Prof Peter Amuka is a leading literary scholar and folklorist. Recently he lamented that book reviewers concentrate on prose, and avoid poetry. Why? I asked. “It’s our perception of poetry. I was introduced to poetry in the form of Shakespearian sonnets in school. Such reception alienated poetry from us, it was not African, it was strange. But look around, there is poetry everywhere; in this KBC studio, in our circumcision ceremonies; poetry accompanies every African festivity.” Prof Amuka proposes that poetry should be introduced early to pupils in primary schools; in fact, pupils should...
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