At the Guardian she tagged five books that show that "gossipy networks pervade communities of all sizes, from small towns to the British political system." One title on the list:
On Ajayi Crowther Street by Elnathan John and Àlàbá ÒnájìnRead about the other entries on the list.
In this Lagos-based graphic novel, characters see gossip as a threat, worrying about the reputational damage of whispers spreading. After the pastor’s son Godstime falls in love with his guy friend and a gossip blogger writes about his sexuality, the pastor’s immediate concern is whether members of his church have heard. In the Sunday service, he attempts to quash the “whisperings of the agents of the devil”. Meanwhile, Godstime’s sister reassures him that “this is Nigeria. Something more scandalous will happen.” Ironically, the pastor is sitting on a genuinely egregious secret the whole time.
--Marshal Zeringue
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