Abuja Writers forum’s memorable day
Attendees were on the edge of their seats by the time the Guest Writer took the seat. Eugenia read poems from Don’t Look at me Like That, which shared the same title with the first poem she read. This poem came across as if someone was saying, ‘I am not what you think I am, […]
Attendees were on the edge of their seats by the time the Guest Writer took the seat. Eugenia read poems from Don’t Look at me Like That, which shared the same title with the first poem she read. This poem came across as if someone was saying, ‘I am not what you think I am, so don’t look at me like that’, and its last verse tells as much: Don’t look at me like that/shifting seats when I sit beside you/it’s my ankle that hurts from illness/I was not born this way/show me love not scorn/Don’t look at me like that…’ She read other poems such as Elmina Waves, The Roads were Thirsty Today, The Working Mother and many more.
Earlier on, the Master of Ceremony at this first AWF reading for the year, Mike Ekunno, had invited Dr Emman Usman Shehu to entertain guests and he started off the event on a bright note. Many expressed surprise at seeing the AWF President playing the role of an entertainer on his box guitar. Indeed, indefatigable, evergreen and motherly Neonyeodiri Ukoha, an author and a management staff of NTA, commented that she knew Shehu as a man of many parts but she had never seen him in the role of an entertainer. The hall erupted in applause after the poet, editor, media man, literary administrator, did a Bob Dylan number, Bob Marley’s ‘No woman no cry’ as well as a couple of other numbers in the course of the event.
Like every other public figure, Eugenia’s presence was an opportunity to take her on concerning several issues. Candid, down to earth – the mark of one with a balanced view of things – Eugenia took in her strides all the canons as they came, pointing out that ‘once an artist has his work out there, he must be ready for whatever people express concerning it.’
Regarding Don’t Look At Me Like That, she said some of the poems treat the matter of wrong perception. This ranges from issues such as HIV/AIDS, misconceptions of other’s behaviour and so on. The author noted that what some commentators perceive or critique as absence of a central focus or theme in Don’t Look At Me Like That is actually its strong point because it makes it accessible to varied meanings and interpretations that different readers will inevitably give it. Such varied interpretation, she pointed out, is the beauty of any piece of art. As for the cover of the latest book which has eyes as its most prominent feature, ‘the graphic designer came up with the design after I told him what the poetry collection was about,’ was the author’s response, adding that she felt the designer perfectly brought to life what she had in mind.
The day’s event ended with the presentation of souvenirs by Dr Emman Usman Shehu to the Guest Writer and Mr Abu. The Guest Writer herself presented gifts that included books to several people present at the event. On hand to assist in the reading of some poems that required singing a song was the Guest Writer’s fellow performance companion and singing sensation, Jane Power, whose regular live performances in Wuse area of the capital city has been the talk of entertainment buffs. Other personalities present at the reading session were Mr Adewale-Maja Pearce, a book editor, Aracelli Aipoh, publisher of Inside Track, Ken Ike of Abuja Literary Society (ALS), Ozioma Izuora, the 2009 ANA Prize winner and writer of Dream Deferred.
According to Dr Shehu, Abuja Writers’ Forum is poised to continue to do everything is necessary to improve the lot of writers in the country with a view to raising new generation of writers that the country can be proud of. The next AWF’s Guest Writer Session comes up on February 28.