THE CENTER OF IT ALL

Despite repressive laws and societal stigmas, many Indigenous Nigerians including those in the LGBTQ community, are expressing and celebrating their true identities.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY YAGAZIE EMEZI

AUTHOR AKWAEKE EMEZI AND DESIGNER ADEJU THOMPSON DISCUSS CREATIVITY AND RESILIENCE. IN ADEJU THOMPSON’S design studio, the walls and ceilings are a rich cobalt blue and every surface is covered with art, from sculptural bronze pieces to piles of books and family photographs. An artisan from his team sits at a large table, using a feather to paint careful lines of cassava paste on a sea of white fabric, creating àdìrẹ cloth with a traditional Yoruba technique. This resist-dyed fabric will be transformed into garments for Lagos Space Programme, Thompson’s luxury fashion label. I’m returning to my home country from New York, a rare visit to Lagos since I launched my literary career in 2018. In the years since, I’ve published seven more books and been on the cover of Time magazine,…

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National Geographic (Digital) - 1 Issue, July 2024

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