Christian Campbell (Bahamas), myself (Nigeria) and Oumar Farouk Sesay (Sierra Leone) – the three 2009 Cadbury Visiting Fellows at the Center of West African Studies (CWAS), University of Birmingham, read at the Birmingham Central Library yesterday evening, and answered a couple of interesting questions on poetry, the Black Experience (interprete as you wish) and Barack Obama.
It was interesting to note the divergencies – and occasional convergencies – in our themes and concerns and approaches, and the ways in which we applied / utilised our words (which are all we’ve got anyway, as poets). As well as the ways in which our countries influenced – or did not influence – our work.
And then we were treated to a wonderful Chinese dinner afterwards by our hosts at CWAS, at Wagamama (near the Birmingham City center).
The Coventry International Festival of Literature is our next stop. Friday the 15th of May.
Tolu Ogunlesi 