Poetry massive

This trio was photographed at last night’s performance of A Feast of Return at the Muson Centre in Lagos. L-R: Ismail Bala Garba, Odia Ofeimun and Gabriel Okara (author of ‘The Voice’).

So, as promised in earlier post, here’s decoding the mystery of this Lagos Black Heritage Festival event - ‘Readings & Performances by Odia Ofeimun’ – on today at the Agip Hall of the Muson Centre in Onikan, Lagos (3-6pm).

The following poets are on the bill: Ghanaian Kofi Anyidoho, South African Lesego Rampolokeng – along with Nigerians Uzor Maxim Uzoatu (author of God of Poetry), Emman Usman Shehu (Open Sesame), Jumoke Verissimo (I Am Memory), Ogochukwu Promise, Amanze Akpuda, Ismail Bala Garba, the 80-year-old Mabel Segun etcetera etcetera.

Femi Fatoba’s widow, Lanre, will read her late husband’s poetry (They Said I Abused The Government); Actress Joke Silva will perform the poetry of Aime Cesaire; and The Crown Troupe of Afrika will render poems by Leopold Sedar Senghor.
There’ll be music too. Highlife maestros Orlando Julius and Tunji Oyelana will do their thing on the stage, before joining The Crown Troupe in a performance of ‘I Love This Lagos I No Go Lie’. Oyelana of course was a singer on the original song from the 80s, ‘I Love My Country I No Go Lie’, a record on which Soyinka also performed.
Oh, and there’s the Baba of Yoruba poetry, Adebayo Faleti, on the bill too. Not to be missed.

Some of today’s other events

• Children’s Black Heritage Village (on account of which the traffic was impossible around Allen Avenue yesterday. A 10 minute journey took an hour!) – LTV 8 Grounds, Ikeja. 10am-4pm.
• Presence Africaine Exhibition - Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos. All day.
• Contemporary Dances – Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos. 11am-2pm.
• Cultural Performance – Artists’ Village, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. 3-6pm.
• African Traditional Games – Campos Square, Lagos Island. 3-7pm.
• Film Expo – Glover Memorial Hall, Ikoyi (and Badagry Town Hall), Lagos. Watch great films for free. 3-8pm. Continues till Thursday April 8.
• A Season in the Congo, a play – Terra Kulture. 7-9pm.
• Steve Rhodes Orchestra – Agip Hall, Muson, Lagos. 7-9pm.
  

And not forgetting the Danny Glover event at the Southern Sun Hotel (7pm), which is by invitation only.

• Photo: MW