Al-Jazeera Launches a 6-Part Documentary Series So 6 Nigerians Can Tell You About Their Lives

Ever wonder what life is like for a female mechanic?

That combination is probably an oxymoron in several cultures, but now imagine how interesting that experience must be for a female mechanic living and working in Nigeria—the richest and most populous country in Africa. 

If you have access to Al-Jazeera English, you’ll be able to watch and listen to a firsthand account of what life is like for mechanic Sandra Aguebor and five other Nigerians who are making a living, having fun, resolving conflicts, hanging out with their family and friends, and, simply put, living their ordinary lives in Nigeria. The six-part, half-hour documentary series is called My Nigeria, and it premieres Aug. 24. (We’re hoping that folks in the U.S. are able to find the videos online if the series doesn’t air on Al-Jazeera America.)

“The series was commissioned specifically to support Al-Jazeera English’s brand ‘Hear the human story,’ to bring people’s stories directly to our screens, told in in a first-person style without mediation, offering a range of authentic views,” Ingrid Falck, head of documentaries at Al-Jazeera English, said in a press statement. 

The other Nigerians who will open up their lives to viewers are stand-up comedian Basketmouth; Nollywood actress-turned-politician Kate Henshaw; information and communications technology expert Gbenga Sesan; fashion designer Deola Sagoe; and soccer coach Femi Bamigboye.

This series, directed by Brian Tilley and Clifford Bestall, will be especially groundbreaking because everyone with access to the television network will get the chance to see a variety of experiences happening in Nigerian firsthand, and not the doom-and-gloom poverty and war stories that mainstream news organizations always seem to want to tell about Africa. 

Falck summed up that sentiment when describing the goal of the project: “To get beyond the clichés of Africa, there isn’t a better place than Nigeria. For every stereotype of corruption or extremism, there are millions of ordinary Nigerians making this African powerhouse tick. Our series focuses on these individuals to see firsthand how Nigerians are busy making a difference.”

This Ghanaian-Nigerian-American can’t wait to watch. 

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Diana Ozemebhoya Eromosele is a staff writer at The Root and the founder and executive producer of Lectures to Beats, a Web series that features video interviews with scarily insightful people. Follow Lectures to Beats on Facebook and Twitter.