Ken Ugwu: Recent Episodes
Ken Ugwu
Podcast of POEMS and WRITINGS of Kenneth Chukwuemeka Ugwu. This Poet and Essayist dedicated his recent years to creativity through his graduate programmes in Civil Engineering and English and literary studies. He was born in Nsukka town, Enugu State, Nigeria. He is the author of 'Halcyon Days of Cradle' ( a selection of poems). He is the founding editor and analyst of common cause at African Watchdog. A privilege capture has kept him in the field of Media since 2015, and he never looked back.
Facebook: @ Ken Ugwu Instagram and Twitter: @Ken_Ugwu01
For her clear liquids are precious, a gentleman preserves it. Those drops are priceless, and she is a diamond.
From the ashes of a blackened heart, to the Peaceful protesters that were massacred at the Lekki toll gate, and to everyone lost in the cause of the struggle to create a better society. In our hearts you will always be. ✊🏿🇳🇬
In this Poetry collection "Overman and other realities" the poet, Kenneth C. Ugwu, has shown himself remarkably as “… a chronicler of the permutation occurring in society” (Agbasiere 73). It is a literature borne out of the spirit of commitment, and as Sir F.U. Okoro puts it, Kenneth is “the poet, [with] a sharp knife in one hand, a microscope in the other, [who] is granted his inalienable right to cut portions of life for scrutiny” (Okoro XI). Mr Ugwu, in this collection, has cut a portion of our life as a people, and as critics, it is our duty to examine our common heritage through the works to enable us identify where the rain started beating us, and proffer possible solutions for a progressive and all-inclusive system. - Charles Nnamuchi ( Reviewer of the "Overman and other realities)
in “Overman,” the reader encounters a resilient adventurer in a tough and difficult terrain. There he sees “the blood of the man who have been in chains” (line 18). However, despite the hard experiences, the persona rises above his limitation and hurdles to project a glorious and promising future. The mark of the Overman is the exhibition of superhuman traits as portrayed in the persona’s association with some mythic figures. Interestingly, the Overman’s sterling character defies the vulnerability and weakness of the Biblical Adam and the Greek Daedalus. What is depicted is a future full of golden opportunities as shown in the lines: “The hard rock where the pierian spring flows / that cold breeze that bring forth the best roses / that prairie with the best vegetation” (lines 64-66).
They are imbued with the femme-fatal archetype whose splendor serves as a bait to the tragic end of any man who falls prey to her alluring beauty.
They poem imbued with the femme-fatal archetype on a modern day girl who is ultimately after material things, purposely selling out her values that leads to her objectification.
This poem is imbued with the femme-fatal archetype whose splendor serves as a bait to the tragic end of any man who falls prey to her alluring beauty.
This poem is an archetypal reference to the greek Phoebus Apollo, which explains the concept Colourful.
NwanyiNma is a love/ romance poem. Here the persona expresses his insatiable desire and fondness for a lady he admires. He presents the picture on how this lady is most creature he has ever seen.
The poem “Alvan Boy” depicts the harsh realities facing Nigerian students as a result of infrastructural deficits on campus. The Alvan Boy, which represents a student in a dilapidated school hostel, is left to survive on the debris of a failed system where he faces myriad of problems like - water shortage, bed bugs, lack of power supply, among other things. The boy defies all odds to overcome his obstacles by resorting to help from the females at the Nkurumah hostel. He is “always ready to whistle and wink at Nkurumah queens” says the persona in line 38 of the poem.
“Chants of a Native Son” – a poem dedicated to a young lover’s village damsel. The persona beckons on the maiden to be the love of his life. He calls on his queen to “rise my beautiful princess / for I am waiting eagerly for you at the sand dune beside the / cyan flower river,” (lines 2-4). It ends with the persona’s longing to the lady to be his wife as signified by his “…wish to be the brave hunter in whose front [the maiden] shall kneel to give a cup of palm-wine” (lines 42-43).
Letter to Poetry is an engaging poem filled with questions from the persona who is a poet, to poetry. He talks about how poetry has engaged his heart.
In the short poem “Xeno,” there is a sharp exploration of the country’s lack of national consciousness and cohesion. What is prevalent is ethnic rivalry and bloodletting as seen in the line: “For even in my neighbourhood my wounds grow deeper in my brother’s hand” (4). The situation is seen as a war without end as the persona asks his mother to buy him “catapult” in place of “tangerine.” Consequently, the persona is doomed as he loses the comfort of a peaceful home/nation.
Odim Hills talks about the beauty of the landscape the Odim Hill in the University town of Nsukka. A soft green hills that present a lot of memories to the persona each time he sees it.
The Mamba's Mindset is a poem dedicated to Kobe Bryant. Here the Persona unveils his great admiration for this basketballer. He describes Kobe as a legend on and off the pitch. The persona tells the people on the need to discover themselves and believe in themselves like Kobe did, that will be an avenue for their greatness too.
Epiphany is the eighth poem in the poetry collection of Overman and other realities. It is a poem manifestation and seeing of salvation by the persona, despite the thought he wasn't qualified to get such.
Ezechitoke is the seventh poem in the poetry collection of Overman and other realities. It is a ritual poem where the persona questions his creator about his thoughts and purpose in this life.
Yellow Rays is the sixth poem in the poetry collection of Overman and other realities. It emphasizes on what growing up is in the typical street of Nigeria. The challenges, hardship and the aspirations of the young ones who strive to achieve their great dreams.
The “Dream Preacher” delves into the using menace of suicide incidents, in the contemporary society. The poem x-rays the case of Chukwuemeka Akachi – a young, industrious, intelligent and promising scholar whose life was cut short when he took his own life on account of existential questions. The poem ends with a note of plea to individuals to “say no to suicide” (line 41).
Tears in the Gateway is the fourth poem in the poetry collection of Overman and other realities. “Tears in the Gateway” captures the protracted farmer/herders crisis that have degenerated into killings of innocent citizens and raping of helpless women in their farms and pollution of the environment by the marauding Herdsmen. According to the persona, “we feel sightless to our growing crops trodden by their beasts” (line 1). The result is destruction of lives and property as the plunder of the people’s means of livelihood continues unabated.
Bleeding the Earth is the third poem in the poetry collection of Overman and other realities. In “Bleeding the Earth,” ecological problems resulting from man’s unchecked activities in the physical environment is explored. The depletion of the ozone layer is depicted in the poem as a direct consequence of gas flaring and deforestation. This has brought untold suffering on the people as they face “the spread of numerous disease” and “the extinction of our fresh fishes” (lines 16 and 20) as contained in the poem.
Dark Wind of Omila is the first poem in the poetry collection of "Overman and other realities". Dark Wind of Omila,” captures the pains of dissident youths, apparently revolting against perceived injustices in the land. The poem opens with a gloomy atmosphere signaling the emergence of terror, anarchy and extra-judicial killings. According to the persona, there is the sinister presence of “A shivering sun that darkens a glossy light/where each raindrop bleeds a shivering night” (lines 2-3).
Each time I take a walk down the streets, I always feel captured with a responsibility to create the reality and recreate the shadowless moments of where I find myself, striving to give a voice to the young ones who never had it. These realities are insatiable appetite I detain in reverance, that I regard as a necessity to ink them down. Reinforcing a belief on a functional Art through my timely evaluation of social problems, nature, culture, romance and our responsibility to address them, and never compromising aesthetics; the essence of Art. Going beyond the contextual and linguistic expectations by moving with the wheels of time in regards to content and incorporating pidgin and my dialect. The "Overman and other realities" reflects a colourful adventure, and every observation I highlighted was thought provoking. As the OVERMAN emerges from its ashes, Ken Ugwu evolves red hot on the pages of his second book of poetry.
This poem talks about the trying times faced by the Igbo people of Nigeria, their struggle against marginalisation and very quest for independence.