Title: Thoughts In Verses
Poet: Ololade Nafisat Ejemdibia
Reviewer: Omiko Awa
Publisher: OAK Initiative
Ololade Nafisat Ejemdibia’s collections entitled, Thoughts In Verses, harp on peace, justice, dignity, honour, and love, among others, that can help make humans coexist and see the world as a dew that does not last forever.
Creatively crafted to inspire readers, the poet interrogates the past and calls humanity to be objective and make positive changes for the future.
Published in 2022 by OAK Initiative, the publishing arm of OAK Foundation, a charity organisation aims at supporting indigent students, widows and the fatherless in Africa, the collection offers readers 50 poems that plumb the depth of human nature, belief system, attitudes and behaviours, courage and desires.
In one of the poems, Boy and man, the author explain that humans are what they are and with time unfolds his real self to the people.
According to the poet, the stage of man from infant to adulthood and taking up responsibilities, says a lot about his/her person, adding that all the stages contribute to making the man who he is.
The poem says: “The boy is gone and this man has taken his place. She cannot see the boy that used to exist, but she still loves the man she helped to create.” With these lines, the author calls on parents/ guidance and caregivers to endeavour to raise the young ones, irrespective of their gender, properly. This is because it is the well-groomed ‘Boy’ or ‘Girl-child’ that will become the better ‘Man’ and ‘Woman’ that will make society better for all to live in.
In Virtue and Truth, the author raises the need for humanity to be realistic in whatever they do, saying deception is an illusion that worsens the problems of man. She calls for man to come clean, even though we are humans and not perfect. Therefore, we should know our weaknesses, and work to overcome, them while aspiring for greater heights.
In, ‘Illusion’ the poet elucidates that life is a stage and humans are mere actors. She counsels that as actors, we should interpret our scripts properly, irrespective of the role we have been assigned to play in our organisations, families or in the community. Roles, according to the poet may be assigned or attained depending on our divide or status in life, adding each role properly played contributes to the betterment of society.
Admonishing humans to be mindful of their activities, Illusion depicts the world as a show that would one day come to an end.
Engaging in imageries, she sees the world as holograms whose light would one day burn out or as a stream whose source would dry up.
Espousing doses of philosophical thoughts, Ejemdibia in Illusion tells humans that life is like a dream and one should be quick to act and act right all the time.
With 50 inspiring poems, which include; Different; The Cracked Egg; Growing Older; Change; Each Other; Aloneness; The Price Of Knowledge Self-doubt; Looking For Knowledge and Nature Says, the author’s touch meanders into a diverse phase of life and different spheres of man.
For its grasp of situations and didactic lessons, Thoughts In Verses is recommended for everyone to explore the realities of life, especially for those who see themselves as tin gods in politics and other areas of life.
