PoetryIsMusicIsPoetry this Sunday November 17, 2013

PoetryIsMusicIsPoetry is part of the series of events marking the 15th edition of the Lagos Book & Art Festival. It will explore the relationship between poetry and music, through performance.

You will meet the finest ensemble of poets, who will make words sing, and musicians, who will employ language and tell stories over instrumentals.


Poets

Sage Hasson

Considered by many as Nigeria's premier spoken word poet, Sage has featured in over 400 events, both small and big, across the country. He has done about a 100 brand poems written specifically for certain organisations and products including MTN, Coca Cola, Harp, Satzenbrau, Gulder, and Unilever. He has performed at different shows including Hip Hop World Awards in 2006 and 2010, Big Brother Nigeria, Arts Alive in South Africa. Sage has recorded and released two spoken word poetry albums and written a book, Dream Maker, a fable that combines prose and poetry to interrogate the prevailing notions of success and fulfillment.

Efe Paul Azino

Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading spoken word poets, Efe Paul has been a headline performer at many of the nation’s premier performance poetry venues. Efe Paul is known for holding audiences spell-bound with his cutting edge socio-economic commentary. His collection of poetry, When the Revolution Spoke, is due out in 2014.


Wana Udobang

Wana Wana as she is popular called is a broadcaster,blogger, writer, poet, culture fanatic, 40/50s pin up obsessed, chiffon lover and truth seeker. Her audio collection of poetry, Dirty Laundry is due out in 2013.

Brand ambassadorship??? em...em....what about.....???

A School of thought holds: 'Stars are made and not born'. I say, whether born or made, it is good to be a Star. Nigeria’s entertainment industry is sometimes like a theatre of comedy, especially when you put in the added spice of the involvement of telecoms companies.

All over the world its normal to see popular faces aka Stars, become Brand Ambassadors for companies’ products and services. For example, we have: Beyonce for Pepsi; Alicia Keys for Blackberry; Taylor Swift for Diet Coke; Lady Gaga for Polaroid; and Rory Mcllroy for NIKE. Therefore, it’s perfectly normal if the same thing is done in Nigeria.

However, considering the rivalry between the telecoms companies in Nigeria, one can only imagine the level it will be taken to. For instance:  
Glo has signed Waje, Omawunmi, Flavor, M.i, Naeto C, P Square, Bez, Lagbaja etc
MTN signed Iyanya, Davido, iMike, Chidinma, Praiz, Wizkid etc.

Now, this is ok for the industry, after all, money is flowing, and the Stars have paid their dues.

Funny thing though is, Glo also has actors, actresses and comedians as their Brand Ambassadors e.g. Basket Mouth, Desmond Elliot, Funke Akindele, Odunlade Adekola, Uche Jombo Rodriguez, Rita Dominic, Ali Nuhu, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha, Monalisa Chinda, PSquare and Sammy Okposo among other celebrities as ambassadors too. 

But Glo and MTN are just 2 out of 4 telecoms companies in Nigeria. So I wonder what will happen when Airtel or Etisalat has a big musical concert! Who will come to play there?
After all, it’s obvious the terms of agreement of the other telecoms ambassadors will not allow them perform at the shows of the companies’ rivals. Besides, if you remove all the listed names above from the list of Nigerian Stars, I wonder who is left! 
Who will Airtel and Etisalat sign as their Brand Ambassadors? 
Who will host their shows? 
Who will sing for them? 
Who will headline their shows? 
Who will walk their red carpets? 
Who will do their celebrity adverts? 
Who will act in their sponsored movies (if they decide to do some)?

It’s about time these telecom companies look at alternatives. What alternatives, you ask? Well, alternatives like Spoken Word Poetry. Funny, right?
Well, Spoken Word Poetry is a fast emerging Art in Nigeria, and Spoken Word Poets are multi-talented and creative people, and as the saying goes, it is important to “catch them young”.
There are a number of advantages telecoms companies stand to gain from investing in this Art form, especially as it is an untapped gold mine. 


I do know not everyone can see what I see, but if they wait till the Spoken Word Poetry industry fully matures before they decide to delve into it, they just might not have anyone to attend and/or perform at their events :). Ok, I am just kidding! 

But on a more serious note, helping to develop an industry is not something many companies can lay claim to, is it? 
Creating a Spoken Word Poetry industry would provide employment opportunities for otherwise jobless but creative youths. Spoken Word Poetry as an Art form is a genre of entertainment, which can also be used as a literacy development tool for communication, information and education. 

The time is right, and the time is now, because history can be made today. It is time to develop the Spoken word  industry in Nigeria!!!

By
Olumide Holloway
08025070892
08038315055
Olulu4ever@gmail.com

LitCaf (the social club where books are the liquors).

In Nigeria, there are many places for the lovers of music, wine and other forms of entertainment to unwind or socialize but there is hardly a place for the lovers of books to share information or pick a book to read under a relaxing and socially stimulating environment.   The Literary Café or LitCaf Nigeria can be described as the social club where books are the liquors, where the music is not deafening, where the lights are not so dimmed, where the dancing steps are the gesticulations of individuals who have come to socialize under an intellectual milieu. It is the place where the pickup line of a gentleman to a lady is not just ‘can I buy you a drink’ but also is ‘have you read the book by John Maxwell?’  The Literary Cafe is different from private library in being sensitive to the things that will make book reading an enjoyable experience to the people. Unlike libraries, there will be in the literary cafe soft music, chatting, eating, and even the chance to meet with invited personalities on occasions. Other services beyond the physical cafe, includes the planning, research, writing and representation of work.  LitCaf promote worthy books with indelible values. Please find below how you may like to engage them: Publishing firms- There is room for publishers of any genre to liaise in the publicity of their books. . LitCaf Nigeria  will accept only publications fitting to its definition of good literature and which may have been suitably certified by recognized bodies. Corporate Organizations- they facilitate capacity development for company staffs subscribed to LitCaf Nigeria through recurrent seminars. Institutions- LitCaf Nigeria moderates and provides the avenue for students from different institutions to connect with the aim of having debates, discussions and other inter-school activities. Public Officials and Figures- they provide the worthy connect between public officials and the public through talk shows and through the coordination of polls and surveys. Individuals- they organize book parties every fortnight; an avenue for book lovers to connect, discuss and enjoy books which may have been voted in preceding  parties to be the highlight of the day.

LitCaf is the place where even better histories are written. They go out on occasions, taking their events around the city.  Back in the café, they will be having smaller versions of those events. But  the literary cafe is not only about talk shows;  it is a place where individuals across ages all ages can come Mondays to Saturdays, 8am to 11pm to enjoy our light dishes.  Their ice cream and desserts will only make your reading more wonderful.  In LitCaf, you get a chance to talk to people like you.  Who knows; you might just grab an idea that will make us want to invite you to share your thoughts.  And be sure that they love music as much as you do! Looking forward  to seeing you at the hippest Café in town. LitCafe is located on the 2nd floor Ozone Cinema, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.

Emotion+Thought+Words= POETRY

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.”
― Robert Frost

Emotions are fickle beasts. Sometimes they’re clear and brilliant: we’re happy, sad, frustrated, or angry. But emotions can also be complicated, layered, and conflicting. Sure, we’re happy but we’re also kind of annoyed about something. We’re sad but we also have something to be glad about. When emotions are textured and gritty, they are difficult to describe.

I believe music is the single best expression of human emotion, but poetry is a close second. Capturing complex feelings in words without the support of music is a marvelous feat. Only the deftest poets do it well.

Four-time Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Frost is one of the most well known and beloved poets in the American literary canon. He knew how to convey emotions through language.

I was first introduced Frost’s work with the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” which was featured in Outsiders. One of his most famous poems is “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening.”

I’d like to share an excerpt from my favorite Frost poem, “The Road Not Taken.”

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

By definition, poets take the road that is less traveled by. Some poets gently steer away from the mainstream; others rail in the face of convention.

According to Wikipedia, “In 1894 [Frost] sold his first poem, ‘My Butterfly. An Elegy’ …for $15 ($398 today).” These days, getting $15 for a poem would be an incredible feat. Getting $398 would be impossible. But there was a time when there was a market for poetry, when ordinary people (who were not writers, artists, or poets) bought and read poetry. Maybe back then people understood that poetry had the unique ability to interpret and explain emotions. 

Where do we turn for those interpretations and explanations today?

Source

http://www.writingforward.com/quotes-on-writing/quotes-on-writing-robert-frost-on-poetry

HOW TELECOM COMPANIES CAN MAKE MONEY FROM SPOKEN WORD POETRY IN NIGERIA.

The mere fact that you are reading this means one, you believe it and two, you like money :).

Well, don't worry, I did not write this just to catch your attention. What you have here is based on years of research.

But surely you don't expect me to just disclose "trade secrets" just like that. Though if you read between the lines, you will get a good idea of what I am “trying not to write in full.” But if you don’t get it, well, that’s why I am here as a consultant, and you know that, “there is nothing free in Freetown.”

Ok, so how can telecom companies make money from Spoken Word Poetry in Nigeria?

First, what does Spoken Word Poetry and telecom companies have in common? Words!!! Whether it is written words (i.e. Texts, BBM, and Emails) or Spoken Words (i.e. phone calls and voice mails), they are words.

Two, it’s a known fact that talents are diverse, and people have aspiration as regards their talents. They want to showcase themselves on the big stage. That’s why musically inclined people who want to be a “TuFace,” “M.i ” or a “D’Banj,”  flock to a “Naija got talent” or “Project Fame.” They know after the competition there is a place, (call it industry if you like), for them to progress into.

So we looked at the model of Comedy growth in Nigeria and we created, WORD UP, the biggest Spoken Word Poetry event in Nigeria. After a couple of shows and a lot of noise, (pun intended), we have more poets than we ever can feature. Meaning, poets now have that “big stage” they crave for and also, we now need to introduce “conditions” before they can get to feature on that “big stage.”

Three, why would I want to be a Spoken Word Poet if there is no big platform to showcase my skills? Ok, we have got WORD UP (the biggest Spoken Word Poetry event in Nigeria). How do I get on WORD UP? Well, you have to cross seven rivers and climb seven mountains and bring us the head of an albino Eagle. Or pick up your phone and em………em ………..!!!!!

Four, with so many poetry writing competitions, why don’t we get to hear about the winners after the competition? And yes, there was a Performance Poetry/ Spoken Word competition last year; do you want to know what happened to the winner?

Five, how is WORD UP the biggest Spoken Word Poetry event in Nigeria? If you had people come in from Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Namibia and even UK, to feature at the event, is that big or not? Ok wait, I am still “coming” (pun intended).

If you have Shihan Van Clief and Black Ice coming in for your shows in May and August 2013 respectively, is that big or not?

For the uninitiated, you might want to ask, who is Shihan? Who is Black Ice? No, long thing, Google them, Google Def Poetry Jam, watch their videos on Youtube, and please note the number of views they have on Youtube.

Now imagine a “local, unknown boy (or girl)” sharing the stage with them. But getting on that stage is not automatic; after all, there are “no free oranges in Orange town.”

Six, enough rambling, how can telecom companies make money from Spoken Word Poetry in Nigeria? Hmm, my lips are sealed, go read between the lines, if you still don’t get it, then, call me, I am a consultant in this field, and I can assure you, we are not that many in Nigeria, and well, (rolls eyes), I still collect my fees in Naira.

But really, if you still don’t get it, let me put it this way. We have created a platform for “only the best Spoken Word Poets” to feature on. However, what qualifies a poet as been good enough to perform at WORD UP? Just like “Star,” they would need to be triple filtered and we know the drill in getting them “filtered.”

If it is still not clear to you, come talk to us, together we will set the “stairs” and add it to our platform. Hey, stop looking under the stairs that is not where the money is. The money is in “setting the stairs.”

My next two articles will be;

      1.    How Banks can make money from Spoken Word Poetry.

      2.    How FMCG can make money from Spoken Word Poetry.

Oops, that might need to wait until after May 18 2013. I’ve the biggest Spoken Word Poetry event to organize and Shihan Van Clief (the internationally renowned Spoken Word Poet) will be in town for the event.

Ciao.

By

Olumide Holloway

+2348025070892

olulu4ever@gmail.com

Why You Should Stay Away From Poets by Alice Keys MD

You should stay away from poets. Far away. Poetry is a contagious, untreatable virus which is transmitted through the eyes and ears, directly to the heart. Even stuffing your ears with cotton and poking out both eyes won’t kill poetry, once contracted. There is no cure. 

One can, however, confer immunity to poetry. This works best with children. Poetry classes taught from volumes thick with chapters on syllable counting and meter, punctuation and rhyme can make the most poetically vulnerable, resistant. This works best administered after lunch while seated on hard wooden chairs in an over-heated room. Distractions from the natural world must be blocked by concrete walls, fluorescent hums and window shades.

There should be signs on the doors of the houses of poets. “Poet here”. “Keep away”. “Danger”. Poets should be forced to wear warning tags stitched to the fronts of their jackets so people will know to keep their children at a safe distance.

Poets are notorious for feeling and then writing the truth. This is another reason they should be ostracized and bound. They have no limits to what they’ll drag out into the light. They may fool you by beginning with bird songs or snowmen or a kelp-scented breeze. But beware. Poets sprout razors. They cut deep in the belly and tear open hearts.

Contracting poetry poisons one away from useful endeavors, like writing cell phone apps so children can practice killing at bus stops. Those who tear feathers by the handful from the bodies of half-live chickens at the processing plant are more valued than poets. They’re paid. They have jobs.

If you become infected with poetry and are find yourself inking couplets on the corners of napkins over breakfast, don’t quit your graveyard shift job unpacking truckloads of cheap Chinese junk. Keep flipping burgers. When one says “starving artist”, the poet does not even make it up onto this lowest of rungs on the socioeconomic ladder. At least a “starving artist” has that quirky patina people revere from a distance. Jazz musicians and landscape painters rate the secret awe normally reserved for yogis that meditate bare-bottomed in the snow. Poets don’t.

If you’re asked what you do and you reply “write poetry”, the questioner will go silent, blue then ask again. “No really. I meant, what do you do?”

It makes no sense for me to feel so good to be infected by poetry. The making of poems earns no money. Even family members sigh from having to live around me. They want dinner and attention, not clever words or insights into the horrors of our modern culture. My poor children. My sainted husband. My lost friends.

When you hang out with poets, you rub the folding corners of your arms with those who are too busy listening and watching, feeling and writing to notice the jab of your elbows.

by Alice Keys MD


http://alicekeysmd.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/why-you-should-stay-away-from-poets/

SPOKEN WORD vs POETRY (a lovely poetic piece)

They say,

Spoken word is poetry.

I say,

Try coke and pepsi

For one lives for the stage,

Rhythms and flowetry,

The other lives in the page,

Methaphors and imagery.

They say,

Spoken word is poetry,

I say,

A sea is not its tributary.

One is direct and vivid,

talkative and expressive.

The other is secretive,

Says more with few words.

They say,

Spoken word is poetry,

I say,

Use omelettes to cook egusi.

One is superficial and flashy

Seeking to capture your eyes.

The other is an endless abyss

An emptiness that fills the heart

They say 

spoken word is poetry,

I say,

Compare silk and cotton.

One is a bride,

Without jewels

The other a maiden,

With a string of pearls.

They say,

Spoken word is poetry

I say,

Marriage is not wedding

For one,

The tongue is a pen,

For the other

The pen is also the tongue

They say,

Spoken word is poetry.

I say,

A War song is not music.

by Afroxyz

http://www.nairaland.com/1111289/spoken-word-vs-poetry#13171832

Pixs from WORD UP (Spoken Word Poetry and Soul Music Event) which held on August 18, 2012 in Unilag

Front row: Torpedo Mascaw, Donna k, a friend and MC Sosoliso

Back Row: Ndukwe Onuoha

Front Row: Torpedo Mascaw, Donna K, Yeancah of Soundcity

Back Row: Omotola and Segun Sodade

Cross section of the people at WORD UP

D Tone serenading the people at WORD UP

Olulu performing on Stage

Sage Hasson thrilling the people at the event

Photography by Mc Atte