Dike Chukwumerije

Dike Chukwumerije is a Nigerian spoken word and performance poetry artist and author. He has eight published books, including the novel Urichindere, which won the 2013 Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Prize for Prose Fiction[1][2] and a poetry theatre production made in Nigeria. In October 2018, he traveled to nine Nigerian cities: Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Benin, Ile-Ife, Maiduguri, Yola, Bonny, and Jos.

Dike Chukwumerije
Chukwumerije in 2016
Born
Dike-ogu Chukwumerije

Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
EducationUniversity of Abuja
SOAS University of London
Occupations
Years active2005–present

Chukwumerije was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by magazine New African in 2016.[3]

Early life

Chukwumerije was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and completed his primary and secondary education in the same city before moving north to Abuja. He studied for an LLB Law at the University of Abuja and later obtained a master's degree in Law and Development from SOAS, University of London. His interest in writing and poetry came as a child from his elder brother, poet and musician Che Chukwumerije, and from a childhood friend, Onesi Dominic. He was heavily influenced by his father, Uche Chukwumerije, who published a pan-Africanist magazine, Afriscope, from the 1970s to the early 1980s, and by his mother, Nwoyibo Iweka, a storyteller.

Career

Poetry

Chukwumerije is a member of the Abuja Literary Society (ALS) and the host of the group's Book Jam and Poetry Slam. He has won several poetry grand slams in Nigeria, including the maiden edition of the African Poet (Nigeria) Grand Slam competition. Since 2013, he has hosted and directed the annual Night of the Spoken Word (NSW) performance poetry event[4] as part of a movement to insert performance poetry into Nigeria's mainstream pop culture.[5] He also hosts weekly Open Mic performances, which include a mix of acts from readings of short stories by their authors to musical performances, poetry, and spoken word acts.[6]

Chukwumerije preparing for a show on February 11, 2017

He has three performance poetry videos,[7][8][9] a live poetry show (NSW – Night of the Spoken Word), now in its fifth year, and three theatre productions: The "Made in Nigeria" Poetry Show was shown on stage nine times – in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Benin, Bonny, Maiduguri, Yola, Jos, and Ile-Ife – between September 2016 and October 2018.[10][11][12] "Let's be honest" and "Man-made gods" had its stage debut on October 1, 2018.

His shows are critically acclaimed.[13][14]

At TEDx Maitama in September 2017,[15] and at the 23rd Nigeria Economic Summit in October 2017,[16] Chukwumerije's rendition of his poem, "The Wall and The Bridge", attracted widespread public attention to his message of the need for national rebirth and a re-awakening of social consciousness.

At The Platform[17] on May 1, 2018, Nigeria's Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo recites Chukwumerije's poem "The revolution has no tribe" during his remarks on how young Nigerians are shaping the future. Osinbajo writes that "Dike Chukwumerije reminds us in his powerful poem the Revolution has no tribe and that our destinies as Nigerians no matter our tribe or religion are inextricably tied together. What affects one affects all. Suffering neither knows tribe nor tongue."[18]

On November 15, 2018, he was a speaker alongside Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, at the Fifth Lafarge Africa National Literacy Competition in Lagos[19][20] to challenge leaders to help improve the literacy rate in Nigeria.

Speaker

Chukwumerije speaks at workshops for amateur writers.[21]

References
  1. "I want to revive performance poetry in the FCT". Punch. February 9, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  2. "Urichindere". Okada Books. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  3. "The NWA Lists Their 100 Most Influential Nigerian Writers Under 40". Brittle Paper. January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  4. "Dike Chukwumerije". Ake Festival. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  5. "Dike Chukwumerije and the audacity of a dream". Daily Trust Newspaper. Daily Trust Newspaper. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  6. "Out in Abuja with the Night of the Spoken Word". Premium Times. September 28, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  7. "Performance poet, Dike Chukwumerije stages Made in Nigeria". October 2017.
  8. "Made in Nigeria: When Lagos Stood in Applause for Dike Chukwumerije". December 21, 2016.
  9. "Dike Chukwumerije".
  10. "Made in Nigeria – How performance poetry got a standing ovation". Leadership Newspaper. Leadership Newspaper. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  11. "Journeying through 93 years with poetry". Daily Trust Newspaper. Daily Trust Newspaper. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  12. "Made in Nigeria: Chukwumerije's poetry theatre returns to Abuja". New Telegraph. New Telegraph Newspaper. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  13. "Poetry, literary works can sustain Nigeria's history, cultural values". Thisday Newspaper. Thisday Newspaper. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  14. "An evening with Dike Chukwumerije". Village Factor. Village Factor. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  15. "TEDx Maitama 2017". YouTube. TEDx Maitama. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  16. "23rd Nigeria Economic Summit". YouTube. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  17. "The Platform". The Platform. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  18. "Osinbajo: How young people are building Nigeria". News Agency of Nigeria. News Agency of Nigeria. May 11, 2018.
  19. "Soyinka hails Northern teachers, pupils for fighting for education". The Nation Newspaper. The Nation Newspaper. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  20. "Lafarge Africa National Literacy Competition enhancing literacy, improving livelihoods – Oguntokun". Vanguard Newspaper. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  21. "Creative writing workshop for environmental literary amateur writers". US Embassy Nigeria. April 25, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
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