Ope Adedeji and Daniel Orubo Edit Zikoko’s Upcoming Anthology of Love Stories

Daniel Orubo and Ope Adedeji

Zikoko and Big Cabal Media, in collaboration with Ankara Press, the commercial imprint of Cassava Republic Press, announce Nigerians Are Not Normal About Love, a new anthology inspired by Zikoko’s fan-favourite, the Love Life series. Scheduled for publication in January in 2027, the anthology is curated and edited by curated and edited by seasoned creative writer Ope Adedeji and editor Daniel Orubo.

The anthology transforms real-life interviews into vivid stories that trace the strange, tender choreography of love in contemporary Nigeria. The anthology narrates stories of lovers who meet in university lecture halls and at chaotic birthday parties during Detty December; break-ups unfolding in Lagos gridlock; long-distance goodbyes whispered over late-night WhatsApp calls; situationships; second chances; asexual intimacy; long marriages; quiet betrayals and sudden devotion.

At once funny, intimate and unsparing, the anthology captures a spectrum of Nigerian intimacies, shaped by dating apps, economic precarity, migration, faith and the pressure of loving in a place that has opinions about how you should.

Boluwatito “Tito” Sanusi, who acquired the world rights and is Assistant Editor at Ankara Press, said, “This anthology is a celebration of our capacity to love — even when it’s messy. I cannot wait for readers to see themselves in these stories.”

“The original Love Life series began as a way to explore the layered shades of love. This book takes that further, reimagining beloved episodes and introducing new stories through some of Nigeria’s most exciting storytellers. I’m excited for readers to discover new voices — and perhaps recognise their own stories too,” Daniel Orubo said.

Ope Adedeji, co-editor, said: “Storytelling changes us. These stories gather the beauty and contradictions of loving, living and leaving into one place. They remind us that our love stories — in all their complexity — deserve to be told.”

These are the confirmed contributors to the anthology:

• Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
• Nicole Asinugo
• Mowa Badmos
• Edwin Okolo
• Chinonso Nzeh
• Kanyinsola Olorunnisola
• Mariam Sule
• Jeffrey Jude
• Aisha Bello
• Franklyn Usouwa

Ankara Press is the new commercial imprint from Cassava Republic, bringing readers swoon-worthy romance, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, epic fantasy, bold horror, and nonfiction from Lagos to Los Angeles, Kingston to Kigali. It publishes stories that reflect the full diversity of human experience, with a commitment to voices and perspectives that have been underrepresented on the shelf. It publishes books, but also builds community through live events, conversation cards and real-life experiences that bring readers and writers together in full colour. Ankara Press officially launches in Summer 2026.