Performance poet, Akeem Lasisi, is exploring new possibilities for the genre as he will be holding an exhibition of poetic tributes to exemplary personalities and institutions in December.
The project tagged African Citations, which is an offshoot of the Yoruba’s oriki panegyrics, will celebrate the leading lights drawn from different parts of Africa, showcasing the tributes in visual arts, music and videos. The multimedia nature of the exhibition is expected to beam more live into poetry
According to the award-winning poet, journalist and teacher, it is a celebration of the power of words to communicate, inspire, and connect. It will thus feature poetry in integrated forms that appeal to all human senses and a plethora of emotions while being anchored on posterity.
“AFRICAN CITATIONS pollinates the past with the present, the traditional with the modern,” a statement by Afocitations, which is powering the idea, noted.
According to the statement, it is also about celebrating icons who have positively impacted society. ‘In some instances, the poet has had memorable encounters with the subjects. In some others, he only pays tributes from a distance, with their services to humanity being the bridge,” Afrocitations added.
