When we announced the launch of the first edition of The Archivi.ng Fellowship in September 2024, we called on curious people from everywhere to help us enhance the world’s understanding of Nigerian history.

Applications came from every state in Nigeria and unexpected places like India, Cambodia, Somaliland, and the United States. This demonstrated that people have important ideas they want to see in the world.

We reviewed 1,438 applications to find what most aligned with our current mission to bring fresh perspectives to Nigerian history. Everything came down to, “How well does this application fit our scope, and can we support this work properly?”

This fellowship is more than just a programme for us—it’s a critical step towards learning how to engage with history in a way that’s compelling and relevant to the present. 

We’re happy to announce we’ve selected five people for the first cohort of The Archivi.ng Fellowship. Say hello to them.

Aimalohi Ojeamiren

Aima is a filmmaker and visual storyteller dedicated to crafting narratives that inspire change. Her work bridges the gap between storytelling and social advocacy.

Her project, The Genesis of the Exodus, explores Nigeria’s recurring waves of migration, focusing on the 1980s brain drain and its parallels with the present-day Japa movement. Through archival materials, personal narratives, and expert insights, the film aims to illuminate the socio-economic and political conditions driving these exoduses and spark a broader conversation on their historical and contemporary implications for Nigeria’s future.

Habiba Malumfashi

Habiba Malumfashi is an artist, curator, researcher and art enthusiast. She’s the programs officer at the Open Arts Development Foundation and runs the Open Arts Space, a community art centre in Kaduna.

Her project, Nigeria’s Last Dictator, focuses on the literary and creative resistance during General Sani Abacha’s regime between 1993 and 1998, focusing on how writers and journalists responded to censorship and oppression. Using archival newspapers, literary works, and firsthand interviews, she aims to reconstruct the socio-political landscape of the era.

Oghosa Ebengho

Oghosa is a creative problem-solver at heart who helps his clients sell ideas using illustrations and concept designs. He’s worked with high-profile clients, including Netflix's Dear White People and Afropolitan Nation. When he’s not collaborating with clients, he’s building the Celeste IP, a world of his own creation, inviting other creators to explore and tell stories. 

His visually engaging project, Yellow Sunset, makes Nigeria’s Civil War history accessible and relatable to younger generations. Drawing on his expertise in illustration, he aims to transform archival materials into visually rich narratives, bridging the gap between historical complexity and contemporary understanding. 

Samuel Ishola

Samuel “Smish” Ishola is an AMVCA-winning writer, filmmaker, and history enthusiast with a keen interest in pre-amalgamation and pre-independence Nigerian history. He views history as a lens to the future enriched by the clarity of hindsight and is committed to promoting and enriching the understanding of Nigerian history for all who share an interest.

His project, The Ordinary Nigerians Podcast, brings Nigerian history to life through the experiences of everyday people, spanning from the pre-amalgamation era to post-independence. Using archival materials, he aims to produce a narrative-style podcast that humanises history, focusing on relatable themes of love, resilience, and heartbreak, creating an immersive and emotionally engaging experience for a diverse audience.

Shalom Kasim

Shalom is the managing editor of Mud Season Review. He holds a degree in English and Literary Studies from the Federal University, Wukari, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the magazine, Insights. He has also contributed as a prose editor at Eboquills, a writer for Erato Magazine, an editor at Pictura Journal, and an events officer at The Selkie Publications CIC. He’s the founder and curator of the storytelling blog, Naija in the Mix.

His project, Documenting the Story Behind ‘Black Orpheus,’ is telling the story behind the story of the oldest literary magazine in Nigerian history. The project explores the cultural and intellectual significance of Black Orpheus as a platform that bridged diverse African voices and shaped the continent’s literary identity.

We’re excited to embark on this journey with our fellows and invite you to join us. Together, we’re shaping a future where context is accessible, engaging, and deeply meaningful. 

The fellows will execute their projects between January and June 2025. Follow us @startarchiving across social media to stay updated on their progress. 

The Archivi.ng Fellowship is proudly supported by Luminate, with critical fellow support from Olongo Africa.