Much matter in a penny paper early Yorùbá print culture in Lagos, 1910-1930 Barber, Karin 1949- creator author. aut http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/aut text bibliography History ohu 2026 monographic eng print xv, 282 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm. "Much Matter in a Penny Paper offers the first in-depth exploration of the emergence of an African-language print culture in early twentieth-century Lagos, Nigeria. Focusing on the 1910s and 1920s-a period of rapid experimentation and innovation-Karin Barber examines the rise of Yorùbá-language newspapers and the vibrant civic sphere they helped create. The 1910s was notable for an upsurge of local Yorùbá-language history books, and during the 1920s entrepreneurial editors and writers launched five Yorùbá-language weeklies in quick succession. These publications drew in readers beyond the educated elite, expanding public discourse and experimenting with new genres of writing. From moralizing pamphlets and dramatic sketches to serialized narratives voiced by women, Yorùbá print producers reimagined oral and written traditions, blending popular songs, anecdotes, and poetic forms into a dynamic new medium. This book is about not only what was printed but also how and why. It investigates the material practices of print production, the motivations of its creators, and the expectations of its audiences. Drawing on editorials, reader correspondence, and other paratextual commentary, it reveals how Yorùbá writers and readers understood the role of print in capturing the present, preserving the past, projecting the wisdom of the day forward for the benefit of future generations, and generating deep Yorùbá texts rich in poetic energy. Through detailed portraits of key figures-editors, pamphleteers, and a mysterious oral historian-Barber traces the interconnections between publications and genres, showing how they formed an active bilingual sphere of communication. The interplay between Yorùbá- and English-language media, as well as the creative exploitation of both languages, emerges as a defining feature of this period's print culture. By treating the Yorùbá print archive as a "transcript of emergence," this study offers new insights into how cultural innovations take shape. It is essential reading for scholars of African history, media studies, sociolinguistics, and print culture"-- Provided by publisher. Karin Barber. Includes bibliographical references and index. f-nr--- Indigenous publications Nigeria Lagos History 20th century Printing industry Nigeria Lagos History 20th century Printing industry Social aspects Nigeria Lagos Yoruba newspapers Nigeria Lagos History 20th century Yoruba literature Nigeria Lagos History 20th century Textbooks Nigeria Lagos 20th century Industries graphiques Nigeria Lagos Histoire 20e siècle Industries graphiques Aspect social Nigeria Lagos Littérature yoruba Nigeria Lagos Histoire 20e siècle Indigenous publications Printing industry Printing industry Social aspects Textbooks Yoruba literature Yoruba newspapers Nigeria Lagos 1900-1999 fast P92.N6 B36 2026 P92.N5 B36 2026 302.23208996333 Much matter in a penny paper Barber, Karin, 1949- Athens : Ohio University Press, 2026 (DLC) 2026001045 New African histories series 9780821426838 9780821426845 0821426842 0821426834 9780821426852 2026001044 POD IEN/DLC 260114 20260801173453.6 in00005789518 eng