Echoes of Social Change: Audience
Awareness in Contemporary Nigerian Poetry
Jude Zealous ADEGOKE,
Lecturer,
Department of English and Literary Studies,
Prince AbubakarAudu University,
Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Abstract: For reasons bordering on its socially committed disposition,
contemporary Nigerian poetry often attempts to reach a broad and general
audience that is largely semi-literate. Poets, whose ideology aligns with this
vision, therefore use comprehensible, shared, and simple language to access
such an audience. This focus on accessibility often comes at the expense of
artistic quality unless the two are judiciously balanced. This work
investigates how contemporary Nigerian poets balance artistic complexity and popular
audience appeal to convey messages and effect social change. The study aims to
discover the ways in which such poets make poetry more popular without making
concessions on artistic value. The study draws on Realism as a theoretical
framework, while adopting qualitative research methodology. Through the content
analysis of the selected poems, the study discovers that these poets are
greatly aware of their audience, and they employ straightforward language, familiar
imagery and symbolism their poetry to connect with the masses. In this manner,
contemporary Nigerian poets are able to reach more and general readers, which
mean that they are interested in conveying the Nigerian masses’ socio-political
problems. This, however, does not diminish the literary value of their poetry,
for it bristles with literary devices that set it apart from other forms of
literature. This simplicity of style itself can effect social change by
connecting with the masses and spurring them to action.
Keywords: Audience awareness, contemporary Nigerian
poetry, Simplicity, The masses, Social change
Introduction
Contemporary Nigerian poets are always
mindful of their audience, cognisant of their key role in effective
transmission, especially in their quest for the desired social reform. Writers
associated with this school of thought such as Ezenwa Ohaeto, Peter Onwudinjo,
Tanure Ojaide, and Niyi Osundare emphasise the accessibility of their poetry.
They postulate that the simpler the poetry, the more potent it becomes in its
quest to mobilise the teeming masses to effect social change, particularly
because the masses, as agents of change, can only relate to a simple poetic
language. This research examines how Nigerian contemporary poetry achieves the
audience-awareness paradigm in pursuing social transformation with artistic
integrity preserved.
Critiques of the Audience-Awareness Paradigm in Nigerian Poetry
Those who defend audience consciousness in
Nigerian poetry might assert that in the age of information overload and low
attention span, an otherwise relatively accessible style of poetry and
tradition would be a tactical choice to reach a wider audience and deliver
messages of social transformation effectively. Therefore, an inaccessible
poetic style characterised by elegant linguistic construction and almost
unfamiliar imagery and symbolism would defeat the ultimate essence of his
communication to broader and diverse audiences. In this vein, exponents of the
audience-conscious school of thought recommend that the language of any
audience-conscious poetry should be disambiguated, categorically
straightforward, and commonplace −almost without any embellishment. This
paradigm is evident in the poetry of the Alter-Natives, prompting Suede Agema
to declare that modern African poets, especially the generation after the
first, display a high level of social commitment, averring that “their
commitment is much that even their words and language used in writing bear the
trademark of dedication.”In his substantiation of this proposition, Aderemi Bamikunle
remarks that contemporary African poetry is
socially engaged in favour of the disadvantaged; hence,
…it is to
avoid all forms of elitism in language use by being accessible. As a corollary,
his subjects will be down-to-earth as he avoids such metaphysical flights of
the imagination of the elitist poetry of his predecessors. (35)
The elitism present in
the poetry of the preceding generation, which seemingly undervalued audience
engagement and linguistic simplicity, triggered calls and protests for a return
to genuine African cultural elements, such as traditional imagery, songs of
sorrow, and spiritual invocations, along with a reconnection of modern poetry
with oral traditions, referred to as the Alter-Native Tradition. This new breed
of poets, writing in the new poetic tradition, aimed to demystify African
poetry. They did this by simplifying its language and emphasising the use of
traditional imagery and oral traditions, which resonate deeply with a vast
majority of Africans. In his critical opinion on the representative figure of
the new generation, and by extension, the generality of the group, Abdu Saleh
posits:
Osundare’s
poetic style marks him as a representative voice of the group. Through a
studied critique and reworking of the language of their predecessors, Osundare
leads the group in their tacit task of liberating and demystifying the business
of poetry to many readers. As language and language use lie in the essence of
poetry, African poetry can only gain its distinctive voice quality by the
degree to which its language―African or borrowed European― is shaped and
reflected in the local African experience. (49)
Obi Maduakor, a
prominent figure in Nigerian poetry, attributes the origins of this audience-awareness
trend to the Nigerian civil war of the late 1970s. He suggests that Nigerian
poetry’s evolving style and themes began to reflect the country’s changing
socio-political and economic circumstances. In his words, “a new attitude in
language, the war revolutionised the attitude to the language of Nigerian
poetry imbued it with new energy, a new direction, and a new urgency” (49).
The
drive to connect with broader and diverse audiences is a strong motivation for
incorporating pidgin as a means of communication in contemporary African
poetry. Despite Pidgin’s association with the low social group and its
pejorative connotations, it emerges as the language of dedication to the
suffering masses. Given its accessibility to both literate and semi-literate
Nigerians, poetry expressed in pidgin has the potential to connect with a vast
majority of the population, encouraging them to engage with poetry for their
enjoyment. This appeal transcends the borders of Nigeria, as non-Nigerians can
also comprehend the essence of such pieces. According to Peter Onwudinjo:
Pidgin is the language of West African urban cities where millions of
Nigerians from various linguistic backgrounds dwell and eke out a marginal
living. Pidgin is the highway to the Nigerian urban poor audiences, most of
whom do not read and write. Pidgin poetry yields its meaning without undue
tasking of the intellectual resources of the reader. …Because Pidgin is so
powerful, and reaches a wider local audience. (vii)
Similarly,
Ikechukwu Emmanuel Asikaposits that,
“With the use of the Pidgin language, our poets create poetry very familiar to
the woman in the market, a palm-wine tapper on a tree, a fisherman in a boat
and a weary tout smoking under the mango tree on a hot dizzy day” (103).Pidgin
speaks to the people and speaks for them, too, since poets write for the people
and their conditions(96).Though modern poetry has incorporated pidgin as
a communication medium, it remains aesthetically captivating, especially as
evident in the figurative use of language. The contemporary poet can reach a
broader audience through this singular medium.
Nevertheless,
Donatus Nwoga’s stance challenges the prevailing notion that Nigerian poetry
should be produced in a most simplified and easily understandable diction.
Instead, he holds a positive view of the complex poetry produced by
Euro-Modernist African poets, judging that while such poetry may not yield its
meanings easily to the audience, an intellectual engagement with it would
create the necessary outcomes. He declares thus:
It would be naïve, however, to think that because the poems (of the
Euro-modernist poets) are written by fellow Africans, they should be
understood, appreciated and enjoyed immediately and without any effort by the
African readers. No writing of any value can yield its beauties so easily to
any reader. We know, for example, that the English have been writing books upon
books to help themselves understand their own poets. We must be ready to work
for our enjoyment and our mental and emotional development. (iii)
Nwoga's
revisionist position challenges the prevailing attitude that Nigerian poets
must prefer simplicity in their poetry, especially given the harsh realities of
the modern age and the demands of social transformation. Nwoga argues against
the assumption that African readers should readily comprehend, appreciate, and
enjoy poems by fellow Africans, and especially those poems that have been
influenced by Euro-modernist traditions.
A striking
aspect of Nwoga's criticism is his rejection of the proposal that poetry,
regardless of its origin, should be immediately accessible to readers. His
contention is that good writing requires effort and engagement on the part of
the reader and cites English readers who have had to labour at appreciating
their own poets. It challenges the notion of simplifying poetry for easy
consumption, arguing rather that complexity and depth have to be embraced, even
if it requires intellectual and emotional labour on the reader's part. It has
to be noted here, however, that while Nwoga's stance encourages the
intellectual and emotional labour required in the closer appreciation of
poetry, it need not necessarily discount the imperative to open up literature
to the reader. The challenge is to balance artistic integrity and appeal to a
heterogeneous readership. This research uses selected poems to examine how
contemporary Nigerian poetry captures the paradigm of audience awareness in its
quest for social change while maintaining artistic integrity.
Realism: A Theoretical Justification
This research
uses Realism as the theoretical framework for examining audience awareness in
selected contemporary Nigerian poems that engage in social change themes. Realism
as a literary tendency gives precedence to the truthful representation of
everyday life and social facts, often foregrounding the struggles of ordinary
people in recognisable socio-political situations (Watt 11).
Nigerian poetry extracts its material from
concrete realities. This makes Realism a significant critical framework through
which critics can read poets' handling of pressing issues. Realism anatomises
such social ills as poverty, political instability, social injustice,
corruption, resistance, etc, especially as they pertain to audience consciousness
and response. The poems under study employ minimalist language, concrete
imagery, familiar symbols, as well as down-to-earth subject matter to connect
with readers. This has the tendency to foster critical thinking and
socio-political consciousness among the audience, often considered the agents of
social change.
Analysing the Audience Awareness Paradigm in Selected Poems
Many contemporary Nigerian poets, including
G’ebinyo Ogbowei, demonstrate their sensitivity to their audience through
“their use of language” (Anasiusu 148) in their works. For example, in the
first section of his poem, “marsh boy,” Ogbowei poetically
shows an acute awareness of his audience evident in the manner in which he
conveys complex social issues through simple language. Through the vivid
imagery of being “locked in the prison of poverty” and “denied the right to
rise” (21), the poet connects with a wider audience. Hence, he draws attention
to the struggles faced by marginalised individuals in society. In addition, the
poet employs words such as "creeks with crushed dreams" and
"ponds with decaying hope" (21) so as to evoke empathy and
understanding, hence making his message clear to all. This line captivates the
minds of the audience and forces them to realize the need for rectifying social
imbalances. The poem's call for opportunity and dignity amid exploitation and
betrayal awakens the conscience of the audience, giving a moral compass to the
poet's fight for social revolution. The poet relays:
i sing of ponds with decaying hope
i sing of rivers the cargo ship and
supertankers sail on
i sing of swamps sold to swindlers and
rustlers
i sing of swamps demanding dignity
and opportunity (21)
While “marsh boy”
reaches a broader audience with plain diction, it creatively employs other
examples of figurative diction to fill the poem’s meaning. Poverty is likened
to a prison and those on the outskirts to a marsh boy. This reflects feelings
of confinement and domination on those living in poverty. The poet uses
relatable symbolism, such as “swamps demanding dignity/and opportunity” to elicit
a deep emotional response from the reader. This poetic lines paint a vivid
image of the downtrodden, whose existence has been suppressed by “swindlers and
rusters” in their own home. Also, personification admirably lends voice to the
swamps in the quest for social justice by "demanding dignity and
opportunity" (21).These literary devices serve to heighten the poem's
portrayal of poverty and marginalisation and amplify its message in terms of
potency and poignancy.
Responding to the
complexity of poetic forms in Nigerian literature, Osundare deeply queries,
“Are we supposed to read it or toss it back to the shelves in endless
desperation?” (Cited in Ogunyemi 249).He argues that socially conscious poetry
should resonate with the suffering masses, bringing attention to their plight
and inspiring them to confront the institutions responsible for their condition.
For him, this will ultimately lead to a social revolution. In his collection Songs
of the Marketplace, Osundare redefines poetry as “a life spring/which
gathers timbre/the more throats it plucks/harbingers of action /the more minds
it stirs” (1).The poet’s fundamental rejection of the previous concept of
exclusive and obscure Nigerian poetry redefines the framework of Nigerian
poetry. This act elucidates its essence, dimensions, and preferred medium while
emphasising its accessibility to its intended audience. To illustrate this
shift in perspective, Osundare, in the poem “Poetry Is,” includes the
previously marginalised audience by stating that: ‘Poetry is/No oracles
kernel/For sole philosopher’s stone/Poetry/Is/Man/Meaning/To/Man’ (1-2). This
simplicity demonstrates the poet’s belief that “poetry must speak directly to
and on behalf of the masses” (Adegoke and John 32).
In plain and eloquent
prose, Osundare's "Forest Echoes" speaks to the grim realities of
societal decline, moral decay, unseen intrigues, and fading joy in human
existence. He identifies contemporary deficiencies and impermanence with
nature, particularly the fast-decreasing trees and forests, and blames all
variations on humanity's anthropocentric approach to nature. Worried about the trees,
the poet explores the forest, where he encounters a scene of ravaged habitats
resulting from deliberate destruction by humans. Osundare conveys his dismay at
the unhealthy transformation of once-vibrant forests, and laments in
straightforward terms:
A forest of
million trees, this
a forest of
milling trees,
wounded,
though by time’s axe
and the greedy
edges of Agbegilodo’smatchet. (5)
The proponents of this
school, the audience-conscious Nigerian poets, are particularly captivating due
to their “unapologetic and assertive use of African myths, folklore, proverbs,
and speech patterns derived from their oral literary traditions” (Shija 254),
along with their incorporation of familiar idioms and imagery. This affinity
with local audiences further strengthens their connection with the cultural
fabric.
Ojaide, known for his
audience-awareness temperament, vehemently criticises complex poetic styles,
advocating instead syntactic minimalism. He firmly believes that such a style
allows the masses to comprehend the semantic implications of symbols, images,
and the poet’s message. Ojaide eschews esoteric and elitist language to contend
that poetry in its simplest form is easily accessible to all literate members
of Nigerian society, transcending stratification. In his poem “Labyrinths of
the Delta,” Ojaide unequivocally demonstrates his commitment to minimalism:
We took off without a
thought of where we were going...
And paths
opened for our anxious feet
It was not for
fun men and women split from bed...
We rushed into
the vast night
Living not in
our homes
But caravaned
in hope. (23)
The above excerpt
unearths Ojaide’s narrative, which uses “simple and direct language, telling
the story of people under siege” (Olafioye 10). It appeals to local and foreign
audiences and requires no interpreter for comprehension.
Linguistic
accessibility is the hallmark of audience-engaged poetry, as it strives to
provide solace for the marginalised in society. This principle is again
exemplified in Osundare’s poem “Advice,” where he states:
To yourself
Friend, be true
You farm a hundred yams
And you tell us it is two hundred
Alright
After eating a hundred yams
You will eat a hundred lies.
The
poem “Advice” reflects the nature of linguistically accessible poetry in that
it does not require an interpreter to deconstruct its message for the average
reader. The poem’s observation against deceit, especially against politicians
lying, is obvious and plain. Osundare attacks society by means of direct but
metaphorical language and imagery, and individuals of every background are
capable of relating to and interpreting the message. This accessibility is
essential to the power of the poem because it causes its themes to resonate far
and wide, going far beyond literary discourse and calling out and addressing
societal injustices and norms.
Similarly, in “A Villager’s Protest,” Osundare
again demonstrates himself adept at social commentary via everyday language and
imagery. The poet’s keen awareness of his audience is the most striking aspect
of this poem. Here, Osundare employs familiar diction and imagery in his
attempt to effectively expose the deceptive promises made by politicians during
electioneering. The politician’s voice is heard thus:
We’ll build schools
We’ll build hospitals...
We’ll give the farmer
The best for his sweat
And make poverty
A thing of the
past. (47)
Osundare’s portrayal is unequivocal in
revealing the hollowness of these assurances, as he exposes the truth behind
the facade of electoral promises. The poet reveals that after securing
electoral victory, the politicians transform into tyrants and oppressors of the
masses, who voted them into power, betraying every campaign promise.
Consequently, they indulge in immoral lifestyles, including promiscuity,
extravagant spending, and reckless diversion their constituency allowances for
personal and frivolous needs. They evolve into new figures; only their cars and
not their faces become visible on the streets, symbolising their presence as
they “thunder through the streets/and/our dust-laden mats announce the
departure of the man of power”(48).Through the employment of metaphoric yet
plain terms, he reveals the gap between political rhetoric and reality as well
as the exploitative character of political elections in order to gain votes.
This conscious effort to appeal to the readers makes the poem stronger in effect,
with the potentiality of being read and comprehended by common people in
general.
Similarly, Idris Amali’s “Fear” begins with a
display of courage, where the poet persona protests against military
dictatorship and expresses a commitment to fighting for a just society without
succumbing to fear He recounts experiences of witnessing horror and asserts his
fortitude against military brutality, even in the face of sophisticated,
heavy-duty guns:
I have sat
with the seers
witches and the brave
at the peak of days and crack of nights
in the turbulent womb of groves
washed hands in cold and hot blood to dine.
Why should I fear and tremble
............................................
Why should I tremble at your masked evil
that bakes the young to feed?
Why should I fear tomorrow
And these filthy cannons?
The
above declaration reveals the poet’s refusal to compromise or conceal the
atrocities perpetrated by the ruling classes, opting for acerbic expression
over a mild articulation of pent-up emotions. The revelations of the tyrants’
deeds are vividly portrayed through repetitions and rhetorical questions,
emphasising the poet’s unwavering resolve in his protest endeavours.
Personification and oxymorons, such as “turbulent womb of groves” and “cold and
hot blood to dine,” respectively, are deployed by the poet to enhance the
portrayal of his firsthand experiences with absolute horror. Rather than being
deterred by these distressing circumstances, they fuel the protest poet’s
courage and determination to expose the antisocial practices of the tyrants.
In
a similar vein, Amali’s poem, “The rain has not come,” depicts the pathetic
situation in which the poet and his people find themselves. Rain is a metaphor
for good things, which can soothe people’s pain, renew their hopes, and help
their dreams materialise. However, those who seized the reins of government
prevent ‘the rain’ from falling, causing us to “wallow/In the desert of
distress.”The poet uses the abhorrent image of flies as a metaphor for the
dictators who dash the masses’ hopes. He tells us that:
The rain has not come
As swarms of flies besiege
Our oases of hopes
Charred into cracks of distress.
He
proceeds to depict the tyrants as ‘brutes’ and ‘leeches.’ He recognises the
fact that they manipulated their way to their present positions. They are
double-dealers, hence: “Parade as members/Of Anti-desert and flood committees.
Having thought deeply about the absence of ‘the rain,” he realises there cannot
be a balance where a small fraction of society is so powerful and could kill
dreams. He uses reeds as a metaphor for the incestuous group, who live in
luxury while others pass through hard times. Generally, reeds grow in marshes
and other wetlands, so even without rain, they still blossom. At this point,
the poet uses oxymorons to a specific effect as he tells us about reeds found
in marshlands and the desert─ an area of land with no permanent bodies of water
and hardly any rainfall. This imagery presents us with two extremes: poverty
and wealth. It highlights the structural imbalance that defines our society,
where tyrants rule. He states thus:
But how could there have been rains
When our chase has become a race
To grip our silhouette
Cast against melting mountain of dreams
Where soldier ants
Blossom into baobab size
As only select reeds
Are nurtured in our desert of hostile faces
For the cannibal drum and dance.
In their attempts to
reach broader and more diverse audiences, contemporary Nigerian poets deploy
pidgin as a medium of poetic expression, thereby solidifying its status as a
language capable of supporting literary endeavours. Ohaeto firmly observes that
“it is clearly this capability of Pidgin to sustain works of literature – since
it is a language that bridges orality, a language that absorbs several cultural
elements as it communicates– which has made it yield creative possibilities for
the Nigerian poet” (25). For instance, Ezenwa Ohaeto writes most of his poetry
in Pidgin, capturing the attention of a broader audience because of his consciousness.
He tells us in the poem “I Wan Bi President”:
I never see president hungry
I never see president thirsty
President no go worry for road
Police no go stop am for checking
President no go worry for house
Na government cook dey prepare food
Na government dry cleaner dey wash cloth
Na government driver dey drive motor
Na him make I wan bi president.(57)
The poet employs a
lucid vocabulary to expose our political leaders’ sybaritic, despotic, and
selfish dispositions. In doing so, Ohaeto brings attention to our power-drunk
leaders’ inherent shortcomings and inconsiderate outlook. Furthermore, the poet
employs satire to highlight the inhumane exploitation of their citizens by
these leaders: “President dey go where e like/President dey do wetin e like/If
president wan travel/Na siren dey clear road/Dem deyparamparampiroopiroo/Every
car go run comot for road too/Na president dey pass for road”(58). His
declaration indicates that he has never witnessed a sitting president walking a
considerable distance, suggesting that they are entirely extricated from the
social hardships and sufferings experienced by others, thereby emphasising
their detachment from the plight of the masses. The
president’s employees are wealthy; their wives are content, and their offspring
are specially treated. The availability of special privileges, high comfort
levels, and various luxuries fuel his ambition to become president, much like
every other Nigerian. This is purely satirical, targeting the typical Nigerian
politician who enters politics because of the prohibitive privileges it
guarantees. The beauty of the language of this poem lies in its simplicity,
making it accessible to every literate Nigerian.
Conclusion
Contemporary Nigerian poets exhibit a strong sense of awareness of their
audience, and therefore employ a minimalist linguistic style that includes
pidgin. This makes their work accessible to a wider readership. They firmly
hold the view that the use of simplified language, familiar imagery, symbols,
and drawing from oral traditions demonstrates a deeper commitment than styles
that may be incomprehensible to most people and intended for a select few in
society. In contemporary Nigeria, many poets create poetry with simplified
language to cater for the masses and the elite. The use of pidgin is an extreme
form of this audience-awareness approach. However, this does not diminish its
literary quality, as it is rich in literary devices that set it apart from
other forms of literature. Fundamentally, this simplicity of style can
facilitate social change by appealing to the audience and mobilising them to
action.
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