The Secular Sankofa Podcast is where Black voices rise with reason. Hosted by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH), this bold and thought-provoking show explores life beyond religion through the lens of African and Black humanist experiences.
From decolonising the mind to confronting racism, civil rights, and injustice, we dive deep into culture, identity, Pan-African history, and the future of our communities.
Unfiltered, unapologetic, and committed to truth, liberation, human dignity, and freethought — this is the podcast for Black freethinkers, atheists, seekers, and changemakers across the African diaspora and beyond.
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Apples, Ancestors, and Anti-Fascists Marches, Akua's Amazing Life in Activism
Season 1 · Episode 3
Sunday, November 9, 2025 • Duration 38:57
"Live out those principles of universal sisterhood and brotherhood and come together with your fellow human beings in a secular manner to make the world a better place for every single one of us seven billion. We are all of us, brothers and sisters... connected through our humanity and not through some superhuman force." - Akua Rugg
In this powerful conversation, lifelong activist, educator and humanist Akua Rugg reflects on her remarkable journey from Nigeria to Britain — from growing up in a deeply religious household to becoming part of the Race Today Collective, one of the most influential movements in Black British history.
At 79, Akua shares how her early experiences with colonial Christianity, racism, and resistance shaped her lifelong pursuit of justice, equality, and humanist values. She speaks about her work alongside figures such as CLR James and the Black Parents Movement, her memories of the New Cross Fire and the Black People’s Day of Action, and how humanism continues to guide her activism today.
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
From Devout Christian to Online Community Leader: Laura's Journey to Non-Religious Black Identity
Season 1 · Episode 2
Sunday, October 5, 2025 • Duration 37:29
“I’m a pastor’s kid, so this is probably their worst nightmare.” — Laura Iteman
A brave, generous conversation with Laura Iteman, a London based free-thinker and community builder on leaving Pentecostal certainty, naming the stigma non-religious Black women face, and building real-life community from a single TikTok call-out. From the cost of deconstruction to creating Non-Religious Black London Girlies, Laura maps a path that’s honest, careful, and hopeful: keep the culture, drop the dogma, and rebuild the village offline.
🎙️ In this episode
Laura's roots in the Church and relationship with family & friends
RCCG scale, culture, and how church becomes “the village”
Turning points, apologetics, and textual doubt
Agnostic honesty: holding space for uncertainty without shame
“Why Black? Why women?” — safety, realism and representation
From TikTok → Discord → Regent’s Park picnic (why in-person matters)
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
Welcome to Secular Sankofa - Reclaiming African Identity Through Secular Humanism
Season 1 · Episode 1
Saturday, October 4, 2025 • Duration 31:03
"We believe in people, not prophets, we believe in freedom, not fear, and we believe in integrity, not doctrine" - Audrey Simmons, Podcast Host
The Secular Sankofa podcast launches as the first-ever platform for Black humanists to reconnect with African identity and heritage through a secular lens. The hosts introduce the Association of Black Humanists, its mission, and vision for creating a space where Black people can explore humanism without religious dogma.
• Opening libation ceremony acknowledges African heritage and collective humanity • Audrey explains the meaning of "Sankofa" - looking back to reclaim history from a humanist perspective • Challenge to the colonial narrative that religion is intrinsically African while atheism is Western • Lola shares ABH's mission of reclaiming Black humanity and advocating for social justice • Clive describes his journey from devout Catholicism to humanism through scientific inquiry • Discussion of the political dimension of Black humanism as a path to liberation • Pan-Africanism as a framework for global Black solidarity while respecting cultural differences • Preview of future episodes featuring personal stories, Black feminism, LGBTQ+ experiences, and African history • Invitation to listeners to engage with ABH through social media and in-person meetups
Join us on social media @ABHumanists and attend our meetups including our Pan-African book club. We are the authors of our destiny - we do not wait for miracles, we create change.
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
From Seminary To Humanism: Leo Igwe On Dismantling Witchcraft Accusations And Reimagining Community Beyond Faith
Season 1 · Episode 5
Sunday, February 8, 2026 • Duration 41:23
"Any ideology... that values an idea more than human life must be condemned." Dr Leo Igwe
A sober, urgent conversation with Nigerian human rights activist Dr Leo Igwe on the real cost of unbelief in Nigeria and across the Global South. Joining hosts Clive Areude and Audrey Simmons, Leo reflects on his journey from the Catholic seminary to humanism, the violence driven by witchcraft accusations and blasphemy laws, and why fear, not faith, continues to shape religious identity at home and in the diaspora.
This episode confronts the murders, imprisonments, and silencing that follow when belief is enforced, and asks what responsibility non-believers have to speak, organise, and build alternatives that protect human life.
🎙️ In this episode
Leo’s path from seminary training to humanism through philosophy and critical inquiry
Witchcraft accusations in Nigeria and how they lead to abuse, exile, and killings
Why many Nigerians identify as religious out of fear rather than conviction
The murder of Deborah Samuel and the dangers of blasphemy accusations
The imprisonment of Mubarak Bala and what his case reveals about state power and religion
Online activism as both protection and personal risk for Black non-believers
Why silence enables violence, and why humanists must respond collectively
The need to invest in leadership, services, and visible action, not just words
Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW): https://advocacyforallegedwitches.org
A Survivor Confronts Control, Racism and Abuse While Reclaiming Her Voice
Season 1 · Episode 4
Sunday, December 28, 2025 • Duration 43:27
***Content warning*** This episode includes discussion of child sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, coercive control, and addiction. Please take care while listening.
In this episode of Secular Sankofa, we sit down with Dionne Simpson, a Black British author, speaker, and survivor. Dionne traces a life shaped by racial isolation, church-centred control, and a pattern of strategic grooming that led to a devastating disclosure at fifteen, followed by disbelief and ostracism from both family and faith leadership.
We Reclaim Our Future By Owning Our History with S.I.Martin
Season 1 · Episode 8
Sunday, July 12, 2026 • Duration 39:35
"We're stewards of all of this information, and it's our responsibility — not anyone else's — to own our own conclusions." — S.I. Martin
S.I. Martin is a British historian, author, and teacher specialising in Black British history and literature. He is the author of Incomparable World and Britain's Slave Trade, and founded the 500 Years of Black London walks.
Host Audrey Simmons talks to S.I. Martin about owning the archive rather than outsourcing it, why Black history should start from the bottom up, and why he believes it's time to "drop religion like a hot brick." The conversation ranges from Christian nationalism and the erosion of rights to the pull of African spirituality among the younger generation.
🎙️ In this episode
Why archival ownership matters — examining evidence and drawing our own conclusions
Starting Black history from the bottom up, not with kings and prophets
Whether a distinct African-based humanism is needed
Why religion is now a luxury "we can't afford"
Christian nationalism, Farage, the Robinsons, and the erosion of rights
The pull of African spirituality as "our nonsense"
Mubarak Bala, online unbelief, and what gives Steve hope
🔗 Further reading
Mubarak Bala's imprisonment for blasphemy: BBC News
S.I. Martin's website and 500 Years of Black London walks: simartin.org.uk
Incomparable World, S.I. Martin https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320879/incomparable-world-by-martin-s-i/9780241482704
Britain's Slave Trade, S.I. Martinhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Britains-Slave-Trade-Channel-History/dp/0752272519— available via major booksellers
The Power Of Gathering with Alex WIlliams
Season 1 · Episode 7
Sunday, May 10, 2026 • Duration 36:43
"Religion provides spaces for people to come together and feel welcomed. If we're humanists and want to find a space where we can do that, I think the answer is cultural spaces." — Alex Williams
Alex Williams is a poet, teacher, playwright, jazz singer, and LGBT advocate. Performing as Tiger Jazz and hosting The Dial Up open mic in Watford, Alex creates cultural spaces where people can gather, celebrate creativity, and build community without requiring shared religious belief.
This episode is about building humanist spaces that welcome the whole person, not just the rational mind. About recognizing that people leaving religion need places to gather on a Sunday that don't require a ticket or a degree in philosophy. And about how creativity can bridge the gap between religious community and secular freedom.
🎙️ In this episode
Why cultural spaces, not just debate forums, are essential for humanist community
The Dial Up: creating the friendliest open mic in Watford through active inclusion
How open mics celebrate LGBT History Month and Black History Month as humanist events
AI's risks to human connection, creativity, and critical thinking
The Watford Humanists Arts and Music Festival (WHAM)
Why Black humanists face unique challenges leaving religion within tight-knit families
How religious language and rituals stay with us even after we stop believing
Rewriting the Lord's Prayer as a secular tribute to his earthly father
Books, performance, and creative work as archival records of human imagination
Secular Verses — poetry exploring the world from a humanist perspective
An Ex-Catholic Humanist Explains on How To Face Fear And Find Meaning Without God
Season 1 · Episode 6
Sunday, April 12, 2026 • Duration 32:45
"My strength comes from knowing myself. I'm not living life at random."
Christopher Ejugbo is a Nigerian-born humanist and risk management professional. Raised Catholic and once an altar boy, Christopher now lives a life grounded in reason and self-knowledge rather than faith.
In this deeply personal conversation with host Lola Tinubu, Christopher shares his journey from Catholic Nigeria to finding freedom in the former Soviet Union, and finally drawing a permanent line with religion in the UK. But this episode goes beyond deconstruction. Christopher reveals the practical tools he uses to navigate life without prayer: SWOT analysis for decisions, accepting mortality without fear, and building meaning through self-examination.
This is about what replaces faith when you let it go. About recognizing that churches offer community, not answers. About understanding why religion thrives where social services fail. And about discovering that strength comes from knowing yourself.
🎙️ In this episode
From altar boy in Nigeria to living religion-free in the former Soviet Union
How UK Pentecostal churches recruit lonely international students
The moment Christopher stopped going back to church
Replacing prayer with life skills: analysis and self-knowledge
Why people stay in church for entertainment rather than belief
How missing social services drive religious dependence in Nigeria
Finding liberation to enjoy religion as culture without believing
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
A Nigerian-British Scientist Explains How Faith Faded and Curiosity Won
Season 1 · Episode 9
Sunday, August 2, 2026 • Duration 28:44
Host Clive Aruede sits down with microbiologist and former recording artist Tavian Oladapo for a wide-ranging conversation on faith, science, and deep time. Tavian traces his journey from devout Nigerian upbringing to godlessness, sparked by a teenage deep-dive into scripture, and explains why evolutionary biology deserves a bigger place in the classroom. The pair dig into ancient African humanist ethics, ghost populations in the human genome, the case against de-extinction, and why malaria remains the scientific breakthrough Tavian wants most in his lifetime.
Key Topics
Tavian's path from music industry to microbiology, and away from religion
Why schools underteach evolutionary biology
Fossils that changed how Tavian sees prehistoric life
The ethics of de-extinction
The odds of life on other planets
Humanist ethical traditions in pre-colonial Africa
What ancient DNA reveals about human origins
The evolutionary arms race between malaria and its hosts
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
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Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
Mubarak Bala's imprisonment for blasphemy: BBC News
QueenErin The 1st: https://www.queenerinthe1st.com/
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
Thanks for listening to the Secular Sankofa Podcast, produced by the Association of Black Humanists (ABH). If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review — it helps more people discover Black humanist voices.
