An Evening at the Lifehouse

The Convener

It was just before Christmas last year that I first attended a literature book reading in my twenty-something year old life. After wandering to and fro Sinrari Daranijo Street in Victoria Island for some minutes, we (I and the bike rider) finally found the apparently camouflaged Lifehouse at 5: 25pm. A reading had been scheduled to hold there at the exact hour the day’s work officially ended. The invitation had informed me that on December 14, one of Africa’s finest poets, Professor Niyi Osundare, would be reading poetic lines from his new book, City Without People: the Katrina Poems.

By 5:46pm, the moderator, Mr Fela, informed the guests that before Prof Osundare’s reading, similarly renowned poets like Odia Ofeinum and Wole Soyinka had held their readings at the Lifehouse at sundry times. Though discretion will not permit names to be mentioned, many famous names and faces from within and outside the world of African arts, culture and music graced the occasion. An ambassador, many salient professors, several artistic academicians, prominent newspaper commentators and chief editors (both current and erstwhile), student writers, journalists and other art lovers attended the event to pay homage to a seasoned writer.

Sharing his moving near-death experience at New Orleans (USA) during the massively fatal cyclone called Hurricane Katrina, Prof Osundare made mention of a humble Christ-like Cuban, Placido Sabalo, as the man who delivered him and his wife from the ravenous hurricane. He described Placido Sabalo as the man whose Christianity saved his life. “Unlike several others, Sabalo practised his Christianity according to Jesus Christ”, he said. And in return for the sacrifice, the resident poet and professor at the New Orleans University dedicated a poem to Sabalo in the new collection.

The professor’s speech was not without affectionate mentions of old long-lost friends from his Alma Mater, Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti (Nigeria). He also remarked the poems contained in the book which took 6years in coming as a symbol of semblance between the present situation in Nigeria and the Katrina experience. If you’re a true poetry lover the book stands as a good read and its presence in your library is anticipated. After enjoying the reading of some ten poems, especially An Act of God,  I had to take my leave by 7.20pm, in anticipation of the island traffic; and to prevent any hurricane Katrina that may want to swallow supposed night walkers.

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1. Farafina Trust Literary Evening!
2. The Evening Programme
3. A splendid anniversary evening 4