THIRD GENERATION POETRY NIGERIANA: A WORKSHOP

Very little is known about the energies and potentials of Third Generation Nigerian poetry outside the African continent. This workshop is an attempt to introduce the history and practice of the emergent tradition of the peculiar poetic imagination. The creativity of TG Nigerian poets best represents and captures the realities of the contemporary Nigerian society. Their themes range from politics, leadership, protest, and ecology, to war, love, dis/order, corruption, hope, freedom and reconciliation.

The objective of the workshop is to expatiate on both the tradition and individual talents of contemporary Nigerian poets whose works have continued to generate significant literary ripples in the country's literary culture. The poets include Ezenwa-Ohaeto, Uche Nduka, Toyin Adewale-Gabriel, Onookome Okome, Obi Nwakanma, Afam Akeh, Remi Raji, Amatoritsero Ede, Promise Okekwe, Ogaga Ifowodo, Ibiwari Ikiriko, Chiedu Ezeanah, Nduka Otiono, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, Pius Adesanmi, Lola Shoneyin, Cecilia Kato, Hannatu Abdullahi, Tade Ipadeola and Ebi Yeibo among others. The oral resources and intelligence of the poets’ cultural imagination are embedded in the different stylistic imports of their works over two decades.

The workshop will open with a brief literary history of “Third Generation Poetry Nigeriana”. Focus will be on the nature, forms and functions of third generation Nigerian poetry. There will also be a visual/audio presentation of selected third generation Nigerian poets, with the goal of intimating participants with aspects of the oral/aural aesthetics of performance in Nigerian poetry.