About

I am a writer and Performance Poet. Born in Lagos Nigeria I currently live and work in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja. I published my first collection of poems in 2007, and won my local city Slam in 2012, and the National Slam in 2013. I also won an award for my first novel in 2013. I volunteer with a literary group in my city, and help organize weekly events - Book Readings, Book Clubs, Open Mics, Poetry Slams, and Guest Author Sessions. I’ve been hosting a bi-annual Performance Poetry Show since 2013, and produced our first Poetry&Theatre Production in 2016.

Summary of work

I work mostly with Poetry. I am interested in its viability for education and entertainment. For this reason, I created a platform in 2013 called the Night of the Spoken Word (NSW) to test Poetry’s appeal to mainstream audiences. It has been a success with rapid increase in attendance, and a successful transition to a ticketed event. To carry the experiment forward, I produced a 2-hour stage event involving a single poet performing 20 poems with a supporting cast of dancers and actors. This too has been a success, as the show is currently on tour in Nigeria.

Summary of work to develop

I’m currently working on developing Poetry into comprehensive Stage Productions that seamlessly integrate other art forms - music, drama, dance, visual and performance art- as a way of communicating Poetry meaningfully to mainstream audiences, without compromising on the quality of the art itself. The MADE IN NIGERIA Poetry Show, a Production that tells the history of the country in Poetry, is my first step in this direction. I would like to evolve more productions like this and reach international audiences with them.

Contact

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