Africa Turns the Page: The Novels That Shaped a Continent
(BBC Four, 9pm)
Africa has become a superpower in the world of the novel. Shortlists for the world’s major literary prizes are packed with African authors, while novelists like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have become international celebrities. But how did Africa become such a hotbed of literary talent? Nigerian-born historian David Olusoga looks at how, as African nations fought for independence during the 1950s, writers such as Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Wole Soyinka became the conscience of a continent.