“Arena: Niger’s Heart of Darkness”

Episode 2 billing – Dec 11th 

In this second episode, British-Nigerian poet and activist Femi Nylander continues his journey in Niger to discover the modern-day impact on its people of atrocities that took place there over a century ago.

Femi traces the footsteps of a French army officer, Paul Voulet, who forged a path of unspeakable barbarity across the West African state of Niger in 1899 and unravels the uncanny parallels with the fictional colonial horror of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. With words and images from Conrad’s time still echoing in his mind, Femi finds painful memories and meets communities still living with the traumatic consequences of the violence of a century ago.

Episode 3 billing – Dec 17th

In this third episode, British-Nigerian poet and activist Femi Nylander concludes his journey in Niger discovering the modern-day impact on its people of atrocities that took place there over a century ago.

Femi traces the footsteps of a French army officer, Paul Voulet, who forged a path of unspeakable barbarity across the West African state of Niger in 1899 and unravels the uncanny parallels with the fictional colonial horror of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Femi finds painful memories and visits communities still living with the traumatic consequences of the violence of a century ago. But amidst this terrible history, Femi also encounters beauty and a spirit of hope: young people working together and a country determined to find its way out of the horror of the past.

www.bbc.co.uk