By Henry Akubuiro
Joshua Omeke’s unpredictability in his artistic projects has become a trademark. With five years of domestic and continental influences in arts, culture and entertainment, the world is the oasis for the UK-based author of Joe’s Collectanea whose eyes are fixated on the very top.
At home, he has earned some hurrahs for his craft. Not too long ago, his poem, “The Green Giant’’, was read on air by the Hot FM Social Media Manager/OAP, Joseph Ademeso (aka Mesoblow), amid adulation from Lagos callers.
Little wonder, curiosity set the ball rolling for a Zoom encounter with the writer, who is unhappy that Africans are losing their cultural heritages, because “we are moving at the contemporary punishment imposed on us by colonial masters. We want to dress in a certain way, speak in a certain way, act in a certain way and even want to make our arts in their own way.”
The writer, who has been described as a radical by several art organisations in Lagos because of his insistence on African artistes becoming true to their culture, is poised to change the African narrative.
Interestingly, he is contemplating to stop tailoring his writings to contemporary narratives and venture into folklores that pronounce the heritage of multiple ethnicities across Nigeria In his forthcoming offering, Evil on Eken Day.
A multi talented writer, he is versed in different areas of arts – literature, visual and music. Asked why he does not harness all his talents at a time, he says anybody who tries to master all at the same time risks being a master of none. Little wonder, he is focusing on literary art, “because literature is the mother of all art.”
If you wonder why he holds that view, Joshua doesn’t keep you guessing unnecessarily. “Before a painting is created, words are used to express the artist’s idea. Before a song is created, words are used to create the lyrics,” he says.
Joshua Omeke has a vision to popularise his writing. His work, Joe’s Collectanea, is available on Amazon and Okada Books. The author says he has been writing for seven years but refused to take it up as a full time career until now, because “writers in Nigeria are not acknowledged or paid what they deserve until they go abroad and make a name for themselves.”
This may hold some water. During the Soyinka and Achebe days, it was easier to be a successful writer at home partially and abroad on a higher scale But Soyinka, in particular, became a singsong in the world of literature when straddled cultures by relocating to the UK for a while, says Omeke.
Omeke doesn’t believe in befuddling readers. Thus, he tells stories that even a child can relate with. This enables the reading pleasure to be a mutual experience for all.
He calls himself a mercurial writer because of his ability to explore diverse themes, topics and stories with a straight face. His incredible talent makes him create stories with ease. He thinks Tales like ‘Ijapa”, “Amina”, “Joromi”, and other native folklores deserve a chance to penetrate the literary world, just as the works of Shakespeare have gone round the world from his Scottish homebase.
Today, his works are taught in literature classes alongside works written by Nigerian writers, including Chinua Achebe, Flora Nwapa, Cyprian Ekwensi, Wole Soyinka and many great minds.
Joshua tells Daily Sun that the West is amazed Africans don’t value their craft. He refers to the introduction of Chimamanda Adichie in her speech at Ted Talk with the topic “Danger of a Single Story”, where the celebrated writer noted that, upon her arrival in the United States of America for studies at John Hopkins in Baltimore, her roommate expected her to play West African High Life tunes and put on African wears. But she brought out Western dresses and discs by Mariah Carrey, Westlife, and more, leaving the roommate flabbergasted. For her roommate, Africans should be proud of their arts to win the interests of foreigners.
Omeke’s collection of poems, Hymns of a Deepman, is to be published by a UK publishing house, Austin Macauley. Asked when the forthcoming work will be released, he says: “I have chosen Austin Macauley, and it is in the process of being edited. There are other behind-the-scene activities; you’ll know when it is out.”
In the aspect of his visual art and musical skills, the Nigerian author affirms he has long mastered them and believes his literal skills need more exploration. What was his preference in visual art? Hear him: “Provided it appeals to the vision, it is a visual art.”
He informs he relies mostly on cubism because of the accessibility to create jagged works that become masterpieces. He also gained inspiration from Picasso and a friend of his father, Olisa Nwadiogbu, who was once an apprentice to the legendary Ben Enwonwu.
He prefers the poetry genre as a writer, especially the narrative form. He says, “The narrative approach enables me to explore my capacity to the fullest.
Hence, I will always prefer elegant diction as it allows him to choose his own words.
“I have written ode, sestina, and many other forms of poetry, but the narrative approach is where my strength lies, yet I try to dive into other forms to continually refine my skills, but this time, with more African concepts,” he told Daily Sun.
He adds; “Take for instance, Ben whose work was more acknowledged by the West, because it gave the African heritage away at every glance and even the late Queen Elizabeth II was blown away by his bronze-commissioned sculpture of her exhibited at Royal Society of British Artists in London in November 1957.”
Omeke would love to be recognised as a writer who focuses on his heritage for the purpose of promoting African craft. He hopes he will establish an art organisation to accelerate his promotion of African craft. “As it is necessary, our heritages are passed on from generation to generation for the purpose of preservation,” he says.
Will his organisation be exclusive to only Nigerians? He says no. “It is solely for people of African backgrounds or black origin, as the blacks have similar cultural antiques that passionately drive their communities. But we would be open to welcoming anyone from any race, background or gender to be a part of us, as we are promoting humanity not only ourselves. However, the concept is based on preserving our own heritage.”
The writer is based in the United Kingdom and has seen many Africans give up their culture just to fit in, even as far as finding wearing their cultural dresses humiliating.
But, for him, whenever there is a cultural activity in the church, he doesn’t fail to dress like an African: “I am fully dressed and ready to talk about my heritage. I walk the streets of London in my traditional regalia. The elegance and aura I display tells the tale of a man who acknowledges the ethics of his tribe,” he adds.
He draws from the literary canon to make a point: “If Shakespeare didn’t write Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet, or Aldous Huxley wrote a Brave New World, there would be not much said of the English literature in Africa or their cultural practices coming to Africa.
“Today, the English literary world still clings to the success of these writers. I, too, believe I can be like them for the African hemisphere. It is not ego but permissive evaluation of my capacity. We all see the roar that Achebe’s Things Fall Apart got in the West such that even the American rapper, 50 Cent, offered to pay him $1million to use that title for his movie.
“Many still read the book. I have a copy of TFA. You have a copy of the book also, because I know you had wanted to beat his record as a writer, but being a journalist takes most of your time,” says Omeke, who had read extensively about the interviewer.
His Collectanea volume contains a standout poem, “Anarchiste Diplomatique” – a poem that speaks profoundly of colonialism and neocolonialism in Africa. Omeke claims he wants to put more Afrocentric works out here, yet he recently released a collection of poems with less African influences. Sounds like a contradiction?
“Those poems were written between 2019-2021, on my iPhone note,” he reveals. “There are over 560 poems, excluding the ones written on paper and scattered across my apartment. In a workshop held by Toyah Demi at the Yurt Cafe at Royal St Katherine in London, I wrote four poems in less than 25 minutes. I filled four papers and read one of the poems. If it was recorded, you’d have seen how surprised people appeared to be.
“I write all the time, but it is now my focus to only write on African heritages, except if someone wants me to commission a poem or ghost write one; but I hate ghost writing. I have friends who write and their works are not nominated, but they ghostwrite and the person wins an award. Truth is: you do not really know what these prizes want. Your work may be good, but if it is not on the topic they desire and how you present it, you’ll still be rejected, no matter how fantastic you have written this.”
The writer thinks he deserves more credit for what he has done already. “I have helped and influenced thousands of Africans to be the best of themselves and appreciate their own ideas in writing with reference to the things I have said,” he says.
He started writing in 2014. Before then, he wasn’t really reading any poetic or literary work. “I was a general science and economics student. I only knew science and economics,” he recalls.
His biggest influences today are diverse. “This is a tactical one, I gain inspiration from many. So to select an individual per se is tough, but I would say Jesus Christ. His stories, his words, his ideas all radiate skills of literature,” he declares.
Omeke became a writer after reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee at 15. “I started writing short stories and realised it was much easier than painting –it wasn’t as if visual art was hard but there were too many processes to make a masterpiece, compared to writing — if I tell you the cat is black, and meowed, you just have to take it as that or critique it. Overtime, I refined my skills at it then focused on it,” he says.
Reading, he says, made him walk the path of a writer. Besides, books he didn’t understand well challenged his thinking and broadened his insight. *Reading and learning from other poets and writers inspires a lot; nobody is above learning. The sooner we put our egos down to read others’ works, the better we would improve,” he says.
Born and bred in Lagos, Nigeria, he believes the only place in the word compared to Lagos in terms of rush life is Tokyo: “In Lagos, you need to think on your feet, hence it enables me to write multiple poems in one sitting, though I return to amend them or even write short stories; but what matters is when I relax to write, there is no writer’s block, and that is my joy. Also, yes many did.”
What does he consider his most meaningful work he has done creatively so far to you? “Everything I produce is meaningful to me,” he responds. “You do not see Charles Bukowski explaining why he wrote what he wrote. Aside from being a poet, I’m also a freelance editor and I’ve done a few local projects in Nigeria and outside, of which I believe everything to be really meaningful, because it came from me.
“Frankly, I believe, overtime, value comes from one’s craft. Hence, why I continue to do it my way. This is my signature, my design, my intellect and thoughts. I am sharing. Basquiat’s works sell for millions of dollars today. Trust me, I am sure people felt the need to put him in a ward for recovery. You are laughing, but it is what it is. A-R-T, archived raw talent. Some may like it, some may not. No hard feelings.”
At the recent CORA Art and Book Festival, he read to an ecstatic crowd. “I spoke about every inspiration that led to the writing of each of the 31 poems, of which most were written on my commute in London. With delays on the train, rather than being frustrated or irritated, I write. Over the years, I selected some to make up the Collectanea,” he says.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. The same goes for Omeke: “I immerse myself in art. I also paint cubist art like Basquiat, Olisa Nwadiogbu, Picasso and Ben Enwonwu. I enjoy watching movies that push me to write, I entertain book reading to advance my vocabulary in writing. I read my bible, and talk about Jesus, sing praise and worship. As funny as it sounds, my best poems came after prayer, praise and worship. Like the lines were poured on me to exert on pen and paper or my iPhone note.”
Does he have a favorite line/stanza from a poem/writing of yours or others? Omeke replies, “They said time waits for no man but we are spirits. In the poems ‘Composure’ and ‘Tommy, My Watch’ in Joe’s Collectanea, which is for sale worldwide.”
What about his best performances so far? “Hmmm,” he begins. “They have all been great, but I would say an invitation to LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa Ubuntu Café is an honour, because they had to review my works online and see if it was good –a whole team of researchers and programme officers at LSE. I have performed at other nice places but because LSE is a university it stands out compared to others. When a university, not just any university but one like LSE welcomes your craft, it means you are doing well.”
He has something in the offing – Flies of Wilderness in the Arts Lounge Magazine 2024 Spring release in The USA. “This piece emanated from a conversation with a friend about life abroad as a foreigner, and we both came up with ideas for it and mixed-match words, but I finalised it and own the copyright. And another is “Hymns of a Deepman” through Austin Macauley UK, another anthology of poems; while I work behind the scenes for the story, Evil on Eken Day’,” says the Nigerian writer.