Also by Mail

Reviews / Votes

A fascinating play that delves into the Nigerian diaspora to tell a moving tale of Nigerian-German history. When Mr Ogunleye returns to Nigeria he leaves his two Afro-German children behind to cope with everyday racism without his guidance or protection. After his death the children travel to Nigeria and meet up with their father's other family members from Lagos and London.Diverse experiences, expectations and hopes result in frustration, misunderstandings and breakdown. However, in the end it is a profound wisdom which imagines a new future for the family - one that opens up new horizons for their diasporic experiences. Olumide Popoola presents us with another treasure of Afro-German literature in English.Susan ArndtProfessor of English Studies and Anglophone Literatures,University of Bayreuth "Also by Mail is a pioneering play by the London-based Nigerian-German novelist, poet and playwright Olumide Popoola - poignantly and authentically representing the lives, the diversity, the struggles and aspirations of people in the Black diaspora, their quest for identity and justice.Generation conflicts, the clash of cultures and language barriers are depicted with warmth and humor whereas racist experiences in Germany are resolutely and realistically conveyed, as well as results of determined resistance, not leading to reconciliation but at least to legal justice. Also by Mail is a powerful play, entertaining and thought-provoking. Having read it with joy, one wishes to see it performed on stage soon." Marion Kraft - Author of The African Continuum and African American Women Writers "Ein faszinierendes Theaterstück, das in den Alltag einer nigerianischen Diaspora eintaucht, um ein bewegendes Stück deutsch-nigerianischer Geschichte zu erzählen. Rassismus in Deutschland vertreibt einen Nigerianer, der zwei afrodeutsche Kinder in Deutschland zurücklässt. Nach seinem Tod treffen sie auf seine Familie, die in Lagos und London lebt. Divers aufgestellte Erfahrungen, Erwartungen und Hoffnungen erzeugen Frustration, Missverständnisse und Zerfall. Am Ende aber ist es eine Weisheit globaler Tragkraft, die eine Zukunft imaginiert, die der Familie und ihren diasporischen Erfahrungen neue Horizonte eröffnet. Olumide Popoola schenkt uns einen weiteren Schatz afrodeutscher Literatur in Englisch."Prof. Dr. Susan Arndt, Universität Bayreuth"Institutional racism is part of being Black in Germany and racial profiling exemplifies one of these untold, silenced German stories. Also by Mail provides an understanding of how quickly a normal train ride can take a turn for the worse. Black people living in Germany have to familiarize themselves with these police measures, even more so if they are male. For Black boys, growing up in Germany increasingly means being seen to be a "threat" to society - to be reduced to stereotypical images."Jamie Schearer and Hadija HarunaInitiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland (ISD-Bund) e.V.