Alain Kassanda, the director of Coconut Head Generation, will virtually join a screening of her film live at 4 p.m. this Saturday, January 25, in Dewing Hall room 103 at Kalamazoo College. The event will be co-hosted by the African studies concentration and the student organization KalamaAfrica. 

Dominique Somda, the director of African studies at K, said the film explores the daily lives of students at the University of Ibadan, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Nigeria, while focusing on their engagement with important social and political issues through a film club hosted by the Institute of African Studies. It also highlights the activism of Nigerian youths, particularly their involvement in the 2021 #EndSARS movement, a mass protest against police brutality. Somda explains that SARS, also called the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, was notorious for abusing ordinary citizens. In fact, a video of a man being killed by police went viral, sparking outrage and demonstrations that largely were led by young people.  

The film club participants watched works by John Akomfrah, Jean-Marie Teno, Med Hondo and others, which helped them have compelling discussions about corruption, gender roles, LGBTQ+ rights, colonialism and more. The young people at the time were called “coconut heads,” a term that accused them of being lazy and passive. However, the label was ironically reclaimed, transforming it into a badge of defiance and identity. 

“This remarkable film centers on young people—students the same age as those at K—who, despite very different circumstances in another country, engage deeply with films that explore diverse ways of being human across the planet,” Somda said. 

Hoping that many will attend the showing, Somda would love for participants to be curious about youth activism, different ways of life and the rich complexities of Africa. She added that students interested in films and filmmaking will find a unique, meta aspect to this experience with it being an opportunity to watch and discuss a film about people watching and discussing films. 

“The film is about seeing, thinking and resisting,” Somda said. “Regardless of their positionality or political stance, I hope students at K can do the same—drawing inspiration from the vibrancy and resilience of the students at the University of Ibadan. This film helps viewers reflect on how every generation seems to think down on the younger generations, thinking that they were better, but actually shows how each and every generation has the opportunity to contribute and fight their own battles.”  

Editor’s note: This story was written by Lily Stickley ’25. She serves as a social media ambassador for the College Marketing and Communication team. She’s also the co-editor for K’s student newspaper, The Index.