Japa Diaries Podcast

Japa Diaries Podcast

/jah-pah/ - to run away; Nigerian slang meaning to emigrate

Japa Diaries is a podcast documenting the experiences of African immigrants in the diaspora

Join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @japa.diaries


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Resumen del episodio

What if Yoruba mythology got the epic fantasy treatment? Ponle Oluwole joins us to talk about Àyànmọ́: Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀, his Yoruba-inspired fantasy novel, and why he wanted to create the kind of expansive African fantasy story he wished he had growing up. We get into Yoruba mythology, the way African spirituality has been demonized and misunderstood, and what it means to see your culture treated as something epic, complex, and worth preserving. Plus, Ponle gets personal about identity, language, and raising his daughter in the diaspora. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodios

58-

We Deserve Our Own African Epic Fantasies ft. Ponle Oluwole

What if Yoruba mythology got the epic fantasy treatment? Ponle Oluwole joins us to talk about Àyànmọ́: Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀, his Yoruba-inspired fantasy novel, and why he wanted to create the kind of expansive African fantasy story he wished he had growing up. We get into Yoruba mythology, the way African spirituality has been demonized and misunderstood, and what it means to see your culture treated as something epic, complex, and worth preserving. Plus, Ponle gets personal about identity, language, and raising his daughter in the diaspora. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

06 oct. 2026
57-

Dating Across Cultures: Can Love Really Conquer All?

What happens when love crosses cultures? Sule and Kate met through soccer, fell in love, and eventually had to figure out what their relationship looked like alongside different cultures, religions, family expectations, and parenting styles. They get real about the conversations, compromises, and boundaries it took to build a life together. Plus, why loving each other was only the beginning... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

29 sep. 2026
56-

The Odyssey

Hi guys! We’re taking a little break from our regularly scheduled programming this week, but we’re not leaving you without something good to listen to 👀 While we’re away, check out Popcorn for Dinner, a podcast for people who love a good debrief with friends after watching their favorite TV shows or movies. We’re especially excited to introduce you to their episode on The Odyssey. Give it a listen, and if you’re into it, don’t stop there! Popcorn for Dinner has a whole catalog of episodes to choose from. Listen, enjoy, and we’ll be back next week with more of the Japa Diaries episodes you know and love 💚 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

22 sep. 2026
55-

The Real Cost of Making It Abroad

You made it abroad, now everyone needs something from you 😅 Fritz joins us for a very real conversation about black tax, family expectations, and the pressure that can come with being “the one who made it.” He shares his journey from Ghana to the U.S., from a full-ride scholarship and multiple campus jobs to building a career in software engineering. We get into sending money home, guilt, boundaries, and what changes when you start building a family of your own. Because making it abroad is one thing. Figuring out how much of that success you’re actually allowed to keep? That’s another conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 sep. 2026
54-

Surviving Biafra: The War We Still Don’t Talk About

What happens when your family history is tied to one of the most painful chapters in Nigeria’s history? In the case of filmmakers Leke and Meji Alabi-Isama, they made a documentary about it. Leke and Meji join us to talk about their 2026 BBC documentary, Surviving Biafra, which explores the Nigerian Civil War through the stories of people who lived through it — including their own dad and grandfather, General Alabi-Isama. From uncovering archival footage to confronting the stories we inherited about the war, this conversation looks at what happens when you dig into the history that shaped your family, your community, and your country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

08 sep. 2026