#010. 2024: The Round Up.
be vulnerable where vulnerability saves
It is that you'd still read from me this year. And right here, is the round up de facto.
A lot had been said in my previous letter. So now, let's jump straight into it.
Felis Catus Press
Despite not being as active as previous years in the literary community, especially as it relates to submitting to journals and contests, I did some things, for the art. I started a press. Felis Catus Press. It provides 100% traditional print publishing for Nigerian poets. It's the first. We didn’t have such platform before. Only digital publishing.
And here's the problem it solves: Nigerian poets often have their works published in print abroad. But readers most times cannot afford the cost of purchase and shipping after the $ to ₦ conversion rate. Even if authors order at discounted rate, the conversion rate still pose a challenge. Who buys a chapbook for $6 (₦10,000). And the excitement of being an author most times end there for the poets. With Felis Catus Press, Nigerian poets have their books affordable and very much available to circulate. So help me God 🤲🏽!
Why that name? Felis Catus is the scientific name for cats. And I, am a cat fancier. Have you noticed that from the logo of Aditu?
#AfricanPoets2024
Adedayo Agarau started this with a tweet:
And we all took it religiously. We shared a poem a day by an African poet. You'll find a search log of all my own 30 AfricanPoets2024 here. I also did for Felis Catus Press. Its version is a thread. So, much easy to track, get them here. At the end of the exercise, we wanted January to be African Poets Month.
Some Stars Do Not Fall
I mentioned it in the previous newsletter. It was even the title of the post. I won't stop mentioning it until you get a copy 😉
It is a chapbook of poems written to grief and heal from the demise of my father. I started writing the poems almost immediately the news of his demise got to me in May 2020. I finally published them in 2024. Email me for your copy. It was self-published. And the publisher is Nimble House. A firm rendering writing and publishing as a service. Get us at nimblehouseproduction@gmail.com
Artistry
While growing, I found myself flailing between a number of unique abilities: drawing, painting, designing, singing sonorously, and, later, writing. That is, writing came to me properly towards the end of my teen, even though it was within, almost unrealized. I will talk about these things later in a newsletter, in the light of choice and decision making.
Before then, see what I did with an old dress of mine:
BEFORE
AFTER
You like it??? I did it myself, earlier this year. Bought the frame, gum, some nails, hooks, and got the job done.
end-of-year savings
Sometime in the second half of the year, August precisely, I broke my kolo 😁. In the previous letter, I said "some experiences would challenge you, be vulnerable where vulnerability saves."
It seems this is what my kolo did for me, for us. And my senryu became more instructive:
end of year savings / i managed to save / my life
God blessed us with a son. He became the sun of our life. Mehn. See brightness everywhere.
But then, it didn’t come easy. Over 24 hours in labour. Inducement trauma. My wife’s tears and screams almost ran me mad. I wept. Then, we pushed for emergency CS. There's a reason it is called labour. However, it shouldn't be life-taking. About an hour later, I was carrying “Adnan” in my arms.
The following day, our boy had to be referred to another hospital due to some hush hush. Two hospitals admissions: mother here, baby there. Some days, I'd flail between the two hospitals up to five times. It didn't even matter that I spent some nights under the hospital's staircase: las las, I went home with my wife, and my baby, sound and solid.
Aside from my guardian and a friend who I put in the know from the beginning, we went through it alone, to avoid tension. Sometimes it is wise to buy blood pants or pay donors, than to start calling your people for blood. Doing that erases negative aura around you.
It became unavoidably necessary to speak out since we were still at the hospital a day before the child's naming. Knowing what we must have gone through financially, siblings, friends and family began to show love. My kolo too did 😁
Books
Law reports took a large chunk of the books I bought this year. It’s a weekly, year-round publication. And I made sure my library is up to date.
In the early period of the year, I got the following books to get me prepared and motivated for the journey ahead.
I'm delighted to tell you that I didn't read any of them.😒 Will I still buy more, yes I will. And I did. I got a poetry collection and a novel by some of Nigerian fine writers. Two copies each.
At Ake Festival, I got some more books.
Events
•Three big weddings in AUGUST, NOVEMBER, and DECEMBER. I was a solid groomsman all year 😁. And why not. Congratulations to my friends, Fatai Adebanjo, Fatai Adebakin, and S.A Ibrahim. Cheers to a happy married life.
•AKE FESTIVAL 2024 came. I was a guest. It passes as the biggest literary event I've attended so far.
From the moment I received the email till the day I arrived at the venue, I was filled with excitement and cheers. I have a travelogue about #AkeFest2024 that I've been too lazy to complete. I'll publish it soon. In it, you'll find a breakdown of the 3-day sojourn, from meals, to other programs, and links to my Panel Discussion titled “DOCUMENTING NEW VOICES” and my poetry rendition at the “PALMWINE & POETRY” session.
•INKTERLUDE again. And this edition had me as a guest. I was part of a panel session that discussed “AI and Creative Writing.” Below is a short clips from my contribution.
•Guest speaker at Timsan Lagos Camp & Conference 2024 discussed “Climbing the Corporate/Career Ladder: the Proven Strategies”
•Guest Speaker at Bayero University's TECH Week, discussed “Doing the Unconventional: LegalTech as a Viable Path”.
2024 taught us that we could win & lose, fail & succeed, cry & laugh,
and still not break;
while still maintaining steeze, and composure.
Have a merry 2025!
I know some people wanted to start saving in kolo when I mentioned it last year.
It's a tradition for me. I’m doing it again in 2025.
Did your kolo make it to the last day?
Generally, how did 2024 treat you?