Chibundu Onuzo's guest appearances

Chibundu Onuzo

The Guardian Books podcast

Reading Women

The Secret Library Podcast

Books and Authors

Little Atoms

Start the Week

Private Passions

Afrika Nå

UCL Minds

Third Culture Africans

The Magnify Podcast

The stories we tell 

Philadelphia Community Podcast

Wealth8 Spotlight

Mohsin Hamid

Sarah Perry

Preti Taneja

Carlo Rovelli

Jonathan Coe

George Saunders

Naomi Alderman

Alan Bennett

Robert Harris

Sarah Moss

Irving Finkel

Petina Gappah

Valeria Luiselli

Max Porter

John Lanchester

OwlTail

Chibundu Onuzo is a Nigerian-born London-based author,  artist and musician.  In this episode, she discusses how she got into writing, her inspiration behind her work, and her approach to managing her finances. 

Chibundu Onuzo is a Nigerian-born London-based author,  artist and musician.   In this episode, she discusses how she got into writing, her inspiration behind her work, and her approach to managing her finances.

Spotlight Interview: Chibundu Onuzo

Are you left feeling deflated and unmotivated when you compare your position in your work journey to someone else's'? Do you ever ask ‘why them and not me’? Does it leave you feeling like you’re too far behind or wonder why if you started at the same time you aren’t in the same place as them? When we get caught up in the pace of someone else’s success, we disregard our own success which can take the joy out of what we’re doing.Today’s guest, Chibundu Onuzo, award-winning author of two novels ‘The Spider King's Daughter’ and ‘Welcome to Lagos’ became successful at a young age and has grown to understand that everyone works differently and therefore progress looks different for everyone.In this episode, Chibundu spoke about how we have a choice in how much we enjoy the process to get to the destination we are striving for in work, she also got real about asking where the expectations we put on ourselves come from and why it’s so important to break down big goals into small steps. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you left feeling deflated and unmotivated when you compare your position in your work journey to someone else's'? Do you ever ask ‘why them and not me’? Does it leave you feeling like you’re too far behind or wonder why if you started at the same time you aren’t in the same place as them? When we get caught up in the pace of someone else’s success, we disregard our own success which can take the joy out of what we’re doing.Today’s guest, Chibundu Onuzo, award-winning author of two novels ‘The Spider King's Daughter’ and ‘Welcome to Lagos’ became successful at a young age and has grown to understand that everyone works differently and therefore progress looks different for everyone.In this episode, Chibundu spoke about how we have a choice in how much we enjoy the process to get to the destination we are striving for in work, she also got real about asking where the expectations we put on ourselves come from and why it’s so important to break down big goals into small steps. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Chibundu Onuzo: How to enjoy working at your own pace

On this episode, Nicole speaks to Dr. Chibundu Onuzo - Nigerian novelist, playwright and screenwriter. She takes us through her journey of becoming and the stories that shaped her into the powerhouse of a woman she is today.

Chibundu Onuzo on writing, publishing and becoming fearless

ABOUT CHIBUNDU ONUZO   Chibundu Onuzo, Ph.D., is the acclaimed and award-winning author of “The Spider King’s Daughter” and “Welcome to Lagos.” Currently a freelance writer in the UK, she was born in Nigeria. She started writing at 17 and was published by 21.   ABOUT THIS EPISODE   If you’re interested in what it takes to become one of the youngest writers named as Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, hear the journey of author Chibundu Onuzo. She started writing her first novel at age 14, and her first book hit the shelves age 21. She discusses her early years writing and creating, her path to traditional publication, the journey since.   Additionally, Chibundu and Zeze dive into meaningful cultural conversations, such as tackling cultural ignorance, what defines “Third Culture African,” and the layered meaning behind the question, “where are you from?”   Highlights of the episode:    Experiences have added value; understanding the context of the question, “Where are you from?” (9:28) The decision to pursue the traditional publishing route over self-publishing and how she went about finding her representation (12:12) Realizing how people in the West have this narrow perspective of what Africa is like (27:19) Becoming a full-time writer and writing for the screen (35:36) Combating ageism in literary circles and what was the hardest part of publishing in the beginning (43:22)    Mentioned Resources     The Spider King’s Daughter  Welcome to Lagos Malée 

ABOUT CHIBUNDU ONUZO Chibundu Onuzo, Ph.D., is the acclaimed and award-winning author of “The Spider King’s Daughter” and “Welcome to Lagos.” Currently a freelance writer in the UK, she was born in Nigeria. She started writing at 17 and was published by 21. ABOUT THIS EPISODE If you’re interested in what it takes to become one of the youngest writers named as Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, hear the journey of author Chibundu Onuzo. She started writing her first novel at age 14, and her first book hit the shelves age 21. She discusses her early years writing and creating, her path to traditional publication, the journey since. Additionally, Chibundu and Zeze dive into meaningful cultural conversations, such as tackling cultural ignorance, what defines “Third Culture African,” and the layered meaning behind the question, “where are you from?” Highlights of the episode: <ul> <li>Experiences have added value; understanding the context of the question, “Where are you from?” (9:28)</li> <li>The decision to pursue the traditional publishing route over self-publishing and how she went about finding her representation (12:12)</li> <li>Realizing how people in the West have this narrow perspective of what Africa is like (27:19)</li> <li>Becoming a full-time writer and writing for the screen (35:36)</li> <li>Combating ageism in literary circles and what was the hardest part of publishing in the beginning (43:22)</li> </ul> Mentioned Resources <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Kings-Daughter-Chibundu-Onuzo/dp/0571268897" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Spider King’s Daughter</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Lagos-Novel-Chibundu-Onuzo-ebook/dp/B075SPB8B2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=welcome+to+lagos&amp;qid=1588964254&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Welcome to Lagos</a></li> <li><a href="https://maleeonline.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Malée</a></li> </ul>

Chibundu Onuzo, Expanding the Perspective on Africa

Michael Berkeley talks to author Chibundu Onuzo about the challenge of writing novels while studying for her A-levels, and the role of music and faith in her life.At the age of nineteen, Chibundu became the youngest female writer ever to be signed by Faber and Faber. She started writing aged ten while growing up in Lagos, Nigeria and was working on her first novel, ‘The Spider King’s Daughter’, while doing her A-levels at boarding school in England. It was published while she was still at university and was shortlisted for a host of prizes – winning a 2013 Betty Trask Award. Her second novel, ‘Welcome to Lagos’, was published in 2017 to great acclaim. Chibundu talks to Michael Berkeley about growing up in Lagos, and the challenge of adapting to life at boarding school in Britain. She chooses a carol, ‘I Wonder as I Wander’, that she sang with her school choir in Winchester Cathedral. The soundtrack to a Nigerian television advert from the 1990s speaks to her about the tensions between western and traditional values in Nigeria. We hear a miniature by Christian Petzold that will be familiar to anyone who has ever learned the piano, alongside music from Handel and from Dvorak’s Symphony No 9, ‘From the New World’.And, in a special moment for Private Passions, Chibundu is joined in the studio by members of her family to sing a setting of Psalm 23 by her uncle, Bishop Ken Okeke.Produced by Jane Greenwood.A Loftus production for BBC Radio 3.

Michael Berkeley talks to author Chibundu Onuzo about the challenge of writing novels while studying for her A-levels, and the role of music and faith in her life. At the age of nineteen, Chibundu became the youngest female writer ever to be signed by Faber and Faber. She started writing aged ten while growing up in Lagos, Nigeria and was working on her first novel, ‘The Spider King’s Daughter’, while doing her A-levels at boarding school in England. It was published while she was still at university and was shortlisted for a host of prizes – winning a 2013 Betty Trask Award. Her second novel, ‘Welcome to Lagos’, was published in 2017 to great acclaim. Chibundu talks to Michael Berkeley about growing up in Lagos, and the challenge of adapting to life at boarding school in Britain. She chooses a carol, ‘I Wonder as I Wander’, that she sang with her school choir in Winchester Cathedral. The soundtrack to a Nigerian television advert from the 1990s speaks to her about the tensions between western and traditional values in Nigeria. We hear a miniature by Christian Petzold that will be familiar to anyone who has ever learned the piano, alongside music from Handel and from Dvorak’s Symphony No 9, ‘From the New World’. And, in a special moment for Private Passions, Chibundu is joined in the studio by members of her family to sing a setting of Psalm 23 by her uncle, Bishop Ken Okeke. Produced by Jane Greenwood. A Loftus production for BBC Radio 3.

Sometimes you just want to write a lot of characters.   Chibundu Onuzo wrote her first novel surrounding two characters, so when it came time to writer her second novel, she wanted a lot of people in there to play with. In addition, she shifted into third person, a process she compared to Scooby Doo or Nancy Drew trying to figure out how to open a secret bookcase in a mystery story.   Ultimately, she unlocked the code and I was able to follow along as she shared where her latest book, Welcome to Lagos, came from. I adored this interview, not only because of her gorgeous voice, but because of the wisdom she has gathered through her twenties as she's collected both degrees and publication credits.   I know you'll fall in love with Chibundu, her writing, and the ability she has with language. Her tips on how to make a sentence more beautiful alone make this well worth the listen.   Enjoy! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sometimes you just want to write a lot of characters.   Chibundu Onuzo wrote her first novel surrounding two characters, so when it came time to writer her second novel, she wanted a lot of people in there to play with. In addition, she shifted into third person, a process she compared to Scooby Doo or Nancy Drew trying to figure out how to open a secret bookcase in a mystery story.   Ultimately, she unlocked the code and I was able to follow along as she shared where her latest book, Welcome to Lagos, came from. I adored this interview, not only because of her gorgeous voice, but because of the wisdom she has gathered through her twenties as she's collected both degrees and publication credits.   I know you'll fall in love with Chibundu, her writing, and the ability she has with language. Her tips on how to make a sentence more beautiful alone make this well worth the listen.   Enjoy! See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

#107 :: Writing a Large Cast of Characters | Chibundu Onuzo

We chat with Chibundu Onuzo about her novel Welcome to Lagos, which is out now from Catapult.  Books Mentioned  Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo The Spider King's Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso Longthroat Memoirs: Soup, Sex, and Nigerian Taste Buds by Yemisi Aribisala  Author Bio Chibundu Onuzo was born in 1991 in Lagos, Nigeria. She studied history at King's College London and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in history at the same institution. Her short stories have been commissioned by BBC Radio, and she writes for The Guardian, with a special interest in Nigeria. Instagram | Twitter | Buy the Book   Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to be sure you don’t miss the latest news, reviews, and fur child photos. Support us on Patreon and get insider goodies!   CONTACT Questions? Comments? Email us hello@readingwomenpodcast.com. SOCIAL MEDIA Reading Women Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website   Music “Reading Women” Composed and Recorded by Isaac and Sarah Greene Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We chat with Chibundu Onuzo about her novel Welcome to Lagos, which is out now from Catapult.  <h3>Books Mentioned</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936787806/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=kdwin-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1936787806&amp;linkId=347e50f80cc524f03349e5fbb09623d7" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0571268919/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=kdwin-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=0571268919&amp;linkId=fb655e679ed01270d619c039557eb668" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Spider King's Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1566567041/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=kdwin-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1566567041&amp;linkId=cfd6d6ef55e3f13a2aa4a6f407fe48c2" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250124573/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=kdwin-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1250124573&amp;linkId=17ff8a33eaf1e28402284cfa76492926" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/191111526X/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=kdwin-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=191111526X&amp;linkId=8993245089945a9bcace51611314ca75" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Longthroat Memoirs: Soup, Sex, and Nigerian Taste Buds by Yemisi Aribisala</a></li> </ul> <h3>Author Bio</h3> Chibundu Onuzo was born in 1991 in Lagos, Nigeria. She studied history at King's College London and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in history at the same institution. Her short stories have been commissioned by BBC Radio, and she writes for The Guardian, with a special interest in Nigeria. <h3><a href="https://www.instagram.com/chibundu.onuzo/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">I</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/chibundu.onuzo/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">nstagram</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChibunduOnuzo" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter | </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936787806/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=kdwin-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1936787806&amp;linkId=347e50f80cc524f03349e5fbb09623d7" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Buy the Book</a></h3> Be sure to <a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/newsletter" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe to our newsletter</a> to be sure you don’t miss the latest news, reviews, and fur child photos. <a href="https://www.patreon.com/readingwomen" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Support us on Patreon</a> and get insider goodies! CONTACT Questions? Comments? Email us hello@readingwomenpodcast.com. SOCIAL MEDIA Reading Women <a href="https://twitter.com/thereadingwomen" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thereadingwomen/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thereadingwomen/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a> Music “Reading Women” Composed and Recorded by Isaac and Sarah Greene Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Interview with Chibundu Onuzo

Yaa Gyasi

The authors of two buzzy new novels, Homegoing and Welcome to Lagos, explore ancient and modern stories of west Africa

 Reclaiming history with Yaa Gyasi and Chibundu Onuzo - books podcast 

Alexandra Kleeman

Chibundu Onuzo was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1991. Her first novel, The Spider King's Daughter, won a Betty Trask Award, was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Commonwealth Book Prize, and was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and the Etisalat Prize for Literature. She is completing a PhD on the West African Student's Union at King's College London. Her latest novel is Welcome to Lagos.  Alexandra Kleeman is a NYC-based writer of fiction and nonfiction, and a PhD candidate in Rhetoric at UC Berkeley. Her fiction has been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Zoetrope: All-Story, Conjunctions, Guernica, and Gulf Coast, among others. Nonfiction essays and reportage have appeared in Harpers, Tin House, n+1, and The Guardian. She is the author of the short story collection Intimations, and a debut novel You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chibundu Onuzo was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1991. Her first novel, The Spider King's Daughter, won a Betty Trask Award, was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Commonwealth Book Prize, and was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and the Etisalat Prize for Literature. She is completing a PhD on the West African Student's Union at King's College London. Her latest novel is Welcome to Lagos. Alexandra Kleeman is a NYC-based writer of fiction and nonfiction, and a PhD candidate in Rhetoric at UC Berkeley. Her fiction has been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Zoetrope: All-Story, Conjunctions, Guernica, and Gulf Coast, among others. Nonfiction essays and reportage have appeared in Harpers, Tin House, n+1, and The Guardian. She is the author of the short story collection Intimations, and a debut novel You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine.   See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

450: Chibundu Onuzo & Alexandra Kleeman

Martin Sixsmith

Andrew Marr talks to the best-selling author Martin Sixsmith about his latest book which tells the story of a daughter's search for the truth about her beloved father. Secrets, corruption and political intrigue are uncovered as they travel from Britain to Pakistan. There's more political scandal and family drama from the Nigerian author Chibundu Onuzo in her latest novel, Welcome to Lagos, and the playwright Oladipo Agboluaje imagines a political revolution in 21st century Nigeria and the moral compromises made in the pursuit of power and political change. Laurence Cockcroft is the co-founder of Transparency International in the UK and in his latest work turns his attention to the flavour of corruption in the West.Producer: Katy Hickman.

Andrew Marr talks to the best-selling author Martin Sixsmith about his latest book which tells the story of a daughter's search for the truth about her beloved father. Secrets, corruption and political intrigue are uncovered as they travel from Britain to Pakistan. There's more political scandal and family drama from the Nigerian author Chibundu Onuzo in her latest novel, Welcome to Lagos, and the playwright Oladipo Agboluaje imagines a political revolution in 21st century Nigeria and the moral compromises made in the pursuit of power and political change. Laurence Cockcroft is the co-founder of Transparency International in the UK and in his latest work turns his attention to the flavour of corruption in the West. Producer: Katy Hickman.

Chibundu Onuzo

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