The ‘Home from Home’ project aims to explore the legacies of pioneering British Nigerians in the UK and their impact on society. The project highlights and celebrates British Nigerian contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London, in particular. In this interview we feature author and editor Jendella Benson.
Who is Jendella?
I am an author of two novels, Hope & Glory published in 2022 and All That We’ve Got which will be published in July 2024. I am also head of editorial at Black Ballad.
What does “Home From Home” mean to you?
Home from home means being so centred and grounded that you can make a home for yourself wherever you have landed.
How do you celebrate your Nigerian heritage?
The more obvious ways are through music and food, but also through learning my mother tongue, Yorùbá, as an adult as well as taking the time to delve into Yorùbá philosophy and mythology that form the bedrock of the culture. Then I try to carry this with me through all my work. My heritage guides my creative ethos.
What does being “British Nigerian” mean to you?
British Nigerian is a very particular translation of Nigerian culture in the diaspora. Our identity is informed by our surroundings and the other cultures we come into contact with as grow up. It is not a fixed destination, it is a constantly evolving identity. I don’t feel like it needs to be explained or justified, it just is, because we just are. We’re here, innit. We exist and we’re a vibe.
How do you stay connected to your identity?
Ironically travel helps me stay connected. I love going to different places and spotting the parallels or connections between myself and other people, but you can also take for granted certain things until you go to other places and realise how different you are. Difference doesn’t have to be bad. It’s an opportunity to learn from each other but also celebrate each other.
What does culture mean to you?
Culture is a way of being, and a way of existing. It governs how we see and interact with the world around us. It is alive, which is the most important thing. It is a living and breathing thing.
What do you imagine the future of the British Nigerian Community to look like in the next few years based on your industry?
I think we are only going to be more entrenched in Black British and wider British culture. Our contributions are already being felt across the creative industry, so I look forward to that growing and maturing.
www.jendella.co.uk / @jendella (Twitter/Instagram) / @jendella.the1st (TikTok)
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