My Journey

I was born in Lagos on the 30th of August 1982, I grew up in a simple home, mum was an English teacher and spent many afternoons teaching us, some of my earliest memories include having home lessons by my mother and her fellow teachers, we had a math teacher and even a Yoruba teacher.  When I think about it now, it was wonderful having her close for the day when we were on our way home from school as well. Fridays were special, she would take us to a bookshop in Ikeja, and we would all pick a book. She encouraged a reading culture that didn’t have an academic emphasis, and that was great because I seemed more interested in comic books.

 

I have always been a deeply emotional person, as well as an incurable romantic. As a teenager I spent hours writing in my journal, I can not really explain why I did this, but it always felt like I had spoken to someone just after I finished writing. I was an introvert growing up, so I enjoyed the quiet times I spent in my head creating words and images.  I always say I never called it poetry and the truth is in the beginning it was far from the structured pieces which I write now. I didn’t have to think much about what I had to write, so they were like pictures of my everyday life. I never studied literature but I find joy in using simple descriptive words to portray my emotions.

 

For years I kept my journal as a secret from everyone, not even family members, every piece felt like a piece of me, and I was not very comfortable showing it to people, also more importantly I wasn’t confident that they would understand my words. I was inspired by my girlfriend, Ayo, to write about my move back to Nigeria. I remember back then, I was really shy over my work, I would always think, why would anyone want to read this. I joined facebook, mainly because my sister, seemed to have so much fun with it.

 

I posted my first note, “The People”, on the 27th of September, 2007, and a friend said I should not be posting my talent for free on facebook, to which I thought but what do I do with it then.  I do not think I am the best writer but I do not feel it’s a competition, we all have the ability to express ourselves with words, or signs, simple words, arranged to be profound, poignant, creative or just words, a simple explanation for the way we feel inside.

 

I thought about putting together a collection, but I didn’t know where to start from, or if I would actually get a publisher, was my work good enough? Or interesting enough? I sent some of my work in as contributions and only got emails saying they were being considered for collections, only to never hear back from them again. I googled “publishers” then “publishing a book” and I found the link to lulu.com, and I was interested immediately, I could write my work, publish it, and then sell myself. I would become the author, the publisher and the marketer. Well, not that I knew what it entailed to be any one of those, I’m an engineer, that I know, but I felt I had to give it a shot.

 

I got my notepads and journals out and started to type. Ayo helped me to type and when it came to a name, I didn’t know what to call it, we thought about it all afternoon, and then she said well they are your thoughts, on moving home, on your everyday life, so call it “Thoughts on a page”. I had a name for the book, and I liked it, it made me think, these really are my thoughts, some creative, some emotional and some real words, that describe the way I think.

 

The book became available on lulu.com in October,2007, I remember  my family about the book,  they were shocked, mum asked when I found the time to do all that, but she was very proud and started saying how she knew I’d become a writer. I still do not know who the first to buy the book was and actually I didn’t get a chance to hold the book until December.

 

I started the “thoughts on a page” group to promote my collection of poetry, by then I had posted a new note, “Homecoming”, and the responses where very good, but I still was not very confident about my work, give me a screw driver and a faulty mother board anytime. I sent my sister an email, to add as many of her friends to the group, as I didn’t have that many on facebook. She was very excited, and I believe that she really gave extra life to the group. Then I got a message, a young lady said “homecoming” was too long for her to read, and that gave birth to the idea to make poetry videos, again I’d never made videos before, but I thought I would give it a shot.

 

I made a video for homecoming after pages of research on the flickr site for suitable photos for the slide show, which is really what it was; the pictures followed the story of the journey from the airport to my home and all the thoughts that existed in my mind. In December I got an email from Obi Asika, saying he really enjoyed the video, all I could think was wow, the boss of storm enjoyed my video, like that’s crazy, I did it on windows movie maker. He has given me many supportive words since then, and actually owns a copy of “thoughts on a page”.

 

Earlier, in November I got an email from Bobby Taylor, she was impressed by the book and wanted it for a gift bag she was preparing for the future awards in January. I was really excited, the book was only just available on lulu.com and now this and I ran to tell my mother. in January the awards came, I saw so many people that day, whom I have now become more familiar with, Chude, Emilia, Adebola,Noble, Tosyn, Lola, Ebuka, Olaotan and of course I met Bobby Taylor for the first time, I remember being lost like I didn’t know what Chude or Bobby looked like, well I had tried to memorize their facebook profiles. Through the ceremony I was engrossed in my thoughts, someone I had never met, who lived miles away, liked my work enough to take it to a place I had never been before, Bobby showed the kind of support anyone would pray for, perhaps even dream of, I would always appreciate her for giving me that opportunity. Also, In January I sent in an entry to Africa magic’s show, Africa awakes, who were running a poetry competition for entries titled “I am African” and my poem was read on television, till today I cant believe I missed it, they had sent me an email but I just lost track of time.

 

The biggest and most important moment came in February, when Lydia Idakula sent me a message, I read it twice then twice again, she wanted me to read my poetry to…people. So, on the 12th of February, I read my poetry out loud for the first time, well that’s if we do not count reading it to Ayo over the phone. Lydia and Taruwa gave me the chance to speak my words, to act my words, to an audience, I remember sending a message to my group telling them about the experience, many of them had sent me messages of encouragement before the event, I told them about how my heart was racing so fast, and the words just coming out. I have done many presentations to large audiences but that was about science. I had to come out of my comfort zone at Taruwa, I had to forget about whether some would like it and some would not, and just read it, I had to own my words like I never had before and for that I’ll always be grateful to Lydia and the gbagyichild team.

 

In March I read “The people” and “we are” at the jeans for genes charity hosted by Tosyn, it was a welcome surprise when she invited me to the event. It was an amazing experience and I was becoming more comfortable reading my words, again, another example of someone I had only just met, supporting me, I’m very thankful for that.

 

It has not been easy but my confidence grows with every single book reading, and every facebook comment. It hasn’t been all positive but I have learnt from the words of the critics and I have gained confidence from the words of the supporters. I have heard so many times how poetry is difficult to publish and market, will people buy it they ask, Nigerians do not appreciate poetry they say, yet over and over again I have seen people buy into this contemporary style of poetry, a rhythmic narrative style that the reader can relate to. I feel I have found my voice, in the midst of all the noise that sometimes constitutes life, and I feel I now know what path to follow.

 

I have always admitted to people that returning to Nigeria was hard for me to do, I was not forced to, but I decided to, after deep thought about my future. I am proud to be a Nigerian, and I can see that things are changing, there’s this positive vibe amongst young Nigerians who are achieving their goals no matter what. On the 1st of October 2008, Poetry for Charity was born out of that desire to see a better society, It is a project which aims to bring together several writers from various regions of the world using the facebook social networking website, with a common aim of donating their poems and spoken word pieces to be added to a collection. All the revenue raised from the sale of the book would be donated to 3 different charities for every edition of the collection. The first “Poetry for charity, Volume one” has just been released and features the work of 34 writers from different continents and backgrounds.

 

Through poetry for charity we have been able to encourage a new breed of writer, and support worthy causes. We have been able to show that no matter your age, background or experience, writing is a form of expression and it is possible for you to develop your writing skills. The assistance to the charities has been immense, not only in monetary donations but also the increase in the awareness level of these charities, the members of the group have been encouraged to continue their relationship with the charities, and support them in whatever way they can even after buying the book. Poetry for charity also reaches a global audience; this means that the words of the contributors reach further than any of us perhaps imagined, Last month, 5 writers from Poetry for Charity were selected to be published by BHF magazine and we have raised $150 so far.

 

When it comes to love it’s the little things that matter, those are the things I find important. I value meaningful relationships where I can have a positive impact on the life of my partner, just as she would have in mine. Love is about compromise, understanding and mutual respect .

 

For me, life is not a competition, inspiration comes from seeing your destination, working towards a realization of your dedication, and believing that someday, your life would inspire another generation.

 

My name is Chiedu Ifeozo, and this is my journey.