£8 of ticket price is redeemable towards a copy of Bitter Sweet on the night.

A small taste of Kola Nut Ice Cream will be available on the night

Date: Thursday, 3rd of December

Location: Round Table Books CIC, 10-11 Granville Arcade, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PR (next to Honest Burger)

Time: 18:30 doors & begins at 19:00

Join us and Words Across Waters Afro Lit Fest for an evening with Author and Ice Cream Maker Ayeshah Haruna Attah in conversation with Bola Mosuro

The kola nut is a seed indigenous to West Africa, chewed by ancient caravan travellers to survive their harsh desert journeys, the ‘Cola’ in Coca-Cola. From Senegal to Cameroon, it is woven into community life, customs and cuisine.

Searching for stories about this caffeine-rich seed to better understand her West African home, acclaimed author Ayesha Harruna Attah takes readers along the Niger River, through the red sands of the Sahel and across the Atlantic Ocean. She traces her family’s roots as kola traders and cultivators in Ghana’s forests and savannah. Encountering craftspeople, cultural custodians and descendants of enslaved people who travelled with kola to the Americas, she discovers what this unique commodity reveals about identity and tradition—and about the region’s place in a messy, interconnected world. Along the way, she begins to fall in love with West Africa. Blending history, travelogue, and cultural exploration, Attah shows us that after that first bitter bite of kola, sweetness always follows.

Ayesha Harruna Attah is the author of five novels, including The Hundred Wells of Salaga, a William Saroyan International Prize for Writing finalist. As the Rolex Perpetual Arts Initiative 2023–24 literature protégée, she was mentored by Bernardine Evaristo. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Elle Italia and other media. Born and raised in Ghana, she lives in Senegal.

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Broadcaster and journalist Bola Mosuro spent three decades as a BBC World Service presenter, reaching millions across Africa and beyond. She co-produced the BBC’s “The Story of Africa” series and hosts the ODI/SPARC podcast “Dynamic Drylands.”

A narrator and moderator passionate about development, Bola began her career in the NGO sector with the Institute for African Alternatives and Akina Mama Wa Afrika. She is interested in women’s issues, arts and culture, and personal storytelling. She was raised in London and Lagos.

Books and refreshments from Round Table’s Bar will be available for purchase on the night.