AiW Guest: Uche Peter Umez. “the good poem must and should be readable, friendly to the spoken word without being pedantic and pedestrian” Interviewer’s Note: Remi Raji, Nigerian poet, scholar, literary organiser, and cultural activist, is the author of six poetry… Read More ›
Poetry
Ogbeni Femi, and the future of Yoruba oral performance
Femi Amogunla – also known as Femi Kayode and Ogbeni Femi, or ‘Mr Femi’ – is a spoken word poet based in Lagos. In 2012, Femi took part in 30 Nigeria House, a collaboration between Stratford East Theatre and New… Read More ›
Q&A: Uche Peter Umez interviews poet Afam Akeh
By AiW Guest: Uche Peter Umez. “Different writers in different locations at different times find their different reasons for writing.” Interviewer’s Note: AFAM AKEH, the author of Stolen Moments (1988), has won prizes and other honours for his poems, short stories… Read More ›
Spotlight on…Mengistu Lemma
AiW Guest Sara Marzagora. This post is the second in an occasional series of writer profiles, looking especially at those working in African languages. The first post in our series was on Akinwumi Isola. Mengistu Lemma (1928-1988) If you ask… Read More ›
Q&A: Poet, writer and educator Warsan Shire
Warsan Shire is a Kenyan-born Somali poet, writer and educator based in London. Her poetry reads as both artistic and activist practice, documenting stories of journey, trauma and sexual violence, alienation, assimilation, transformation and recuperation. Warsan’s début book, Teaching My Mother… Read More ›