Manifestation I walk around with a limp smile, lost in the heart of a haze. Fortitude has been dead longer than Lazarus I moan to the wind—sos to a god shawled in a storm, who knows weather by name but wouldn’t chide the tides. In Gethsemane, distraught & alone with bleeding faith, I resign to the father’s will & thank him for each dawn. Though gratitude tastes like chaff or a stray stone in a plate of grace, I will pray Psalms & sing metaphors —profess joy into manifestation. Hourglass The demon I fight holds me, like a puppy, on…
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Taiwo Michael Oloyede Yemi Alade builds a sonic world that carves a new continent of sound, her voice sweeps through highlife guitars, Afro-pop beats, and pulsating percussions. She is not just a singer; she is an empress of rhythm, a griot draped in color, straddling Afrobeats, highlife, coupé-décalé, R&B, and soul with an effortless command. Her debut album, King of Queens, was not just an introduction but a proclamation. The world took notice when Johnny arrived, a song so infectious it marched across Africa, conquering dancefloors from Lagos to Nairobi, Accra to Johannesburg. The album fused Afropop with reggae, highlife,…
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Ife Abe Ahmed Ololade, known professionally as Asake, is one of the most electrifying voices in contemporary Afrobeats. Blending Fuji, Afrobeats, Amapiano, and street pop, he has carved out a distinct sound that resonates from the streets of Lagos to arenas worldwide. His music—marked by high-energy beats, anthemic choruses, and Yoruba-infused lyricism—has made him a cultural phenomenon, redefining how the world experiences Nigerian street music. From the Streets to Stardom Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Asake’s musical journey was deeply rooted in the rich traditions of Yoruba music. Inspired by Fuji legends like Pasuma, Kwam 1, and the rhythmic dynamism of…
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Taiwo Michael Oloyede Temilade Openiyi, known professionally as Tems, is a singer, songwriter, and producer who has reshaped the global soundscape with her ethereal voice and emotionally charged music. Rising from Lagos, Nigeria, her artistry blends Afrobeats, neo-soul, and alternative R&B, carving a unique space that bridges African rhythms with contemporary global sounds. Born on June 11, 1995, in Lagos, Tems was immersed in music from a young age. Her mother’s eclectic taste in soul, jazz, and Afropop introduced her to the expressive depth of artists like Aṣa, Lauryn Hill, and Erykah Badu. Singing became her sanctuary, and by her…
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Ife Abe Divine Ikubor, known globally as Rema, is a trailblazer in the modern Afrobeats scene, blending traditional African rhythms with elements of trap, R&B, and global pop. Born in 2000 in Benin City, Nigeria, Rema’s rise to stardom was meteoric, fueled by his unique sound, genre-fluidity, and an ability to craft melodies that resonate across continents. Discovered by D’Prince, the younger brother of Don Jazzy, Rema was signed to Jonzing World/Mavin Records in 2019. That same year, he released his self-titled EP Rema, which included the breakout hit Dumebi. The song catapulted him to international fame, earning millions of…
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Emmanuel Daraloye How do you define a saxophonist? What parameters do you use to assess an artist who transcends conventional musical boundaries? These are the questions that surface when encountering the artistry of Teemey, a saxophonist whose interpretation of Asake’s Peace Be Unto You (PBUY) unveils a masterclass in sonic transcendence. Teemey’s ability to reimagine an already electrifying song speaks volumes about his musical dexterity. The original track, known for its pulsating rhythms and fervent energy, undergoes a transformation in Teemey’s hands. He strips it down, infuses it with lush improvisations, and elevates its essence with the emotive wail of…
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The Forward Prizes for Poetry, widely regarded as the most prestigious awards in the UK and Ireland’s poetry calendar, have officially opened for submissions for their 2025 edition. Since their inception in 1992, the prizes have celebrated the finest voices in poetry, from emerging talents to literary giants, with a roll call of past winners that includes Simon Armitage, Seamus Heaney, Carol Ann Duffy, and Claudia Rankine. This year, the awards continue to honour exceptional poetic achievements across four categories: Notably, the Best Single Poem – Performed category has broadened its scope, now inviting submissions directly from poets themselves as…
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Peter Gizzi’s Fierce Elegy has been honored with the TS Eliot Prize, a prestigious accolade recognizing the most exceptional poetry collection published in the UK and Ireland. This £25,000 award, regarded as a pinnacle of poetic achievement, celebrates Gizzi’s masterful exploration of grief and loss. Deeply informed by the mourning of his two brothers, the collection dares to confront the profoundest questions of existence, weaving a lyrical sequence that is at once haunting and illuminating. The judges, in their admiration, praised the collection for its boldness and its ability to grapple with life’s most daunting uncertainties, elevating Fierce Elegy as…
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Taiwo Michael Oloyede Ghostroots by Pemi Aguda is a hauntingly intricate filleting of the supernatural as it intertwines with the stark realities of Nigerian life. Across twelve stories, Aguda masterfully blends the mystical with the mundane, creating a narrative landscape that feels simultaneously otherworldly and deeply grounded. The collection pulses with tension—some stories rush forward with electrifying immediacy, while others simmer, their full power only revealing itself at the end. What makes Ghostroots exceptional is Aguda’s ability to weave supernatural elements into the fabric of everyday Nigerian existence. These are not tales of distant, fantastical realms but of a Lagos…
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Taiwo Michael Oloyede Olukorede Yishau’s After the End is a searing extrapolation of feral relationships and unconscionable drifts of affection, where the intimate struggles of its characters mirror the unrelenting chaos of the cities they inhabit. From the sprawling bustle of Lagos to the foggy alienation of Liverpool and London, the novel reveals how geography shapes and intensifies the private battles of individuals navigating grief, betrayal, and the quest for redemption. The trauma of Yishau’s characters is not isolated; it is a reflection of the restless, contradictory spaces they call home, spaces where personal pain is magnified against a backdrop…








