The Cultural Advocates Caucus (CAC) & Goethe Institut, Lagos Presents WORDSLAM

Participating Artists
Awoko
Cornerstone
Edaoto
Iquo Eke
Jumi (Imole)
Sage Hasson
Dagga Tolar
Muri Amulegboja
Jumoke Verissimo
Akeem Lasisi
Ropo Ewenla - compere

Odia Ofeimun - special guest
Ben Tomoloju - special guest

NB: Snacks and refreshments will be offered.


IN THE BEGINNING....
On Saturday July 5th 2008, starting from 4:00pm,
daring and tested young poets will gather at Goethe
Institut Lagos to treat members of the public to a
remarkable feast of live poetry performances.. Hello,
WordSlam!!! is birthed. This new programme, a joint
venture between Culture Advocates Caucus (CAC) and the
Goethe Institut will parade poems and poets that will
address issues such as survival, politics, religion,
city hassles, hustles and bubbles, love and hatred and
the general ‘wahala’ of life.
‘Wild Cards’ for the main acts for this first edition
of what promises to grow to become a regular (perhaps
quarterly) programme include:

• AWOKO, multiple instrumentalist and utility
performer, a small compact explosion waiting to
happen;
• CORNERSTONE, distinct Word artist and one of the
emerging few possibilities of the new age of reggae
music;
• EDAOTO, a distinctively unique personality with
distinguished musical composition and arrangement;
• IQUO EKE, Mother Poet with the exotic and
captivating voice texture like the soothing-firm
caress of Oya’s flow;
• JUMI (IMOLE), the exotic and refreshing voice of the
quintessential poet performer, who has come on a
missionary task of shedding light on all areas of
darkness in our lives;
• SAGE HASSON, one of the most engaging interpreters
of the confounding realities of our times;
• DAGGA TOLAR, revolutionary poet par excellence;
• MURI AMULEGBOJA, cast in the mode of near extinct
traditional Yoruba chanters, he is capable of the
gripping blend of poetry of the body in dance and that
of the voice in rendition;
• JUMOKE VERISSIMO, an engaging poet with a robust
sense of satire and sometimes self-deprecating humour;
• AKEEM LASISI, of the Iremoje fame, master of the
blend of imageries of ages past and present, very much
in the tradition of the troubadours.
These are performers who have in the past few years
proven their mettle in the Lagos poetry performance
circuit. They would be backed up by one of the most
engaging jazz groups in the land, the Awade Jazz
Ensemble.
Apart from this main act which is to be the first
part of the show, members of the public in the
audience would also have opportunities of bringing out
their WORD from the closet and trying them out on the
audience in an OPEN MIND & MIKE session, which will be
judged by the audience in the process of discovering
fresh acts that will move to the next level of the
series. The session will also ensure that the event
has the interactive flavour, which is the salt of the
tradition of the griots of old with the audience as an
integral part of the circumstances of performance.

The compere of this feast of the Word is ROPO
EWENLA, Organising Secretary, Ife Festival of Poetry,
fellow conspirator in the establishment of similar
projects such as Word and Sound and Poetry Potter.
Here, he is on a familiar terrain as the umbilical
cord not just between the various poetry events he had
facilitated before now, but also between the various
artistes who are on display.

To grace the occasion as special guests are the duo of
ODIA OFEIMUM and BEN TOMOLOJU, two of the most
consistent sources of inspiration and motivation for
young, budding and aspiring artistes in the country.
Both are also poets cast in the finest tradition of
the genre.

WordSlam!!! brings poetry to life in the age old
tradition of African griots and the troubadours of
the Middle Ages’ Europe . The destination for this
Feast of Life & Word is the STREET; so watch out for
it in your neighbourhood soon.

THE WORD IS AN EGG... —The Culture Advocates Caucus