Literature
The 3rd of July, 2010 was a special day for the members of the Kaduna State chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors and writers resident in Kaduna, as Unoma Azuah, Professor of Creative Writing at Lane College, USA, lectured them on some vital techniques of poetry writing.
The event, which was the last of the series of free poetry workshops organised across the country by the Sentinel Literary Movement of Nigeria, took place at Arewa House from 3 pm to 6 pm. Similar workshop was previously held in Asaba, Lagos and Abuja.
The main focus of the workshop is on ?Technique and Critical Appraisal of Poetry.? And the sub-themes included Elements of Poetry, Practising Poetry, Pattern by Eye: Objects, Layering Patterns and Problems of Poetry.
It was an interactive session in which the about 20 participants were fully involved the process of poetry writing under the guidance of Unoma, who is also the poetry editor of www.sentinelnigeria.org, official website of the sponsoring organisation.
The facilitator began by introducing the basic elements of poetry such as figures of speech, imagery, form and content. She observed that these elements are the attributes that set poetry apart from other genres of writing, stressing that any poet that intends to mark impact must employ them effectively.
She also stressed the need for the poet to abstain from abstract description that does not appeal to the senses. In her words, ?poetry comes alive when you use concrete images rather than abstract concept or description that leaves the reader groping for the substance or meaning of the poem in vain?. According to her, simple language coupled with the right images works well for poetry.
Her vivid explanations were accompanied with readings from samples of masterpieces by famous poets. Participants were also engaged in on-the-spot writing of poems in line with the tips provided.
Time was quite limited for all that Professor Unoma had to teach. However, participants did gain so much that if they put in practice what they had learnt it would go a long way in improving there poetry writing. The Vice Chairman of Kaduna ANA, Mr. Steve Adenoyi, confirmed this fact in his votes of thanks, saying ?We have really learnt a lot; we are grateful to Sentinel Nigeria and the able facilitator for this golden opportunity?.
At the end of the workshop, Professor Unoma accepted to edit submitted poetry manuscripts for a one-off assessment fee of N2,000 for each poetry collection. A selection from the submitted poems, she said, would be made for the maiden ?Sentinel Nigeria Poetry Digest? to be published in August 2010.
Sentinel Literary Movement of Nigeria is the Nigerian chapter of the Sentinel Poetry International. It is aimed at promoting literary excellence among writers. It publishes a quarterly literary magazine, with Richard Ugbede Ali as its Editor-in-Chief and administrator of the online version, www.sentinelnigeria.org.
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Literature
Poetry: Sentinel Nigeria spreads the Gospel
The 3rd of July, 2010 was a special day for the members of the Kaduna State chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors and writers resident in Kaduna, as Unoma Azuah, Professor of Creative Writing at Lane College, USA, lectured them on some vital techniques of poetry writing.
The event, which was the last of the series of free poetry workshops organised across the country by the Sentinel Literary Movement of Nigeria, took place at Arewa House from 3 pm to 6 pm. Similar workshop was previously held in Asaba, Lagos and Abuja.
The main focus of the workshop is on ?Technique and Critical Appraisal of Poetry.? And the sub-themes included Elements of Poetry, Practising Poetry, Pattern by Eye: Objects, Layering Patterns and Problems of Poetry.
It was an interactive session in which the about 20 participants were fully involved the process of poetry writing under the guidance of Unoma, who is also the poetry editor of www.sentinelnigeria.org, official website of the sponsoring organisation.
The facilitator began by introducing the basic elements of poetry such as figures of speech, imagery, form and content. She observed that these elements are the attributes that set poetry apart from other genres of writing, stressing that any poet that intends to mark impact must employ them effectively.
She also stressed the need for the poet to abstain from abstract description that does not appeal to the senses. In her words, ?poetry comes alive when you use concrete images rather than abstract concept or description that leaves the reader groping for the substance or meaning of the poem in vain?. According to her, simple language coupled with the right images works well for poetry.
Her vivid explanations were accompanied with readings from samples of masterpieces by famous poets. Participants were also engaged in on-the-spot writing of poems in line with the tips provided.
Time was quite limited for all that Professor Unoma had to teach. However, participants did gain so much that if they put in practice what they had learnt it would go a long way in improving there poetry writing. The Vice Chairman of Kaduna ANA, Mr. Steve Adenoyi, confirmed this fact in his votes of thanks, saying ?We have really learnt a lot; we are grateful to Sentinel Nigeria and the able facilitator for this golden opportunity?.
At the end of the workshop, Professor Unoma accepted to edit submitted poetry manuscripts for a one-off assessment fee of N2,000 for each poetry collection. A selection from the submitted poems, she said, would be made for the maiden ?Sentinel Nigeria Poetry Digest? to be published in August 2010.
Sentinel Literary Movement of Nigeria is the Nigerian chapter of the Sentinel Poetry International. It is aimed at promoting literary excellence among writers. It publishes a quarterly literary magazine, with Richard Ugbede Ali as its Editor-in-Chief and administrator of the online version, www.sentinelnigeria.org.
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L ? R: Prof. Ayo Bamgbose, Miss Siene Allwell-Brown, Prof. Ben Elugbe, Mrs. Mabel Segun, Prof. Ayo Banjo and Malam Denja Abdullahi at the opening ceremony Why does a book considered by the author as a masterpiece at times fail to make it in literary...
- Umaisha And Omalicha Offer November Treat In Abuja
Two emerging writers, Sumaila Umaisha and Ifeyinwa Omalicha, will feature at the 28th edition of the Abuja Writers? Forum?s Guest Writer Session, which holds on November 27, according to the Forum?s PRO, Abudullahi Abubakar: The event, which holds from...
- Ana, Atiku Promote Children Literature
It is a common knowledge that Children?s Literature is the least patronised literary genre in Nigeria. Nigerian writers tend to shy away from producing the genre while parents and teachers seem to care less. And those who care simply resort to foreign...
- Literary Feather For The Soldier Poet (interview)
Col. JIP Ubah (rtd), former Military Administrator of Kebbi State, is the author of four poetry works - Songs of Lokoja, Where the Eagle Perches, Birds of Kebbi Land and Daybreak. The soldier poet, who hails from Okpobla, Agila, Benue State, has also...
- Promoting The Nigerian Pidgin English
The Nigerian Pidgin English has an ironic stigma that even language experts find difficult to understand. It is the most widely spoken language, the only unbiased lingua franca with interjections of many indigenous languages across the country, and it...