The power of art to rejuvenate communities is something Sushma.R.Vishwakarma, 24, a correspondent from Bangalore, India has read about, but a visit to the port city of Kochi in India, she writes, has given her a whole new appreciation for the power of art. As an architecture student pursuing my urban design semester, I was …
Many musicians in Malawi are struggling to finance their careers writes Lonjezo Idrissa a 22 year old correspondent from Zomba, Malawi ,who argues that the illegal reproduction and distribution of music and payola are preventing many musicians from profiting from their music. Most musicians in Malawi spend their time crafting sensible songs for their fans. …
Works of art should be valued based on their own merit and not based on the personality or lifestyle of their creators, writes Ashlee Burnett, 21, a Correspondent from Couva in Trinidad who shares her own experience of being an artist whose work is sometimes not viewed as independent of her. When do you separate the …
A popular singer has accurately captured some of Nigeria’s most concerning social,cultural and political issues, argues Laila Johnson-Salami, 22, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria, who calls for national reorientation as the country prepares to go to the polls. When one of Nigeria’s top artists, Falz, released his 2018 version of Childish Gambino’s ‘This …
Akwaaba! Ghana is rolling out the red carpet for the descendants of slaves and Africans in the diaspora to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of West African slaves to the USA. Many of their ancestors may have been taken away in chains against their will. But their descendants are returning voluntarily to connect …
As a country with hundreds of ethnic groups, is the dream of a unified Nigeria a reality or just a pipe dream 59 years after independence? As Nigeria marks its Independence Day on October 1, Musa Temidayo, 23, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nigeria asks what progress the country has made in achieving the unity its …
Storytelling has been part of African tradition for many generations. Aïdêè Amba, 23, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Calabar in Nigeria discusses the eye-opening experience of learning why it is important to choose our narrative carefully. One of the things that has shaped the quality of any work I now put out as a storyteller …
In Africa, women are making great inroads into various aspects of sports. Unfortunately, sports journalism has not been one of them. But a new crop of female sports commentators and reporters are planning to change that. Promise Forsuh, a 23-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Bamenda, Cameroon, spoke to Cameroonian female sports journalist Cynthia Wanchia, about her role. …
Young people make up more than half of Fiji’s population – but they are mostly excluded from policy formulation and decision-making. Broderick John Mervyn, one of this year’s Commonwealth Youth Awards finalists, is working to change that through his initiative Ignite4Change. Oghenekevwe Oghenechovwen, a 21-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Warri in Nigeria, spoke to Broderick about …
In high school, cheerleading was Stephen McCubbin’s favourite activity. It saved him from getting caught up in violence in his home country of Jamaica. Now, he’s using it as a tool to help young people feel valued and respected. Commonwealth Correspondent Jhannel Tomlinson, 27, from Kingston, Jamaica, spoke to Stephen– a finalist in this year’s …