Feb 23, 2024
Launching February 2024, presenter Seun Matiluko goes on a personal journey asking whether it is possible to authentically be both British and West African? Seun travels across the UK in search of different stories and perspectives, from walking the streets of Liverpool 8, to eating jollof rice with Peckham locals.
‘Talking Drum’ features a host of famous figures including Radio 1 DJ Melvin Odoom, former Olympian Kriss Akabusi, Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka, influencers and content creators Hemah K and Vanessa Kanbi, and Championship footballer Azeem Abdulai.
Seun explores the history of West Africans in Britain, the private fostering phenomenon ‘farming’, how different British communities can shape your hyphenated identity, the impact of language and speaking your ‘mother tongue’, and different forms of celebration amongst British-West Africans.
Three Arrows’ Richard Ampeh, who worked as a researcher on the series says: "Being part of the Talking Drum podcast was an enriching experience as I had the privilege of delving into the intricate tapestry of being British and West African. Capturing contributions from giants such as Wole Soyinka, Melvin Odoom, Kriss Akabusi, and Luti Fagbenle brought me great pride as I heard stories and experiences which amplified the British West African experience."
Three Arrows’ Jessie Bland, who was the supervising producer says:
“As someone not from the British West African community, I found working on this series enlightening and moving. It both fed my curiosity and at the same time made me more curious and engaged in the topics we explored, and I hope it does that for listeners too.”
‘Talking Drum’ was commissioned by Khaliq Meer as part of the BBC Audio Lab podcast development programme – designed to amplify the next-generation of podcasters and audio creators.
To find out more about BBC Audio Lab, click here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09jk03g
To listen to the podcast, click here:
Credits:
Producer and Presenter: Seun Matiluko
Supervising Producer: Jessie Bland
Researcher: Richard Ampeh
Exec Producer: Jon Hancock
Production Manager: Emily Collett
Production Coordinator: Tolu Olurebi
Theme Music: Richard Olatunde Baker
Sound Design: Kalua
Artwork: Tinuke Fagborun
A Three Arrows Media production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab
Commissioning Editor: Khaliq Meer
