share what we all have to look forward to in the bedroom as we get older. The good news is, it’s plenty!
Could burning the rice set fire to your sex life? Get ready for these aunties’ advice. The alluring elders dig into how preference and pleasure change...2022-07-2529 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African WomenRomance Novels Ruined My Sex LifeDid your obsession with romance novels mess up your sex life? Did you grow up wishing it was Femi on the cover, not Fabio? This week, the aunties Malaka and Nana Darkoa return to their teen reads and question how the genre tantalized and traumatized them.
Inspired by an Adventures From The Bedrooms of African Women blogpost written by contributor, Voluptuous Voltarian – or VV - they dig into the problematic power dynamics of novels from Mills & Boon and Harlequin Romance. “I had just poisoned my brain,” VV says. “That stuff had given me a blueprint for romance and sex...2022-07-1931 min
Adventures From The Bedrooms Of African WomenBest Friends For Frigging LifeMeet Malaka Grant and Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah: friends since 1994, sex bloggers since 2009, now podcasters, and always #BFFFL.
In this new series, Nana Darkoa and Malaka welcome you into their bedrooms, and the bedrooms of African women where they uncover and discuss all things sex, sexuality, and pleasure.
They kick off and celebrate their friendship, expose how little they used to know about sex, and share their excitement for the conversations to come. In one episode, writer, poet, and producer, Nii Ayikwei Parkes describes sex as “that is how adults play,” which Nana Darkoa loves. “It’s soft a...2022-07-1830 min
The Poetry DoctorCatfish by Wana UdobangListen as the Poetry Doctor uses her soothing voice to read the poem Catfish by Wana Udobang. No point and kill here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2021-07-2802 min
KulturkurveRe:Vision — Season 5, Episode 1: PlatformsWillkommen zur ersten Episode der fünften und somit vorerst letzten Staffel von Re:Vision, unserer Workshopreihe für die Förderempfänger*innen im Rahmen des Sonderprogramms NEUSTART KULTUR. Wir hoffen, dass Ihnen dieses Angebot ermöglicht, Ihre Praxis mit Hilfe der vielfältigen Impulse internationaler Expert*innen weiterzuentwickeln.
Wie können wir Menschen mit unterschiedlichen soziokulturellen Hintergründen, Fähigkeiten und möglichen Einschränkungen besser in unsere Projekte integrieren? Und wie gestalten wir das nicht nur als einmaliges Event, sondern als fortlaufenden Prozess? Gemeinsam erforschen wir verschiedene Möglichkeiten, um inklusive Partizipation zu fördern.
Wir beginnen diese Staffel...2021-06-1117 minKulturkurveRe:Vision — Season 4, Episode 5: PlatformsWillkommen zur fünften und letzten Episode der vierten Staffel von Re:Vision, unserer Workshopreihe für die Förderempfänger*innen im Rahmen des Sonderprogramms NEUSTART KULTUR. Wir hoffen, dass Ihnen dieses Angebot ermöglicht, Ihre Praxis mit Hilfe der vielfältigen Impulse internationaler Expert*innen weiterzuentwickeln.
Wie können wir Menschen mit unterschiedlichen soziokulturellen Hintergründen, Fähigkeiten und möglichen Einschränkungen besser in unsere Projekte integrieren? Und wie gestalten wir das nicht nur als einmaliges Event, sondern als fortlaufenden Prozess? Gemeinsam erforschen wir verschiedene Möglichkeiten, um inklusive Partizipation zu fördern.
In den ersten vier Episoden habe...2021-05-3120 min
KulturkurveRe:Vision — Season 2, Episode 5: SuccessWillkommen zur fünften und letzten Episode der zweiten Staffel von Re:Vision, unserer Workshopreihe für die Förderempfänger*innen im Rahmen des Sonderprogramms NEUSTART KULTUR. Wir hoffen, dass Ihnen dieses Angebot ermöglicht, Ihre Praxis mit Hilfe der vielfältigen Impulse internationaler Expert*innen weiterzuentwickeln.
Wie können wir Menschen mit unterschiedlichen soziokulturellen Hintergründen, Fähigkeiten und möglichen Einschränkungen besser in unsere Projekte integrieren? Und wie gestalten wir das nicht nur als einmaliges Event, sondern als fortlaufenden Prozess? Gemeinsam erforschen wir verschiedene Möglichkeiten, um inklusive Partizipation zu fördern.
Während wir unsere Projekte weite...2021-03-2717 min
KulturkurveRe:Vision — Season 1, Episode 5: SuccessWillkommen zur letzten Episode der ersten Staffel von Re:Vision, unserer Workshopreihe für die Förderempfänger*innen im Rahmen des Sonderprogramms NEUSTART KULTUR. Wir hoffen, dass Ihnen dieses Angebot ermöglicht, Ihre Praxis mit Hilfe der vielfältigen Impulse internationaler Expert*innen weiterzuentwickeln.
Wie können wir Menschen mit unterschiedlichen soziokulturellen Hintergründen, Fähigkeiten und möglichen Einschränkungen besser in unsere Projekte integrieren? Und wie gestalten wir das nicht nur als einmaliges Event, sondern als fortlaufenden Prozess? Gemeinsam erforschen wir verschiedene Möglichkeiten, um inklusive Partizipation zu fördern.
In unserer letzten Episode geht es um den Erfolg u...2021-02-2222 min
The Joy+Well Conversations w/ Chisara Asomugha, MDWana Udobang: Practice Your PowerOn this episode of the Joy+Well Conversations, storyteller, poet and artist Wana Udobang brings her fire-brand authenticity to the Joy+Well! And the gems in this episode are raining on us like the cleansing rainstorm we need from 2020. Are you with me? Awesome!☺️😆Subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcast. And leave us a rating, review, or comment! We’d love to hear from you ❤️ ‼️‼️‼️Feeling stuck, frustrated, and out of touch with your own life? The Joy+Well is starting an online workshop to help you enter into the N...2020-11-1749 min
Why HereEpisode 2.5 - The Tea ... On So Many Things (Wana Udobang)Stories are some of the most powerful tools we have to shape our world. Native Nigerian Wana Udobang tells them on many different canvases. She's a journalist, a poet, an artist and a political activist whose work has been featured on the BBC, CNN and other renowned outlets. Her three spoken word albums focus on the themes of body, self-love, sexual agency, sensuality, female injustice and marginalization. On this week's episode of Why Here, she joins hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister from Lagos to talk about #EndSARS, a youth uprising, LGBTQIA rights, radical self love and what #BlackLivesMatter l...2020-11-1354 min
The Unsullied with Oreka GodisWana UdobangWana is, according to her profile, a Journalist, Poet, Performer, Filmmaker, Curator of Culture Diaries and yet, as you will soon hear for yourself, this is only but a fraction of the greatness of this one human being and all of the power she wields.TimestampWana’s origin story: (00:04:45)Divorce isn’t a four letter word (00:05:53)Wana as a book she wished her parents read before they had kids: (00:13:18)Lessons from the black box (00:20:04)Hangover: stitching together the fabric of 1999 (00:25:36)Chronic fear of dependence (00:30:27)Vulnerability: new level unlocked (00:34:09)Oh, to be a self-sufficient island (00:36:27)Tell your...2020-08-191h 32
Literary FrictionLiterary Friction - Live at Cheltenham FestivalThis show is a little different from usual as we’re coming to you from the Cheltenham Literature Festival, where we were this year’s podcast in residence. This jam-packed special features recordings from both the events we chaired: ‘A Body of Work’ with Karen Havelin and Eleanor Thom, in which we discussed their books Please Read This Leaflet Carefully and Private Parts, including how to write about chronic/persistent pain, and endometriosis; and ‘Me Too in Fiction’, where we spoke to Rosie Price and Ayelet Gundar-Goshen about their books What Red Was and Liar, which deal with sexual assault and its afte...2019-10-3059 min
Lunar Poetry PodcastsEp. 63 - Wana Udobang (transcript available)Download a transcript of this conversation here: https://lunarpoetrypodcasts.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/ep63-wana-udobang-transcript.pdf
March 2016. Michelle Madsen is in Freedom Park in Lagos, Nigeria talking to Wana Udobang. Wana tells Michelle how depression originally led her to start writing poetry. The pair discuss the enforced silence that Wana feels hangs over Nigerian women and how that may be changing. Wana reads two poems:
(00:05:39) - 'This is how you break a broken flower'
(00:16:31) - 'Tales from the dark planet'
www.twitter.com/Silent_Tongue
www.twitter.com/mishmadsen
www.wanawana.net
www.twitter.com/MissWanaWana2016-07-3120 min