Glendora Review
Encyclopedia
The Glendora Review is a magazine
that was conceived in an atmosphere of intellectual crisis, following the brain drain from Nigeria
, during the Sani Abacha
regime. Its founder, Olakunle Tejuoso (whose family owns the Lagos
alternative bookstore, after which the journal is named), wanted to create a forum where people could access the work being done by Nigerian intellectuals who had fled the country, and a bridge for artistic theories and activities being propagated by African intellectuals in the West and their contemporaries at home.
The magazine constantly engages and interrogates the idea of Africa
, as a contested and dynamic invention, Glendora provided a platform for intellectual discourse on literary, visual and performance cultures that are sensitive to the mutations and complexities of cultural work on Africa in a global age. A strong aesthetic sense coupled with an editorial style that (while rigorous) managed to avoid being too intellectual or esoteric, attracted a wide-ranging readership in Nigeria and abroad.
Although it was initially focused on Nigeria's arts and cultures, Glendora grew into a pan African journal with regular features and interviews of icons, such as Ngugi wa Thiongo, Mbongeni Ngema
, Sembene Ousmane, Sun Ra
, and other critical texts on African literature. The journal also included a books supplement. The last issue of Glendora appeared in 2004, and its publishers have focused on the publication of books ever since, such as the tome
of the West African megapolis, Lagos: A City At Work.
Reviewing the influence of Glendora Today on the younger generation of Nigerian writers, African Literature Today writes: "Indeed there may be said to be a Glendora Group or a Glendora Generation, made up of those who as critics or poets, and guided by Dapo Adeneyi, published in the journal."
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
that was conceived in an atmosphere of intellectual crisis, following the brain drain from Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, during the Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
regime. Its founder, Olakunle Tejuoso (whose family owns the Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
alternative bookstore, after which the journal is named), wanted to create a forum where people could access the work being done by Nigerian intellectuals who had fled the country, and a bridge for artistic theories and activities being propagated by African intellectuals in the West and their contemporaries at home.
The magazine constantly engages and interrogates the idea of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, as a contested and dynamic invention, Glendora provided a platform for intellectual discourse on literary, visual and performance cultures that are sensitive to the mutations and complexities of cultural work on Africa in a global age. A strong aesthetic sense coupled with an editorial style that (while rigorous) managed to avoid being too intellectual or esoteric, attracted a wide-ranging readership in Nigeria and abroad.
Although it was initially focused on Nigeria's arts and cultures, Glendora grew into a pan African journal with regular features and interviews of icons, such as Ngugi wa Thiongo, Mbongeni Ngema
Mbongeni Ngema
Mbongeni Ngema a South African writer, lyricist, composer and director was born in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal . He started his career as a theatre backing guitarist.He is married to actress Leleti Khumalo...
, Sembene Ousmane, Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
, and other critical texts on African literature. The journal also included a books supplement. The last issue of Glendora appeared in 2004, and its publishers have focused on the publication of books ever since, such as the tome
Tome
A tome is a large book, especially one volume of a multi-volume scholarly work.It may also refer to:-Places:* Tome, Miyagi, city in Japan * Tome-Adelino, New Mexico, city in New Mexico-People:...
of the West African megapolis, Lagos: A City At Work.
Reviewing the influence of Glendora Today on the younger generation of Nigerian writers, African Literature Today writes: "Indeed there may be said to be a Glendora Group or a Glendora Generation, made up of those who as critics or poets, and guided by Dapo Adeneyi, published in the journal."