As the world marked World Poetry Day, young Nigerian poets have added their voices to the global celebration. In a chat with Blacktalker, these creatives reflected on the transformative power of poetry in a time of fast-paced living and deep societal change.
For Jeremy(@jayibiwoye), a Lagos-based poet, spoken word artist, cinematographer and geoscientist, poetry is far more than rhyme and rhythm, it is depth.
“Poetry is for those who can think deeply. Even at its simplest, it’s layered,” he said. “It’s like painting with words—it’s an emotional expression that pierces the soul and mends the heart.”
Jeremy describes poetry as a double-edged sword, capable of stirring raw emotion and healing wounds. For him, it’s a tradition rooted in the oral legacies of grandparents sharing moonlight tales.
“Poets are people who dare to turn their pain into paragraphs, their sorrow into syllables,” he said.
He believes poetry can be a powerful tool for social change, likening it to bait: “Poetry lures people in, but inside is a message, truth that can challenge injustice and awaken society.”
Despite today’s digital distractions, Jeremy says poetry offers an escape, a still moment in a noisy world.
“Even if you’re watching it on your phone, poetry grabs your emotions, speaks to your experiences,” he said. He recalls performing a piece titled “To Be a Man”, inspired by Dax’s song, that moved his audience profoundly. “I was just telling my truth, and everyone could relate to it,” he said.
His advice to young poets: “Keep writing. Your creativity is unique. Speak your truth, someone somewhere is being touched by your words.”
For Anita Nwokoji, known on stage as @Purple Hat Girl, poetry is a universal language that connects people through shared experiences and culture.
“World Poetry Day is a celebration of the power of words to capture emotion, tell stories, and inspire change,” she said.
She sees poetry as a force for transformation, giving a voice to the unheard and driving difficult conversations around injustice, identity and healing.
“Poetry is not just an art. It’s a weapon. It can shape lives, rewrite history and bring reawakening,” she said passionately.
Anita draws inspiration from African storytelling, mental health advocacy and global struggles for identity and hope. Poets like Maya Angelou, Titilope Sonuga, J. Ivy and Debbie Johnson fuel her fire to write boldly.
“Debbie Johnson makes me want to let my mind wander and pour every bit of pain onto paper,” she said.
To young writers, Anita urges: “Be free with your art. Don’t conform. Your voice matters, the world needs your words.”
Emerging poet and spoken word artist, Faith(@pinkybella) echoed these sentiments.
“World Poetry Day celebrates the power of poetry to connect us, challenge our perspectives, and inspire change,” she said.
Faith views poetry as a respite from the chaos of modern life, a reflective space that fosters empathy. Her work is deeply rooted in Igbo and African culture, blending traditional and modern themes.
“Poetry captures the essence of human emotions. It connects us in ways nothing else can.”
She draws inspiration from legends like Chinua Achebe and Maya Angelou, who use words to uplift and inspire.
Blacktalker confirms that as these voices prove, Nigerian youth are not just inheriting a legacy of poetic expression, they are reshaping it. For them, poetry is more than performance. It’s resistance. It’s reflection. It’s revolution.
And as the world honours poets on this year’s World Poetry Day, their voices reminded us of what poetry really is: the heartbeat of a people, echoing in verses.
World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March every year and was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999, “to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increase the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard”.
Its purpose is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and as the original UNESCO declaration says, to “give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional, and international poetry movements”.