3rd August, 2011
Heartstrings, an anthology of poetry by Sam Umukoro, will be formally presented to the Nigerian public during a colourful launch scheduled for this Sunday at the renowned Bogobiri House, Maitama Sule Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The Lagos launch, expected to be anchored by Mr. Jahman Anikulapo, editor, The Guardian Life newspaper, will also feature the reading of selected poems from a host of Nigerian celebrities including the acclaimed king of comedy, Ali Baba, Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD), Ade Bantu, Nneka, Yinka Davies, Basket Mouth, Bovi, Emem, Mudi, on-air personality Wana Udobang and Who Wants to be a Millionaire host, Frank Edoho.
Heartstrings is a collection of love poems, expressions of yearning of dreams dreamed, of desires thwarted and fulfilled. The author, Umukoro, who has written for Vanguard and The Guardian newspapers in Nigeria, uses language elegantly to describe his soul’s longing in every poem, while his unique voice as one of Nigeria’s new generation of poets also speaks through in every poem. Love in all its forms is recalled, relived and released into this delightsome collection, both for recognition and reflection.
Umukoro has recited at Off The Wall and A Touch of Madness at The Book Lounge in Cape Town as well as locations in Germany, while he has also been featured on Badilisha Radio.
The book, edited by Dr. Kolade Arogundade, makes for a more interesting read with eye-catching illustrations by Jessicah Olivier.
First published in South Africa in February 2010 by Giants in the Land (SA), a publishing initiative that seeks to dwarf all the problems relating to reading, writing and publishing in partnership with Epik Books (Nigeria), Heartstrings was introduced to the South African public on Valentine’s Day 2010 by Professor Harry Garuba at the Book Lounge in Cape Town.
—Funsho Arogundade