NIYI OSUNDARE TO READ AT ARTMOSPHERE, IBADAN and there are gifts for early birds!

Hey, you know about Niyi Osundare? He is one of Nigeria’s finest poets and someone whom we have sipped many creative thoughts from. Well, the news is he is going to be reading at ARTMOSPHERE in Ibadan by 3pm on Saturday, June 20, 2015. The venue is at the NuStreams Conference Centre, KM 110, Iyagunku Road, off Alalubosa GRA, Ibadan, Nigeria.

But let me tell you a bit more about Professor Osundare…

Poet, dramatist, critic, essayist, and media columnist, Niyi Osundare is a Professor of English at the University of New Orleans, USA. He has authored over ten volumes of poetry, two books of selected poems, four plays, a book of essays, and numerous articles on literature, language, culture, and society. His works of published poetry includeSongs of the Marketplace (1983), Village Voices (1984), A Nib in the Pond (1986), The Eye of the Earth (1986),which won both the Association of Nigerian Authors Poetry Prize and The Commonwealth Poetry Prize in its year of publication. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Folon/Nichols Award for ‘excellence in literary creativity combined with significant contributions to Human Rights in Africa’. Other published volumes of poetry include Songs of the Season (1987), Moonsongs (1988) and Waiting Laughters which won the 1989 ANA/Cadbury Prize for Poetry. He is a literary figure per excellence and the sole recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) award in 2014.

For those of you who want to have a feel of good Naija poetry, come for a feel from Niyi Osundare, and others who will be there… It will also be a cool relaxation place…

ARTMOSPHERE is a fascinating monthly literary platform curated by the poets, Servio Gbadamosi and Femi Morgan among other really cool literary folks. I was there as a guest in 2013 with Reward Nsirim, and before then, with Professor Hyginus Ekwuazi, the amazing poet. They have brought a lot of amazing people from Tade Ipadeola, Chuma  Nwokolo, amu nnadi, Ahmed Maiwada, Remi Raji, Akin Bello, Rotimi Babatunde, Atilola Moronfolu, Emmanuel Iduma, Dami Ajayi, Efe Paul Azino and phew! A whole lot of others.

Niyi Osundare

Curated by WriteHouse Collective since July 2011, ARTMOSPHERE has consistently incorporated the classic ideals of artistic erudition with the innovations of performance practice and contemporary culture. The event offers an eclectic mix of creative dexterity from leading and emerging culture practitioners in Nigeria. Book readings, poetry performances, panel discussions, music and art exhibitions are creatively fused together to make each edition a memory to be relished.

The June Artmosphere evening comes up on Saturday June 20th 2015 will commence at 3pm with readings from Professor Niyi Osundare’s numerous poetry collections. This will be followed by an interactive session centred on the backstories behind his works, the creative process, literature and political as well as social issues confronting our nation and people today. Tade Ipadeola, author of the award winning poetry collection, The Sahara Testaments will moderate the session. There will also be music performances by D’Jazz Band as well as a book signing session. There will also be lots of amazing authors, writers and the like… Maybe I might  be there too. First five people will get complementary gifts from SEVHAGE Publishers and Su’eddie Vershima Agema (me) ANA Joint Prize for Poetry 2014! Yaaaaaay! Well, I think we are giving books or something else but please, come early. I should add there will be free refreshment and if you aren’t okay with that, you can buy some too! 🙂

Remember: ARTMOSPHERE for June comes up by 3pm on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at the NuStreams Conference Centre, KM 110, Iyagunku Road, off Alalubosa GRA, Ibadan, Nigeria and features Professor Niyi Osundare, amazing poet and beautiful scholar.

Additional information about the event, together with details about how to get to the venue are available on our fanpage: www.facebook.com/writehouseng. Ciao!