The Kolanut Collective

Tushar isn’t just building spaces; he’s crafting sanctuaries. A kaleidoscopic figure—artist, curator, provocateur—he’s the architect of 16/16, a Lagos-based cultural hub that pulsates with the rhythm of queer resistance and creative liberation. Imagine a space where paint splatters meet whispered confessions, where the raw energy of artistic expression collides with the fierce determination to carve out a place of belonging. Tushar’s work transcends the conventional; he’s a cartographer of queer joy, mapping out territories of possibility in a nation often defined by its rigid boundaries.

His identity, a rich tapestry of South Asian and Nigerian threads, woven together through the lens of queerness, offers a unique vantage point. He navigates the complexities of Lagos with a nuanced understanding, transforming his personal journey into a collective narrative of resilience. In a society where queerness is both hyper-visible and systematically erased, Tushar’s work is a defiant act of visibility, a celebration of the multifaceted beauty of queer existence. Check out our interview below:

TKC: 16/16 feels less like a venue and more like a vital organ within Lagos’s creative soul. What ignites your passion to create these spaces and what other projects are you working on?

Thank you TKC for having me!

I approach space-making from a deeply personal place. I begin by envisioning what I’d like to see in the world, and this vision expands as I engage with others. When 16/16 began in 2016, my curiosity revolved around food and drink—so naturally, much of our early programming brought in chefs and bartenders. I was even a novice bartender myself for a time.

Space, to me, is a vessel—it holds and channels the ideas, processes, and energies that people bring into it. 16/16 has always been an evolving ecosystem, shaped by those who pass through, integrating and releasing ideas over time. My passion lies in watching this continual transformation.

Right now, I’m developing a maker space at 30 Ajasa Street. The goal is to create a circular ecosystem—where the needs and desires expressed at 16/16, especially for thoughtful and functional design, find fulfillment. Makers from the surrounding Lagos Island community will drive the production process, with a focus on repurposing plastic waste and discarded materials. The larger vision is a hybrid of an informal jobs program and a design lab—teaching new ways of seeing and making.

I’m also working on www.jammm.app—check it out!

TKC: As a queer South Asian-Nigerian, you occupy a fascinating intersection. How do these identities inform your work, and how do they resonate within Nigeria’s social fabric?

I understand how identity plays a strong role in community-building and as a humanizing element. But I’m more interested in love and compassion as the universal markers of our human experience. When I moved back to Nigeria, I noticed the presence of identity silos—distinct, often insular communities. I found myself able to navigate between them, and in many ways, 16/16 was born from that ability: the desire to create a space where different identities, and the spaces in between them, could intersect freely.

16/16 is not for one type of person. It’s a place where multiple worlds meet, where belonging isn’t dictated by predefined categories. That’s something I’m deeply proud of.

Lately, I find myself drawn to the question: What does home feel like? That inquiry—more than any single identity—shapes the way I think about space, community, and connection.

TKC: Nigeria—home, battleground, canvas. What does it mean to you, and what are your queer dreams for its future?

This is such a lovely question—thank you for asking it.

More than Nigeria, Lagos is my home. It has taught me how to keep my ear to the ground, to find beauty in the extraordinary face of injustice, and to flow through both the good and the ugly.

My queer dreams? I want big city anonymity—the kind offered by the great capitals of the world. The kind that emerges when access to public infrastructure—transportation, recreation, healthcare—is universal, levelling the playing field so that difference is just another fact of life, not a point of scrutiny. The road is long, alas. 

At the same time, I’m excited about the immediate queer future. So many people are carving out their own communities and spaces, and I’m eager to see how these worlds take shape, overlap, and evolve.

TKC: Any words of wisdom, encouragement, or shameless plugs for the queer community navigating this landscape?

Stay soft, stay curious, and keep building. This landscape isn’t easy, but there is power in finding your people, and in creating small worlds of care and joy. 

Also, a shameless plug: Come enjoy 16/16 – we have beautiful rooms and a great bar-, and join the Friends of 16 program! 

@16by16

@tusharhathi