World Poetry Day 2025 saw Nigerian poets and literary icons, including Wole Soyinka and Godson Osarenren, celebrating poetry’s power to unite cultures
By Cyril Ehis
The celebration of World Poetry Day has become a significant event for poets and poetry lovers worldwide, with various activities marking the occasion.
World Poetry Day, observed annually on 21 March, celebrates a linguistic expression that people from all cultures can identify with. Poetry exists in the history of every nation and unites people through shared values and common humanity. Even the simplest poem has the power to spark dialogue.
The day was proposed and adopted by UNESCO in 1999 during its 30th General Conference in Paris to “give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional, and international poetry movements.”
In Nigeria, Providus Bank hosted An Evening with Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka on 21 March at Terra Kulture, Lagos, under the theme Sand Dunes and Ocean Bed: The Template of Dispersal. The event brought together poets, intellectuals, and dignitaries from Nigeria and Cuba, highlighting poetry’s ability to bridge cultural divides and celebrate human universality.
“Poetry is a force of nature, a movement, and an echo of the human spirit.” – Walter Akpani
Soyinka, Cuban Ambassador Miriam Morales Palmero, and Providus Bank CEO Walter Akpani were among the distinguished guests. Akpani praised Soyinka’s dedication to poetry, calling it “a force of nature, a movement, and an echo of the human spirit.” He urged poets to continue using their words to inspire change, shape minds, and celebrate diversity.
Soyinka, unveiling his new musical poetry work-in-progress, Image in a Month of Abstinence, reflected on the enduring impact of displacement and migration. He drew parallels between historical slavery and modern displacements like the Maroko eviction in Lagos. He emphasised that slavery still exists in different forms, making Cuba’s presence at the event a powerful reminder of past injustices and the ongoing struggle for freedom.
Similarly, award-winning poet Godson Osarenren highlighted poetry’s significance in everyday life through Naija Poetry Fest 2.0, organised in collaboration with Alliance Française. Themed Poetry in Motion: Wheeling Around the World, the event aimed to propel Nigerian poetry onto the global stage.
This year’s edition, held at Alliance Française/Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, featured a stellar lineup of literary luminaries in a panel discussion. Notable attendees included Dr Obari Gomba, who delivered the keynote speech, Mr Sylva Nze Ifedigbo, the 2022 Chinua Achebe Prize winner, Amarachukwu Chimera, CEO of Purple Shelves Books, and Achalugo Chioma Ilozumba.
Undoubtedly, World Poetry Day continues to reinforce poetry’s role in preserving cultural heritage and its status as a valuable art form that must be protected for future generations.
