Maverick poet Gimba Kakanda unveils first collection

Gimba is young – the recluse is known to be in his early twenties, but on the literary terrain, he has made a mark with some critical reviews of contemporary literature. His criticism has struck some nerves, drawing some ire and uncomplimentary remarks along the way. Gimba’s affinity for poetry started years back when he […]

Gimba is young – the recluse is known to be in his early twenties, but on the literary terrain, he has made a mark with some critical reviews of contemporary literature. His criticism has struck some nerves, drawing some ire and uncomplimentary remarks along the way.

Gimba’s affinity for poetry started years back when he chanced upon the huge collection of literature left by his father. Having read some of the poems, he mistook them for song lyrics. His perception has since evolved and in 2002, grieve forced his creative hand to pen his first poem when his mother passed on.

The poem, Tribute, is one of the many in the collection. Though he has modified it over the years, it remains special to him as his first poem written for the loss of a special person.

Since then, he has not looked back. He fed on poetry to the point of addiction and having read many, he developed the passion to separate the wheat from the chaff. That was when he started his criticism adventure. When he talks about contemporary Nigerian literature, his views can best be described as acerbic.

“When you take that decision to go into criticism, you draw a lot of critics to yourself,” he said admitting that it has been unpleasant at some points because of the negative reactions that have trailed his criticism. But he is not deterred. He is not afraid of what critics will throw his way either.

“My first book is out so I will listen to what the critics have to say. I am looking forward to what people are going to say. Without criticism there will never be growth.”

But what is his poetry collection, Safari Pants, all about? It is a maverick’s thoughts streaming out in rich rhythmic verses that enchants and delights the readers. It is thought provoking and in conformity with his character, the poem take bold swipes at institutions, personalities and ideas. He is not afraid to name names. Yet, the verses are memorable and reveal his convictions.

“My pant is Braille to the blind leper” he writes in his entree poem “Crow”. But with unrelenting passion, he attacks corruption, politicians, military dictators and old lovers too.

“The poem is actually a journey and that’s why it’s a safari, an expedition taken for pleasure, but when you begin to pant, then it means there is something wrong with that expedition. It is actually a young man’s quest for meaning,” he said.

Young Gimba is, but his poetry effuses a sagacity that belies his age and his varied interests strikes out in the collection like the colours of the peacock’s tail. He touches on politics with as much fervour as he does love and grief and joy

With the release of Safari Pants, the reclusive Gimba is not quite ready to throw off his eremite garb just yet.

“To some people, Gimba is a noise maker, to some people I am a mischief maker, to some people I am an objective critic,” he says of himself. He will still allow people to form their own opinions about him and perhaps his poetry will be the only window we will have into the critical mind of this young and promising writer.

The book has just been released by Kraft Griots books and the critics already circling overhead now have a chance to pounce.