Powerhouse Nigerian writer, maker and multidisciplinary artist, Eloghosa Osunde’s innovative storytelling is redefining contemporary literature. In this exclusive interview, they let us into their approach to art and delves into their mesmerizing debut, novel, Vagabonds!
It’s an unassuming morning in Cape Town but the streets are bustling with a vibrant energy as I make my way to the Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel in the heart of the city to meet Eloghosa. The stunning location piques my curiosity about the woman I’m about to meet...
As I make my way up the stairs to meet her, I can’t help but feel a mix of anticipation and excitement. Although I've seen their images, they’re even more captivating in person. Dressed in all black, they sport a warm smile. I feel their commanding yet serene presence which immediately puts me at ease. As I introduce myself and share a hug, there’s an ethereal quality about them that I can’t quite place. After exchanging pleasantries, I’m eager to dive into a discussion about their experience at the Open Book Festival, the main reason they’re in town.
“It was incredible. I love how it’s curated and how thoughtful the organisation was. There was such a great array of artists who came to have conversations. I found it really impressive. Just yesterday, for the closing event, I got to perform with the Abantu Chorus Choir, which was my first time performing music, actually. I got to read my writing and also performed a song I wrote. I really enjoyed the experience and feel that the Open Book Festival is the kind of space where something like that can happen.”
It becomes apparent that Eloghosa is layered, and it’s their allure that makes them so intriguing. I’m excited to uncover the layers, so I ask them to take us through their musical background.
“Something really interesting has been happening with my work over the years. I’ve come to realize that the title that feels right when describing what I do is ‘maker.’ I’m a maker and artist, so that can look like anything. It can look like writing a novel or music for myself or other musicians, which is something I do. It can also look like writing a monologue with Victoria’s Secret, and Naomi Campbell walking to it, which is what I did last year.
I do a lot of things. Two years ago, I exhibited at the National Museum in Lagos. I’ve worked on various projects at different points in my life, and I know that because I released a novel, it’s very easy for people to box me as a writer and wonder why I do all the other things. But really, I’m an artist, so writing is another form of expression; it’s basically text art. Writing a novel is text-based art. As far as music is concerned, it’s always been a part of my life. I grew up listening to music and making melodies.”
I’m in awe of Eloghosa’s approach to their craft and ask them to elaborate on the common thread that weaves into their work. “Stories are the thread for me. Whether I’m making a painting (which I also do), writing a song, or a novel, or working with a fashion brand like Victoria’s Secret or Orange Culture, the common thread is storytelling and me. Something I’m proud of is that when people see my visual art, they know it’s the same person who wrote Vagabonds! When people hear me sing, they know it’s the same person who made that painting. I guess the common thread is me.”
Expanding on their signature style, they say it’s an element of the surreal. “That appears in my novel, and another example is when I worked with a Nigerian brand called Orange Culture on their Spring/Summer 2020 collection. They exhibited it at Lagos Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. I created some art prints for them that featured silhouettes of spirits. These looked like the spirits I describe in my novel, and the common thread between these two types of work is that they convey a sense of the surreal.”
I’m fascinated by Eloghosa’s multifaceted artistry and even more curious about their debut novel, which has captivated readers globally with its audacious blend of realism, myth, and fantasy.
Set against the bustling backdrop of Lagos, Eloghosa introduces readers to a tapestry of characters—each navigating their own labyrinth of danger, desire, and self-discovery. Beyond the pages of Vagabonds!, they are a formidable presence in the fashion and art realms, offering a unique crossover of creativity and insight.
Glamour: How did it feel to introduce Vagabonds! to South African readers at the Open Book Festival, and what do you hope they take away from the novel?
Eloghosa: It felt amazing to meet South African readers in person. I’ve received a lot of support from them online; people write me letters all the time to say, “Hey, I’m from Joburg and I read your work,” so I’ve always been aware that I have readers here. Open Book was an opportunity for me to meet those readers, sign their books, hear their stories, and take questions from the audience. It was an absolute honor!
Glamour: Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Vagabonds! and how the vibrant streets of Lagos influenced the story and its characters?
Eloghosa: Oh, I love this question! The inspiration behind the book was Lagos—the energy and how it shapes the people who live there. I think we’re moulded by the places we occupy. We like to think that we're independent agents and move from place to place, but every place we go affects us and transforms us, even if just subtly. So, I wanted to write a book that shows Lagos not just as a physical place but also as a spiritual force. That’s the driving force behind Vagabonds! as a book. It explores different aspects of Lagos’s population, from spirits to drivers, queer people to doctors, and harvesters. It shows everything about Lagos, from crime to dance, entertainment, and love.
Glamour: With that in mind, Vagabonds! features a diverse cast of characters navigating complex themes like identity, resistance, and love. How did you approach creating such multifaceted characters?
Eloghosa: I kept Lagos in the front of my mind. It’s an interesting, flavorful place; it feels like a pot into which you throw everything—a melting pot. There are different kinds of people and ways of being in Lagos. I don’t think there’s just one Lagos; it’s the same with any other city. The city you get to know depends on who you’re with and who you surround yourself with. So, when I was thinking about the city, I was thinking about the people who make up the city. All those people are inside this book.
Glamour: So the people around you influence how you experience a place?
Eloghosa: Yes! The same way a place affects us, we also affect the place. The people who live in a place shape it. For example, Cape Town’s energy results from the people who live here, the people who move around in the space. Everything contributes to how a place is felt. In Lagos, the energy is very vibrant and energetic, and that’s also due to the people who migrate there, those who were born there, those who were raised there, work there, and those who have left. All those factors add to the feel of a place.
Glamour: Let’s explore the role Lagos plays in your novel and how it shapes the characters’ stories...
Eloghosa: Lagos is actually personified as a spirit and a god. I used that to explore spirituality, power, and the relationship between the creator and the created. It’s easy to think that God is detached from what He makes, but any maker is never detached from their creation. So I wanted to explore Lagos as an active creator of the city. I wanted to explore Lagos as a spirit who is interested in the lives of its population.
Glamour: Let’s talk about your approach to bringing your characters to life and character development. Did you meet the characters in the book? Did you spend time with them and engage with the space the same way they do?
Eloghosa:I really love this question! One of my favorite things to ask my characters is what they listen to. I’m a huge fan of music; it’s a significant part of my life, and I think you can tell a lot about a person from the music they turn to when they’re feeling sad or happy, when they want to concentrate or celebrate, and when they want to feel confident. So a key question I asked my characters in the making of this book was, “What are you listening to?” or “What music do you love?” or “What music makes you feel safe?” Music is quite a strong entry point for me in character development.
Glamour: The novel blends realism with elements of myth and fantasy. How did you balance these elements to create a cohesive narrative?
Eloghosa: I didn’t balance them. Wherever myth showed up, it did. Wherever fantasy showed up, it did. I allow my work to be what it is. I wasn’t thinking about balance but rather allowing myself. I was thinking about freedom, not balance.
Glamour: That’s so profound. As a creative, I get it, and it really landed. So how do the themes of displacement and resistance in Vagabonds! reflect broader social issues in Nigeria, and do you see parallels in other parts of the world?
Eloghosa: I definitely do! The title Vagabonds! is one of my favorite things about the book because it refers to many things. It refers to people who are on the outside, wanderers, and people who have no solid base. It also refers to queerness—queer people in Nigeria. The Nigerian constitution considers anyone who is queer and exists outside of the gender binary as a vagabond. It’s literally written into the law. So yes, I see that reflected... the idea of whoever is not seen as normal. That’s something we experience in every part of the world. Even in more progressive places, there are still people who are marginalized.
I believe that displacement is everywhere, so Vagabonds! is a book that anyone in the world can relate to. I recently received a letter from an 80-year-old white man from London who said, “I used to live in Nigeria in the '80s. I read your book, and it meant so much to me; it’s one of my favorite books.” I also received an email from a drummer in Germany who said the book means a lot to him, and he’s straight. The themes in this book are applicable to anyone who is human in the world—anyone who has ever felt confused or unsure, anyone who has ever been in love. There are so many themes involved here. It’s not made for a specific group of people; it’s made for anyone who feels they can relate to the stories.
Glamour: How has the global reception of Vagabonds! influenced your perspective on your work and your role as an author?
Eloghosa: I really love that question. Thank you for asking it. The reception of Vagabonds! has been mind-blowing. Everywhere the book exists, people reach out to me. It’s been published in America, the UK, South Africa, Nigeria, and there’s also a Greek translation. All these things are mind-blowing to me because this is a novel I wrote in my flat. I thought the book would resonate mostly with Nigerians and Africans, but it has gone way beyond that. I think what it has shown me is that when I write in my authentic voice about stories that feel natural to me, those stories are still human stories. Even when people can’t understand all the words on the page, they can feel the energy. So it has encouraged me. Seeing the reception of the book has encouraged me to write in my own voice, in a way that’s true to me.
Glamour: Did you encounter any challenges while writing the book? If so, how did you overcome them?
Eloghosa: I think the challenges were mostly internal. When you’re trying to bring something intangible into the world, you encounter fear, anxiety, imposter syndrome, etc. Many things come up. The obstacles and challenges I experienced were mostly inside myself. Nothing in the world was really fighting me during the writing process. From my first readers to my publishers, I never experienced any opposition, but the things I had to overcome were internal.
Glamour: Are there any particular scenes or characters in Vagabonds! that are especially personal or significant to you?
Eloghosa: Many, but the characters I highlight here are a couple who are trying to figure out how to love each other correctly. That’s something I’m very concerned about in my own life. How do we love properly in a world that is scary? How do we love carefully in a world that is competitive and brutal? How do we love courageously? These two characters spend time trying to figure out how to love each other, if they should love each other. So yes, I find that aspect of the book quite touching.
Glamour: How do you envision the impact of Vagabonds! on conversations about identity and inclusivity, both within Nigeria and internationally?
Eloghosa: I think my book is a crucial text, and I’m not just saying that because I wrote it. I’m saying that because at a time when queerness is being surveyed, controlled, and even punished—in Nigeria, by the law, the people, society, and even families—it matters to have queer characters on the page who are joyful, loving, and imperfect. It matters now more than ever for us to see that on the page. Vagabonds! is a book that I know young people growing up, trying to figure out their identity, will find useful because it’s clear about who it fights for and who it stands for. This book is very much for anyone who feels alone.
Glamour: So what was it like to weave together the different narrative threads and characters in Vagabonds! to converge at the novel's joyous conclusion?
Eloghosa: I really believe in joy. I think we deserve joy, even in a book or a story where we experience difficulty. Many things become worth it when you can tap into joy, especially when it’s amplified by others. The end of the book is one of my favorite chapters because so many people come together regardless of their identities, form, or being. People come together to celebrate life, and I think that’s the point of being alive. Joy is the point of being alive. It makes living worth it—not just finding out what brings you joy but leaning into it.
Glamour: Do you have any plans for future projects or themes you’re excited to explore in your writing?
Eloghosa: Yes! As far as future projects go, I have a novel coming out next year called Necessary Fiction. I’m really excited about it because some of my most loved short stories are inside that book, and I’ve had time to expand those stories. I know that readers of my work will be excited to see what I’ve done there. Another project I’m working on is an exhibition in Benin City, Nigeria, where my family is from. I haven’t been there in ten years, but I’ll be exhibiting my work there in November. I’m really excited about it. The exhibition will feature glass and text—printing text on glass for the first time. I’m excited to see how viewers interact with it. It’s a combination of fiction and glass, a material that Edo people have worked with over the years. It’s a new form for me.
There’s also my third book, which I can’t speak much about yet. We’re also working on a TV adaptation of Vagabonds! I can’t say too much about that either, but I’m excited for people to experience it in a different form because Vagabonds! is a very visual book, and I already have a vision for how it will go. I have a very exciting collaborator on that, and I’m looking forward to the book getting on screen and finding a new audience.
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