[1] Cassava Republic Press was created with a focus on affordability, the need to find and develop local talent, and to publish African writers too often celebrated only in Europe and America.
In 2006, Bakare-Yusuf — who at the time was an academic in the UK and Nigeria — set up a company with Jeremy Weate[6] to produce high-quality African literature at a price that would enable it to be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible.
"[8]Explaining the company's name, she says: "Cassava is a relatively affordable but nutritious food crop found across West Africa and in the African diaspora.
"[2] Bakare-Yusuf emphasises the need for Africans to be instrumental in publishing as well as writing books: "We started Cassava Republic Press because we wanted Africans to own the means of production, to be in charge of the storytelling and not just writing the stories but to own the facilities and the infrastructure for telling the stories.
In addition, the list includes books for children and young adults, and several titles have been on Nigeria's national curriculum.
[12] Among notable authors published by the company are Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Lola Shoneyin, Teju Cole, Helon Habila, Elnathan John, Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ, Chigozie Obioma, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Christie Watson, John Collins, Sade Adeniran, Toni Kan, Doreen Baingana, and others.
[13][14] In 2014, an associated imprint called Ankara Press was launched, with titles available in digital form as e-books,[15] aiming to publish "a new kind of romance" that challenges conventional stereotypes, reflecting the lives and aspirations of modern African women and men:[16][17][18][19] "We want scenarios that discard dangerous notions of male dominance, control and manipulation.