Word UP Volume 6: The Preview...!!!!!

#WarOfWords2 Winds Of Change by Yetunde George

Winds Of Change by Yetunde George

Hear us,
We are the frustration and the hunger,
The pinch in your shoe size,
The lies that you don't buy,
And the things that you can't try.
Like bloodhounds the fresh scent of blood burning flesh excites us...
The tribes of wailing distress invites us...
We are the raging fire of sea and ice...
We consume what we see for a price...
We are the vultures of men!

But My constipated mind won't let go,
Won't let loose,
These ideas of mine,
Coming slow...
Of history,
Of times,
Come and gone...

The time is near,
The hour is at hand...
And as I put my pen to paper
The ink of my tears bear me witness.
Of wars lost and won,
Of things seen and gone...
Of time and space...
Of name and grace...
To find a balance...
To find a face...

But I feel the earth shifting,
A new generation drifting,
Away from our tales of woe,
To times of old.

So the fat, rich and famous should get lost or get bossed out of the positions they held with impunity!
A new age has come and what we need is unity!
Why are you still sitting down there listening to this eulogy?!

Don't just sit there, stare and  act like you don't care,
Because I know your innermost fears!
Awaken the spirit of consciousness!
Rekindle the hope of "Nigerianness!"
For we are what we are because of who we are!
We are where we are because of how we do it!
We are the Wind of Change!

Check out the video via this link

#WarOfWords2 Winds Of Change by Yetunde George

http://youtu.be/8zXyJpndbm4

#WarOfWords2 Emancipation by Foursyte Bogani

Emancipation by Foursyte Bogani

The evil wind came, ranting as darkness began to reign/

Pages of my life flew like birds up the sky/

Dangling in friendly canticle of nature/

Humiliating my indolent eyes/

Hot and breathless i sat/

judging every moment/

Watching every moment/

now,i remember what the old old man said/

in a crackling tattered voice/

my pikin, suffry, suffry catch monkey/

Person wey sleep for planting season go surely hungry when harvest time come/

I kiss this gift of wisdom with passion/

bury ashes of fear/

Sacrifice a lamb beholding salvation/

Mr. jailer how long will u keep me/

my dreams can not be manacled/

take your bread is forbiden/

hunger is nothing i have seen her nakedness/

let this pain eat up my flesh/

Bury my bones in the world of strangeness/

our fate will never change/

Chain and unchain i see mortals lying in the corridors of change/

is amazing God's blessings rest on all age/

i speak to those who care to dream/

the child that never sleep,battling reality all for a dream/

in the eyes of penury,confusion,misery,segregation,genocide,mutiny,grief/

no one knows when life will be no longer/

Walk with time,earth is home/

We are all strangers/

Rise above disbelief be the change you seek/

Check out the video via this link

Emancipation by Foursyte Bogani #WarOfWords2

http://youtu.be/6ju92ZtYhV0

War of Words Season 2 begins.........!!!!!

Are you a Spoken Word Poet?

Can you kiss words and make them dance?

Can you flip and throw words like a lance?

Can you use words to tease and to please?

and can your words make minds go loco?

i2X Media 

(organizers of WORD UP, the biggest Spoken Word Event in Nigeria)

Presents 

War Of Words Season 2

(A Slam Poetry Competition)

Up for grabs:

1. $500 for the winner 

2. The top three poets get to perform at the next edition of WORD UP in February 2014 alongside the best Spoken Word Poets in Naija.

The competition is only open to Poets that have never performed at any WORD UP event.

Do you have what it takes? Here is all you have to do  

1. The theme of the video entry for the Slam Poetry Competition is Be the change you seek . Any entry not in line with the theme will be invalid for final selection.
2. Submit an original poem that is in English, pidgin English or a combination of both. Please note that all non-English words used in the poem must be explained in the information box of the video.
3. Ensure The title of your poem  contains the official hashtag #WarOfWords2, else your entry is not valid.
4.  Ensure  your name/ stage name, email address and wordings of the video are in the information box of the video. If the information box cannot contain the wordings of the poem, send it to wordup4one1@gmail.com stating your name and title of the poem with the hashtag in the subject box of the mail.
5. Ensure your  video submission is not be more than 3 minutes long and remember it must be uploaded on your Youtube channel. If you don’t have a Youtube channel, please open one.
6. The submitted video must be one camera, one poet and recorded specifically for the competition. No live performance videos, no music, no props and no special effects. Please note that all poets are limited to one submission ONLY.
7. You will be required to post the link of the Youtube Video in the comment section of  any posts  on  http://wordup411.blogspot.com and www.wordup411ng.com,   to render your entry as valid.
8. You will also be required to tweet the video link with the official hashtag #WarOfWords2 to @WORDUP411.
9. Video submission starts 12am September 14 2013 till Midnight of October 13, 2013 !!!!!!

A total of 15 poets will be chosen from the video entries for the competition. 
The first ten will be chosen by our in-house judges. 
The last five will be chosen based on most viewed, most liked  
and the videos with the most comments.

Stay tuned to 

http://wordup411.blogspot.com/    and  http://www.wordup411ng.com

Follow us on Twitter:          @WORDUP411 ,  
Like our facebook page    https://www.facebook.com/wordup411

Do you have what it takes?

Ready to WOW us?

Let the 2nd WORD WAR begin, 

and may the best poet win...!!!!

Organizing a poetry event? She will show how best it is done.

Olajumoke Olubunmi Alawode-James, has a Masters degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and a first degree in Mass Communication from the same institution, producing two television Documentaries. In 2011, she completed her Masters in Events and Mass Communications from the University of Lagos.

In December 2001, her television programme, "Our Time" was nominated for the TV Programme of the Year by Youth Alive Foundation (YAF).

On November 27th, 2004, "Our Time" presented by ‘Jumoke was nominated for TV Production of the Year by The Nigerian Media Merit Awards held in Port-Harcourt. The next day, November 28th, 2004, ‘Jumoke co-anchored Miss Tourism Nigeria held at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja delivering stellar performances in both events.

‘Jumoke has worked with the Big Brother Nigeria project and Pilot shoot of "Moments with Mo" managing event and media. She has Stage Managed many comedy shows and awards in Nigeria, as well as Concerts, Product Launches (Kia Quoris Launch), company anniversaries (Interswitch 10^th anniversary), St. Moritz Style Selection, St. Moritz Style Awards, MTN Y'ello Concert in Enugu, Jazz Nite with Al Jarreau & Kunle Ayo, Star Mega Jamz, Hip Hop World Awards, Soundcity television launch, African Movie Academy Awards 2007, Silverbird at 25, amongst many others.

‘Jumoke moved on to become Production Manager at Showbiz Network Services, a sister company to Edi Lawani & Associates, managing the company's projects. She is also Principal Partner of Smiles, an event packaging company that manages the Nigeria portfolio of Kunle Ayo (South African based Nigerian Jazz Guitarist) amongst others. Olajumoke is Advisor and Liason Nigerian Culture and General Issues Women, UNESCO since November 2008. A member of Nigerian Professionals since January 2004 and Associate Member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, her company, Oluwaloninyo Limited (Media and Events), was registered in May 2009, to produce TV shows and manage events.

In August 2010, ‘Jumoke alongside her friends started FreedomHall; an open mic event to show-case the talents of many professionals who would not have had the opportunity to express themselves; in live music, spoken word, poetry, comedy, dance, etc. 3 years on, FreedomHall is now of international repute with several international stars gracing her stage. ‘Jumoke is currently a co-host of “Your View” every morning on TV Continental Lagos.

Come Saturday, September 14, 2013 from 2pm, she will be talking on Events Management/Poetry Events organisation at the seminar on The Business of Spoken Word Poetry in Nigeria. 
The venue is Bogobiri House, No. 9 Maitama Sule Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria and attendance is FREE!!!!

 

Red Carpet thingz at WORD UP Volume 5

WORD UP Volume 5 has come and gone, but the memory lingers. 

The 5th edition of the event marked its one year anniversary.

The date was August 17, 2013 and venue was TerraKulture Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. 

It featured some of the youngest and best Spoken Word Poets in Nigeria, and 2 wonderful soul singers, Lumynos and Aduke. 

The event was well attended and it was fun all the way for both the performers and the audience.

Check out some of the red carpet pixs at the Biggest Spoken Word Poetry Event in Nigeria, WORD UP!!!

 

 

Why should Spoken Word Poets brand themselves? He will tell you why.....

Education: Masters in Business Administration [ObafemiAwolowo University] - 2006; Professional Diploma in Public Relations - 2002; B.Sc. (Hons.) with First Class in International Relations [ObafemiAwolowo University] – 1995.

Career: 

ECOBANK Nigeria Plc - [Jan. 1998 – June 1999]; Fountain Trust Bank Plc (Enterprise Bank)- [July 1999 -  July 2004]; Guardian Express Bank Plc (Enterprise Bank) - [July 2004 –Dec 2005]; Spring Bank  (Enterprise Bank) - [Jan 2006 –  May 2007];First Bank Nigeria Plc[June 2007 – Dec 2008];Sterling Bank Plc, [January 2009 – To Date]

Current position: Group Head, Strategy and Communications Department, Sterling Bank Plc

Commentary:

Born June 26, 1971, and having served in various positions up to the level of Assistant General Manager, Shina has had a rather unique Banking career. He has been privileged to work in two Banks that have gone through mergers and transitions and has been opportuned to be present during some of them.

Asides a ‘healthy’ banking career, Shina is also an Associate Member of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (ANIPR) as well as the Institute of Public Relations (AMIPR) UK

Married with a kid, Shina can be described as a person with good interpersonal, communication and motivational skills and a lover of sports as well as the arts.

Season 2 of War Of Words (Slam Poetry Competition) starts September 2013

Can you use words to tease and  please?

Or perhaps kiss words and make them bounce and dance?

Then this is for you

i2X Media 

(organizers of WORD UP)

Presents 

War Of Words Season 2

(A Slam Poetry Competition)

  

Up for grabs:

 1. $500 for the winner 

2. The top three poets get to perform at WORD UP Volume 7 in February 2014 alongside the best Spoken Word Poets in Naija.

  

The competition is only open to Poets that have never performed at any WORD UP event.

Entry for the Slam Poetry Competition is via video submission.

The Video submission must be done by uploading on YouTube and the link sent to us

via twitter @wordup411, 

via mail to wordup4one1@gmail.com, and i2xmedia@gmail.com

via our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/wordup411

Entries can be sent in from September 14 to Midnight of October 13, 2013!!!!!!

Only 15 Spoken Word Poets will be chosen from the video submissions to compete on stage at the event on December 14, 2013.

Watch this space for more details and for the THEME for the video entries.

Do you have what it takes?

Can you make our seasoned judges scream WOW?

Let the War of words begin.

And May the best poet win!!!!

For inquires, please call 

08025070892, 08030635360, 08053001608, 07068400846, 08038315055

Or send us a mail at 

wordup4one1@gmail.com, i2xmedia@gmail.com, olulu4ever@gmail.com  

The speech by Olulu at Word Up Anniversary edition.

A dream is not what you see in your sleep,

a dream is what makes you not to sleep

I dreamt with my eyes wide open and ever since then,

I have not slept.

You see,

our dream is to create a Spoken Word Poetry Industry ,

where poets will earn a decent living from their performances.

Because poetry is not what we do, 

poetry is who we are.

For we eat poetry

drink poetry

kiss poetry

make love to poetry

think poetry

do poetry

and become poetry.

Creating an industry for Spoken Word Poetry is not a day's job,

neither is it a one man's job.

For a tree no matter how big and great can not make a forest,

so also a poet no matter how good and popular cannot be an industry.

An industry is when 50 and above poets earn a living from their performances.

We bless God who gives us grace for each day,

and we thank God who makes us prosper in every way.

Word Up is a year old today because of you and me,

for it takes two to make it work,

and we can't 

if you won't,

So we say a big thank you for your love 

and support this past one year.

But the journey has not ended,

we are just getting started.

So join us on this quest,

let us together become a thick poetic forest.

For creating an industry is the burden we bear,

but poetry is the joy we share.

And the sky is not the limit,

the sky is our launching pad.

Watch the video here

 

The Acts that graced the stage at WORD UP Volume 5

Prestige (the word smith) and his crew singing the National Anthem 

Seye La Poet

Uzbek 

(he was the 2nd runner up at War Of Words Season 1)

Increase (the 14 year Old Word Lord)

Arch Angel

Soonest I Nathaniel aka SIN

Lumynos (The Love Crooner)

Kemistry

D Ray

(he was the 1st runner up at War Of Words Season 1)

Gbenga Osowe

Aduke (one word to describe her - AWESOME)

Saint Rhymes 

Dare Dan

Obii

(Winner, Naija Poetry Slam 2012)

Olulu, the King not from Zulu

Don Fabrino and Erowo (Emcees of the day)

Titilayo (Winner of War Of Words Season 1) and Atilola (Titilayo's teacher/ coach).

They were simply AMAZING on stage.

Future Poet?????