Entertainment

Poet and Social Activist, Valentine Okolo, talks on Rape, Genocide, and the Power of Words

Published

4 years ago

July 6, 2020

In this interview with Valentine Okolo the author of the thought provoking poetry book: I Will Be Silent speaks on the inspiration and much more :

Godwin Iheancho: Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Valentine Okolo: I got it from the title of a poem I wrote called “I Will Be Silent.” This was a poem I wrote concerning the genocide which happened in Darfur, Sudan, many years ago. I wrote it in response to the then international media blackout that occurred during that period and how men and young male children were systematically slaughtered by government supported Janjaweed militia. And how women were also gang raped, and impregnated by their oppressors, and sometimes mutilated.

In genocides rape is most times weaponized by the aggressive side, and the suffering sides to such wickedness are women, old and young. Such actions tear at my core and reveal mankind’s depravity at its worst. That poem and a few others similar to it form the back bone of the book.

Genocides, sex slavery, rape and a few other indignities suffered by many women in improvished regions of the world continue still. Boko Haram, and it’s aftermath, the Fulani Herdsmen follow in the footsteps of the Janjaweed militia in Sudan which commited those attrocities with government blessings.

In Nigeria, it is apparent that the government is in accord with Boko Haram and the Fulani Herdsmen as it has repeatedly played to the gallery whenever it is called to question regarding the poor equipments deployed and the improvishment of military troops sent to the effected regions to combat the insurgency. Rather, they result in the use of euphemisms by calling the terrorists “Bandits” and the deployment of mass media propaganda to negate the seriousness of the insurgency.

The entire idea of the book is centred around the themes of pain, and perseverance that these people, and may more like them in different regions of the world, face and have to endure constantly.

I Will Be Silent is not just a book to me. It is more than that. It is a call to witness. It is a series of poems which proceed not from the heart but from the gut of tribulation and endurance. It is a book which bears witness to the collected voices who cannot speak for themselves because they have been silenced.

Godwin Iheancho: How do you get inspired to write?

Valentine Okolo: Most times I feel the emotions of others when I write. In those moments I become that which I write about. I see with their eyes, I hear with their ears, I feel with their skin. In those moments I cease to be myself, and become someone else. I become her, they, it. I become someone’s dreams. And relive, sometimes, their nightmares.

I write from a place of suffering. From a place of joy. I explore the two extremes in my poetry.

In my book I Will Be Silent I wrote many poems which grew from those two extremes. Or should I say, some poems made me write them inspired by these extremes of human existence.

I most times don’t plan a poem in advance. Some poems, if I may use the expression, fall at my feet, almost fully formed. They are a few poems, however, that I do make plans to write in advance. And in order to write them I have to enter into a period of poetic gestation. A period in which I allow the idea of the poem to take root and grow within me until it is ready to be birthed. Sometimes the gestation period may take a few days. Sometimes it can take months or even years.

I like writing organically. So I don’t force anything out. I allow myself to be. I allow myself to feel. I allow the words to come to me like the wind. And I try to catch whatever message that is whispered in the breeze.

Godwin Iheancho : What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Valentine Okolo: First, they should close their eyes and feel. And then write what they felt. Some of the notable works of literature (which includes fiction, non fiction, poetry, science fiction and so on) were written from an abundance of feelings. If you don’t feel what you have written, don’t expect someone else to feel it too. (Unless, you want to be too intellectual and write drab college textbooks.)

Your writing has to move you first before you expect it to move someone else. Write what you feel first. Then put it away for awhile, and then look at it again with the eyes of a stranger. If you read what you had written earlier with the stranger’s eyes and say to yourself: “Wow! Did I write this?” Then someone else will also be wowed by it as well.

Words convey emotions. Be successful in conveying your emotions in your lines.

Next is style.

If expressing your emotions is fuel for your writing, see style as your technique for progress.

See writing as you would a dance in progress. A dancer may have the necessary energy to prance about. But this prancing alone without an arranged motion may not result in anything beautiful to behold. A dancer uses learned dancing techniques and translates those techniques and that energy into beautiful motions (insert here any dance style of your choice: ballet, foxtrot, salsa, tango, hip-hop, contemporary, and so on). When done properly these motions of choreography capture your attention. For a writer, style is like those beautiful motions. Some you can learn from the writings of someone else. Some you can teach yourself.

If you can afford it, enrol into a good writing class with a teacher that you respect his or her style of writing. Such a person will help ground you in the proper techniques of sentence constructions, and the proper use of words, characterizations and lots more.

Godwin Iheancho: What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Valentine Okolo: It allows me to state what I feel. It allows me to display on a blank page the potency of my thoughts. I am a poet. And I write poetry. And to me words are not just a means of communication. To me words are life. Words carry with them a strong creative force. A force that makes things happen. The first thing that happened in the creation of this planet was the issue of a command. From God Almighty Himself. As documented in the Bible book of Genesis where it was written that there was darkness every where and the Earth was void and without form and the Spirit of God was hovering over the deep. And God Himself uttered the immortal words that started the beginning of life in this world. He said: “Let there be light.” And lo, light came to be. And illuminated the perpetual darkness.

Jesus Christ Himself used words to heal. It was written in the Gospels that He issued words of command and the blind were made to see, the lame walk, and the diseased were made clean. Even to the point of raising the dead. The words: “Lazarus, come forth!” are perhaps one of the most unforgettable lines I have ever read in any form of literature. Because they were more than just words. A mummified man who was dead for four days heard them from beyond the grave and rose to life!

Godwin Iheancho: How do you deal with writer’s block?

Valentine Okolo: I empty my mind. And do something else that is not related to what I am writing about. Sometimes I take long walks, and focus on being in the present. As I walk, I take note of the rise and fall of the land, the diverse faces of people, the roaming animals, and the sounds coming from cars and motorcycles. Most times when I do this ideas flow to me freely, clearing my imaginative inhibitors.

Get the book: I Will Be Silent on Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/valentineokolo

You can also follow him on Twitter. His handle: @poetval.

Related Topics:author ENTERTAINMENT Featured

Up Next

Why you should watch ‘Agony’ , A movie from Cornerstone Films Ministry Int’l

Don't Miss

Nigeria Media Monitoring agency Launches Whatsapp ChatBot for better experience

Sahara Weekly

Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

celebrity radar - gossips

Tiwa Savage Reveals Divorce Struggles: “It Made Me Depressed and Turned Me Into the ‘African Bad Girl'”

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Tiwa Savage Reveals Divorce Struggles: “It Made Me Depressed and Turned Me Into the ‘African Bad Girl'”

Nigerian music sensation Tiwa Savage has opened up about her turbulent divorce from Tunji “TeeBillz” Balogun, sharing deeply personal insights about the emotional toll it took on her life and career.

Speaking candidly on The Receipts Podcast, the 44-year-old Afrobeat star reflected on the heartbreak of her 2018 separation, which she revealed was exacerbated by her struggles with postpartum depression and public backlash.

“I Was Nigeria’s Sweetheart”
Tiwa described how her rise to fame was met with widespread admiration, as she followed what she called the “perfect path” of societal expectations.

“When I started, I was Nigeria’s sweetheart. I could do no wrong. I went to university, got married, had a baby — everything by the book. But then everything came crashing down, and I became the target of criticism,” she said.

The separation, which TeeBillz announced online, marked a turning point in Tiwa’s life. Despite not initiating the breakup, she recalled being vilified in the media and by the public.

“I Was Told I’d Never Win”

Tiwa revealed how the overwhelming criticism pushed her into a dark place. “At the time, my baby was just a few months old, and I was already dealing with postpartum depression. My body wasn’t the same, and I was depressed. But instead of support, people attacked me,” she shared.

After attempting to tell her side of the story in a public interview, she faced even more backlash.

“People said, ‘How dare you go and talk? You’re a woman, and you’re supposed to hold the home together.’ Famous people called to tell me I’d never win, and it was my fault because I was a woman. It was heartbreaking,” Tiwa recounted.

Reinvention as the “African Bad Girl”
The constant criticism and emotional pain led Tiwa to transform her image and embrace a bolder persona.

“It made me depressed for so long, but it also made me angry. I thought to myself, ‘If I did everything right and still got attacked, why should I bother?’ That’s when I became the ‘African Bad Girl,’” she said.

Tiwa explained how she began to rebel against societal norms, opting for tattoos, shorter skirts, and bikinis. “I was just wild. It was my way of coping and reclaiming control of my life after being judged for so long,” she added.

Despite the challenges, Tiwa’s resilience and reinvention have made her an enduring icon in the global music scene, solidifying her place as a trailblazer in African entertainment.

The revelations highlight not only the personal cost of fame but also the cultural pressures that women in the spotlight often endure. Through it all, Tiwa continues to inspire, proving that reinvention is a powerful tool for survival and success.

Entertainment

Aliu Gafar delivers stellar performance as Esusu in Femi Adebayo’s Seven Doors

Published

1 week ago

December 13, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Aliu Gafar delivers stellar performance as Esusu in Femi Adebayo’s Seven Doors

By Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

The much-anticipated movie series Seven Doors by Femi Adebayo has finally premiered, currently showing on Netflix, captivating audiences with its intricate storytelling and compelling characters.

The movie begins with a haunting scene of seven women under a mysterious spell leaping to their deaths from a waterfall, setting the tone for a gripping tale that unravels in Ilara Kingdom.

The series explores various societal issues, including corruption, greed, gluttony, family values, malicious conspiracies, and the delicate balance of law and order.

Central to its plot is the calamitous fate of Oba Adedunjoye, the Onilara of Ilara, whose failure to perform traditional rites—symbolised by knocking on seven doors—unleashes devastating consequences on his kingdom.

At the heart of this chaos is Esusu, a malevolent and exiled villain whose return wreaks havoc.

Esusu, a ni ohun t’Eledumare o ni.
Eledumare o ni ika, ika ni Esusu

The character of Esusu, pivotal to the story’s depth, is masterfully brought to life by Aliu Gafar.

Gafar’s first appearance, late in Episode 2, immediately shifts the narrative, introducing a chilling force that spares no one, not even the royal family. His commanding portrayal encapsulates the essence of Esusu, a man whose wickedness defies comprehension.

The backstory reveals Esusu’s sinister pact with Ọba Adejuwọn, an ancestor of Adedunjoye.

Desperation led Adejuwon to seek Esusu’s help to evade death—a move that came at an unthinkable cost, forgetting that bi alọ ba lọ, abọ nbọ (a pendulum that swings to is still coming to swing fro).

Esusu’s return demanded not only royal treatment but the freedom to live as he pleased, challenging the very fabric of the kingdom.

Gafar embodies this complex character with remarkable precision, delivering a performance that is both chilling and unforgettable.

With almost two decades in Nollywood, Aliu Gafar has solidified his reputation as a versatile and dedicated actor.

His extensive filmography includes acclaimed productions such as Jagun Jagun, Anikulapo, Iyalode, Eefin, and Omo Ajele.

His role in Seven Doors further cements his legacy as a master of his craft, showcasing his ability to seamlessly portray multifaceted characters.

The Yoruba actor has also garnered accolades for his work, including the Best Actor award at the Dallas International Yoruba Movies Awards for his role in Peregun.

His commitment to the industry and his talent for captivating performances continue to make him a force to be reckoned with in Nollywood.

In Seven Doors, Gafar’s nuanced performance as Esusu elevates the series, demonstrating his ability to command attention and bring depth to a complex narrative.

His contribution to the Nigerian film industry remains invaluable, and his portrayal of Esusu is a testament to his enduring excellence.

Entertainment

Bullion Records Officially Commissions New Music House in Lagos

Published

2 weeks ago

December 7, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Bullion Records Officially Commissions New Music House in Lagos

One of Nigeria’s leading music labels, Bullion Records, has taken a significant step in its journey of redefining the Afrobeat music industry with the commissioning of its state-of-the-art Music House. The grand ceremony, held on Friday, December 6, 2024, at 29 Abebi Close, Goodwill Estate, Bemil, Ojodu Abiodun, Berger, Lagos, was a star-studded affair graced by notable personalities, well-wishers, and media representatives.
Ogun State chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Barrister Femi Aina, officially inaugurated the facility by cutting the ribbon. He was joined by key dignitaries, including the NNPP’s Ogun State Public Relations Officer, Comrade Omokehinde Olowu; the convener of the Ajadi Independent Movement (AIM), Hon. Idowu Shola Imoleayo; and the Ogun State Secretary, Alhaja Shakirat Arowolo.

Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, CEO of Bullion Records, expressed his gratitude and excitement during the event. He described the Music House as a dream realized, emphasizing the label’s dedication to fostering creative excellence.

“This Music House represents our commitment to providing a platform where talents can thrive and Afrobeat can continue to flourish globally,” Ajadi said. “Bullion Records is more than a music label; it is a family, a movement, and a force for positive change in the entertainment industry. We are proud to unveil this facility as a hub for creativity and innovation.”
The Managing Director of Bullion Records, Mr. Elegbede Ajibola, also highlighted the significance of the Music House. “This is a new chapter in our journey. The Music House will not only serve as a recording studio but also as a center for nurturing and promoting exceptional talents. We are excited about the possibilities it holds for the future of Afrobeat,” he stated.

The event was hosted by popular comedians MC Emmer and African Pencil G, while comedian MC Kirikiri entertained the dignitaries and guests with his humor. DJ Dr. Step, and DJ Danny Yankee of LASU FM curated the music policy for the night, setting an energetic and celebratory tone throughout the event.

Guests were further captivated by electrifying performances from Bullion Records’ star artistes. Harcher, the label’s newly signed 20-year-old Afrobeat sensation, delivered an unforgettable performance alongside Kingsley Fortune, popularly known as GyC, the label’s senior act. The duo thrilled the audience with their hit tracks, showcasing the label’s dedication to producing quality music.

In his remarks, Harcher expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to be part of Bullion Records, calling it a family that supports his passion and vision. “This is not just a music house; it is the home of dreams. I’m grateful to be part of this journey, and I promise to make my fans and the label proud,” he said.

GyC, who has been a pivotal figure in the label’s success, also shared his excitement about the new development. “Bullion Records has always set the standard for excellence, and this Music House is a testament to that. It is a space where creativity will thrive, and I am proud to be part of this historic moment,” GyC said.

The event drew significant media attention, with Soundcity TV, a prominent Nigerian lifestyle and music channel, in attendance alongside other reputable media houses.

The ceremony ended on a high note, with well-wishers applauding Bullion Records’ innovative vision and commitment to uplifting the Afrobeat genre globally.