Officially titled, ProvidusBank World Poetry Day Café: An Evening with Wole Soyinka, the past editions have explored themes relating to humanity’s existential concerns, among them preservation of the environment, education, youth and female empowerment, migration and socio-cultural pluralism.
WPD 2025: The celebration of the 2025 edition of the day, which is the 6th in the series, is dedicated to commemorating the beginning of the United Nations Second Decade of African Descendants (2025-2034), hence the theme: SAND DUNE AND OCEAN BED: THE TEMPLATE OF DISPERSAL. The theme is also in the context of the ongoing UN Anniversary for Enslaved Peoples and Reparatory Justice.
AS declared by the UNESCO in 1999, March 21 every year is World Poetry Day, WPD; dedicated to celebrating Humanities through poetry; and especially to “give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional, and international poetry movements.” The celebration highlights “reading, performing, writing, publishing, and teaching of poetry throughout the world.
WPD celebration in Nigeria: Since 2020, the Providus Bank under its CSR initiative, has hosted the celebration of the Day. Curated by Jahman Anikulapo for the Culture Advocates Caucus, CAC, it is under the encouragement of the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, former UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Officially titled, ProvidusBank World Poetry Day Café: An Evening with Wole Soyinka, the past editions have explored themes relating to humanity’s existential concerns, among them preservation of the environment, education, youth and female empowerment, migration and socio-cultural pluralism.
WPD 2025: The celebration of the 2025 edition of the day, which is the 6th in the series, is dedicated to commemorating the beginning of the United Nations Second Decade of African Descendants (2025 – 2034), hence the theme: SAND DUNE AND OCEAN BED: THE TEMPLATE OF DISPERSAL. The theme is also in the context of the ongoing UN Anniversary for Enslaved Peoples and Reparatory Justice.
The 2025 edition will hold Friday, March 21 at the Terra Kulture Arena, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island Lagos. Starting at 4 pm, the event to be graced by diverse guests including eminent members of the literary community, patrons of the arts, captains of industries, as well as invited members of the public, will feature among other items, poetry reading, performances, workshops, and reception for guests.
Significantly, the edition will be host a delegation of Poets and a 15-piece musical orchestra from The Republic of Cuba, which has been designated the “Special Guest Nation.”
The Republic of Cuba as “SPECIAL GUEST-NATION”: The invitation of the Republic of Cuba as “Special Guest-Nation” for the 2025 edition, as advised by Professor Soyinka, the patron of the project, is singularly apt at a time of the 30th Anniversary of UNESCO’s Programme, “The Routes of Enslaved Peoples: Resistance, Liberty and Heritage. That conference holds on March 25, 2025 in the USA.
Comprising a 15-man team accompanied by some senior government officials, led by the Republic’s Minister of Culture, Hon. Alpidio Alonso Grau, the Cuban Delegation will have their first presentation in Lagos on March 21, which is the main day of the World Poetry Day. However, in line with the expressed desire of the visitors to have an immersive experience of aspects of culture and heritage of Yoruba people, Professor Soyinka has advised that the 15-man troupe members have a second presentation in Abeokuta, Ogun State on March 23RD. They will also tour cultural and heritage sites, including the Olumo Tourism sites and the Adiire market in Itoku, among others. They will be accompanied by a few other officials from the embassy, including chaperons from Providus Bank and the Culture Advocates Caucus.
The proposed tour plan of the delegation is outlined below:
- March 19 – Cuban delegation arrives Nigeria
- March 21 – World Poetry Day presentations
- March 22 – Cuban delegation and Nigerian participants in WPD arrive Abeokuta
- March 23 –Presentation at venue (as advised by Ogun State Govt)
- March 24 (morning- afternoon)– Tour culture and heritage sites
- March 25 — Return to Lagos
- March 26 – Return to Cuba
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Featuring Nigerian Poets
FIVE Nigerian poets have been selected to headline the edition, to be joined by 4 poets from Cuba.
“Since the Cuban guests are mainly presenting contents rooted in their performance culture and heritage, the choice of the local poets has been carefully made such that the guests would have variety of Nigerian cultural contents, even as they stay faithful to the theme of the festival,“ stated the curator, Anikulapo.
He added: The five recommended Nigerian poets have thus been chosen based on their varied styles of presentation that would expose the visitors and the guests to a rich taste of poetry delivery/performance techniques in Nigeria.
The selected poets are:
YUSUF ÀLÀBÍ BALÓGUN (Àrẹ̀mọ Gemini): Multifaceted artist – poet, storyteller, TEDx speaker, art specialist, with a core focus in Yorùbá arts and culture, Aremo Gemini’s poetry is heavily influenced by grassroots realities – from promotion, propagation of African cultural, heritage, history and identity, to campaign for female emancipation, to amplifying tales of the marginalised. His presentation technique includes deploying percussive instruments to support his poetry rendition. IG/Twitter: aremogemini
EVELYN OSAGIE: CREATIVE writer with an interest in poetry, performance and photography, with over two decades composing and performing poetry/spoken word on stage, Evelyn Osagie mixes performance with elements of folklore, myths, and songs; and sometimes employs masks, drum rhythms, music and dance to express her poetic thoughts. Social media: FB/IG evelynosagieart
KAFAYAT QUADRI (Kaffe of Life): Multidisciplinary artist, Kafayat is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and poet whose work seamlessly weaves music and poetry into a profound acoustic and spoken-word experience. With a career spanning decades, she has used her artistry to explore themes of humanity, self-care, and emotional wellness. Her poetry journey took a groundbreaking turn in 2016 with Aquarius Vol. 1, a collection of audio poems available on all streaming platforms. Social Media: IG: @dr.quadri_ |FB: @km.quadri
TIJANI USMAN (Tijaywebster): Spoken word poet, rapster, designer, and animator, among other skills, Tijani was born in Kogi State but raised in Jos, Plateau State. He is renowned in Lagos and Nigerian poetry and culture circuits for his deep, lyrical performance style with infusion of rap and dancehall content. As a multidisciplinary artist, with special skills in Rap, 3D Animation, Graphic Design, Comic Illustrations, and Web Development, he also infuses visual elements such as animation to embellish his content and form. Social media: IG: Tijaywebster | FB: Tijay Usman
CHINELO NWORA: A PASSIONATE writer, poet, and content creator Chinelo studied English Education at the University of Lagos. With a keen interest in poetry, Chinelo has authored over 50 poems, which she shares with the public through various online platforms. Her work reflects her deep understanding of language and her ability to convey emotions and experiences in a captivating manner. As a performance poet, she brings her written words to life, engaging audiences with her dynamic and expressive performances. Social media: IG – officialchi_nelo | FB: chinelo.nwora | chinelo-nwora
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Special Guest Artiste
WOLE ALADE: A MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, composer, jazz music arranger and performer, who is committed to highly artistic and distinctive and uniqueness, Wole Alade is a world-acclaimed music maestro who has produced seasoned pieces of music in the genre of African, African American and contemporary music. He has written music scores for six motion pictures. Among his productions is ”Olodumare – ?the Creator” produced for Mess/Bluemoon – Atlantic Records 2011. He has performed with many established musicians and groups like the Afro Linkage Ensemble, ABRAXAS (Carlo Santana group), Babatunde Olatunji, Embryo, etc. Fb: wolerity | Ig/tt: wolealade [email protected]
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CUBAN Delegation
The invitation of the Republic of Cuba as “Special Guest-Nation” for the 2025 edition, as advised by Professor Soyinka, the patron of the project, is singularly apt at a time of the 30th Anniversary of UNESCO’s Programme, “The Routes of Enslaved Peoples: Resistance, Liberty and Heritage. That conference holds on March 25, 2025 in the USA.
CAMERATA CORTÉS
A MUSICAL project created by the legendary Cuban flautist José Luis Cortés “El Tosco”, on October 5, 2003 to coincide with his birth date, Camerata Cortes, since its creation, has been characterised by a very high level of professionalism and has defended the best of Cuban, Latin American and international music, venturing into a great diversity of genres and innovating with many proposals that break barriers and without creative limits. The members are all graduates of the National School of Music, the University of the Arts of Cuba, and work as teachers at various levels of education. More on the group can be found at: Social Media: Facebook: Camerata Cortés Oficial | Instagram: @ Camerata Cortes | Youtube: Camerata Cortés Oficial
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POETS
ALEX PAUSIDES: Poetand editor, Alex served as a literary advisor in Manzanillo from 1972 to 1986. He became Vice President of the Hermanos Saíz Association of Young Writers and Artists in In 1986, and in 1988, he was appointed director of the cultural monthly *El Caimán Barbudo*. He served as Vice President of the Cuban Writers Association from 1998 to 2014. A founding member of the World Poetry Movement in 2011, he has since been part of its coordinating committee. He is also a founder of the network of poets in defense of humanity. He has been a jury member for Cuba’s most prestigious literary awards.
SINECIO VERDECIA DÍAZ: PERFORMING poet, singer-songwriter, oral narrator, cultural promoter, Sineco has since 2018 worked as Director of the House of Poetry in the Office of the Historian of the City. His work has featured in several anthologies, including, “Brisa del mar, 1er Concurso Internacional de Haiku” (Gráficas Ibarra, Albacete, Spain 2007); : “Otras islas” (Ediciones Cubeart. Cuba-Italy, 2008); “El ojo de la luz, and anthology of Cuban poets and artists” (Diana Edizioni Italia, 2008) Contact: chekendeke.gmail.com
EDELMIS ANOCETO VEGA: POET, essayist, narrator, literary translator and editor, Edelmis is an editor at Ediciones Sed de Belleza and director of Violas. Revista Villaclareña de Literatura. Member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, he has published more than 80 articles and translations in serial publications. He has been a judge in national and international competitions and has participated in more than 20 literary events. He has more than 30 Recognitions, including First Prize in Poetry at the Municipal Meeting of Literary Workshops of Santa Clara, (1997). Social media: Fb: Edelmis Anoceto Vega | @edelmis.anocetovega
EMLIANO SARDIÑAS: (Repentista): SINCE July 1989 when he began his career as a professional improvisational poet at the Antonio María Romeu Artist Representation Agency, he has become the most popular of Cuba’s improvisational poets recognized internationally. He has participated in an innumerable number of events and festivals, making him the poet with the most participation at the national level in these events. He is the only artist of his genre about whom a book has been written and who has had a cultural club named after him while he is still alive.
ISRAEL DOMÍNGUEZ: POET and translator, Israel’s books of poetry include, besides others, Hojas de cal (2001), Collage mientas avanza mi carro de equipaje (2002), Sobre un fondo de arena (2004), Después de acompañar a William Jones (2006), Viaje de regreso (2011), and En dirección contraria (2014). He has translated texts by Margaret Randall, Cornelia Hoogland, Ruth Behar, Barret Watten, Rosa Alcalá, T. S. Eliot, Keorapetse Kgositsile, Harry Owen, Virgilio Piñera, Norge Espinosa, and others. He has received several prizes and honorable mentions.
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