Program: Writers Club Boot Camp, 3rd Edition
Date: 18th Nov, 2018.
Facilitator: Olumide Holloway
To prepare your mind for this journey, I’d start by stating expressly, that life is all about the questions you ask. Questions are guaranteed, answers are not. We always would have more questions than answers. Oftentimes, the questions that do come to mind are: ‘the whats’, ‘the whys’, and ‘the how questions.’ I must mention that it is pertinent to learn to ask oneself these questions as it most of the time works the trick of nudging us along a purposeful direction.
As a matter of fact, one will never have all the answers. Perhaps some, but not all. Funny thing is there’ll never be a want of questions. Just like I hinted earlier, these questions are often leading – you get to find out more. The conundrum is that while the average man knows how to get things done, they don’t know ‘the whys’ of getting the job done. The reason for the process is summarily lost on them. In effect, the process becomes mechanical, which leaves them bereft of dynamism and renders them distastefully static in their approach.
The advantages of dynamism cannot be overlooked. I recall that having begun the poetry event ‘Word-up’ in 2012, we quickly noticed that having to bring upstage the same set of poets, year in, year out, would to our audience portray laziness on our part, and more worryingly, limit our capacity to expand. Having identified this as a potential bane, we tackled it and infused our fledgling event with a spice of variety which not only tackled the aforesaid primary issue, but had an overall effect of ensuring our poets weren’t too pressured and that their poetic reserves remained fresh for when they needed to draw from it.
We also organised a competition called ‘War of words’ which was astutely designed to help us in screening a vast pool of poets and slim the entrants down to a sizeable premium. This helped us ascertain the credibility of whichever poet we called upon and ascribe prospective poets pedigree which not only boosts their confidence but charms our subscribers into parting with their money.
Now, getting into the body of our discourse, I’d confirm what you know so well – that, there are different genres of poetry. Poetry encircles education and entertainment on the macro-scale. If I may, I would say, entertainment is to education what icing is to cake. In that while education in poetry offers substance, entertainment adds gloss. To maximize poetry, one cannot and should not be without the other.
Problems poetry can solve
- Education: The threshold for a prospective poet is literacy. However, being literate is only the first step. The importance of adequate study cannot be overemphasized. Poetry, in essence demands that the poet studies extensively and in due course provides them with educational benefits. As such, poetry enhances education. One example that readily comes to mind is poetic lines distilled into quotes.
- Employment: Our projects and events draw a lot of professionals in different capacities. From logistics to sound engineers, to event planners and so on. One can quickly see where this is headed that poetry contributes favorably to the economy.
- Entrepreneurship: Poetry like many other fields is a source of livelihood. Some poetpreneurs like Efe Paul Azino, Titi Shonuga, Atilola Morohunfolu live off its proceeds. As a poet, numerous opportunities await one. Namely, being a lyricist, a poet, an author, a blogger etc.
- Entertainment: Poetry provides entertainment. It could be rendered in form of songs, spoken word pieces etc. Poetry, could serve to liven one’s mood, ease stress, reduce tensions, heal wounds, raise spirits. Poetry thus entertains.
- Expression: The age-old desire of man has always been to express himself. In no better form is this readily exemplified than in poetry. Poetry serves as a means of expression and communication.
Among other things, poetry empowers, it is therapeutic, and makes one emotionally intelligent.
Impactful Writing
In order that poetry might be used maximally towards impacting effectively, the prospective poet should embrace mentorship (tremendous benefits await those who submit to good mentors). Also, having a model of the kind of poetry you want to engage in serves as a template and gives you a focus of the goal ahead.
Profile of Mr. Holloway
Mr. Olumide Holloway popularly known as King Olulu is a Spoken Word artist and performer. King Olulu is a poetpreneur and a promoter of WORD UP (a foremost Spoken Word Poetry event in Nigeria), and War of Words (a slam poetry competition that discovers and nurtures new and emerging poets in Nigeria).
He is also a co-organizer of Chill and Relax, a monthly Performance Poetry and Spoken Word Open Mic Event that holds in Gbagada, Lagos, Nigeria.