In the second episode of Culture Diaries, i chat with fellow poet Titilope Sonuga. I have often referred to her poetry as very visceral and picturesque. In recent times, she if fast becoming every girls favourite poet exploring themes that traverse everyday human emotions and that all so interesting transition from girlhood to womanhood. […]
Warsanshire is certainly one of my favourite poets. Her poem ‘for women who are difficult to love’ seems to have become an anthem to many of us of a certain generation. Her words are simple yet not simplistic but also dealing with very complex themes and situations. Perhaps it is what makes the work […]
My first encounter with the South African poet Natalia Molebatsi was sometime in 2012 at the Jozi house of poetry when i attended a workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa. We have spent time together every year ever since. At the Yari Yari Ntoaso women’s conference in Ghana, then Ake festival in Abeokuta and this […]
It’s no secret that we come from a seemingly conservative society but it is also quite secretive. I have been thinking a lot about how Nigerian women deal with pain, shame, grief, depression and everything else that we speak about in hush tones. For some reason the poem ‘The Darkness’ was born out of […]
This week of Words and Inspirations we feature the poet TJ Dema from Botswana and Obii Ifejika from Nigeria. The first time i heard TJ Dema was on the collective project Sonic Slam Chorus that also featured Zimbabwean poet DicksonSlam. Her seering poem ‘Dear Africa’ had left me hooked ever since. As you can […]
Titilope Sonuga just concluded her poetry show at the Muson centre to thundering applause. In this episode of Words and Inspirations, the Intel she will connect ambassador shares with us the title piece ‘Becoming’ which has got many young women on social media quoting stanza’s and chiming along every time she performs.
Something i have found interesting is how people connect and engage with art. I have always loved how we can peel off the layers to find the motivations to many beautiful works of art. This is why i started recording the series Words and Inspirations. I have finally gotten round to recording a new […]
By Wana Udobang I wonder if hearts need a home I wonder if they are built like vagabonds I wonder if hearts can weather storms I wonder if they can ride big waves My heart is brittle from the cold outside your door My heart yearns for the warmth of your home A poet […]
CATFISH by Wana Udobang She clutched me in her clay coloured arms Frail and thin Bruised from the warring earth She suckled me from her fallen breasts Beaten of life She laid me on her chest Her heart thumping like a steady drumbeat She told me You will not be catfish Point and kill […]
It is New Year’s Day, my mother and I are taking turns to pound the yam. It is just both of us in the house. My arms are taking a beating because it had been a while I pounded yam. So between the muscle cramps, I crack a joke about how it is the […]