Bamenda’s lead poetry show Black Swagger has
celebrated three years of existence. The 3rd anniversary event took
place in Bamenda Sunday August 26 under the theme “Africa.”
The anniversary event which assembled lovers
of poetry at Bamenda’s Blue Pearl Hotel provided another unique opportunity for
a look back at three years of a monthly event that literally started like a
joke.
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Bob Ben on stage with "The web we want"
at the Black Swagger Poetry Slam 3rd Anniversary
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With a power point, music, several spoken
word and classical poetry presentations, Black Swagger Poetry Slam valorized
the African continent as a place of plenty yet corruption and lack of political
will has turned the continent to an international beggar.
According to one of the presenters and active
partners of Y’G Yembe Carl, ‘It’s three years, three awesome
years of creating and presenting this event’
Budji Kefen Co-host affirms through
social media though not present at the anniversary event. “Black Swagger Poetry
Slam is an educative and entertaining program which brings together Culture
lovers in an extravaganza of Poetry: Reading, Spoken word performance spiced
with Music by local artists of the North West region with the main objective of
promoting Performances by North West Poets and Singers.”
In the last three years, the show has
seen performance from great poets such as Dr Focho Gladys, Sophie’s Voice,
Joyce Babatunde, Mottani, Dr Fai Donatus , Vugah Samson aka Grandpa amongst
many others .Singers in the persons of Shura, Leonnete, Zitalight have all
graced the platform Created and produced by La Liberte Arts Group, a creative
arts group in Bamenda headed by Mr Akumbu L.Jones with her strategic partners The GREENS
International and YG Incorporated three years ago. The event jointly celebrated
all these individuals and institutions.
According to Akumbu Jones founder and
coordinator of La Liberte Arts group organizes of the poetry event, “Black
Swagger is a Clarion call for us Africans to embrace who we are and to use our
local resources to develop our country in particular and our Continent in
general through the creative arts. BLACK Swagger affirms that we can enjoy
poetry as a tool for intra Africa unity and prosperity. Black Swagger poetry
Slam BSPS is the only arts events that have been consistent in the region for
the past three years, organized once every month, despite little sponsorship.”
Explaining how it all started, Akumbu
states “it was difficult to get Bamenda populace to embrace the concept, the
fact that there is the absence of a cultural center to fully engage with the
population.”
“I have pleasantly and patiently seen
the show successfully create a place for Bamenda population to get first hand
performances once every month” Ngalim Franklin,aka Mr Green President and Founder
of The GREENS noted.
As to what plans at three, Mr Akumbu
L. Jones adds “It has developed a loyal
audience of close to 200 -300 audience .The show is built for TV, soon very
soon we take it to the TV.”
The core value of BLACK SWAGGER POETRY SLAM
(BSPS) Akumbu notes “BSPS is a non-traditional Poetry Event. It posits that
Blackness is a strong clarion call to stand up, stand out and be proud of whom
we are. BSPS asserts that we can bring about Change and it can only be
sustainable if we work from within, that's why we work mostly with home talents
or unsung talents: Singers, rappers, poets.”
A Common Future organization also used the
event to send across The Internet Freedom Festival IFF message which intends to
encourage and increase the active participation of women and girls online
without harassment. While Ignatius Nji with the artistic name Bob Ben played
back one of his songs “The web we want” which promotes internet and digital
rights, Pedmia Shetu handled the details of the festival encouraging men to
respect women online.