WEBSONGS, by Onoruoiza Mark Onuchi
WEBSONGS is an anthology of engaging, compelling, and profound creative poetry work by Onoruoiza Mark Onuchi. The corpus of poems reflects the author’s great philosophical ideals and poetic narratives of contemporary existential realities of humanity in the contemporary world. The creative work demonstrates the significance of poetry to modern, social, economic, and political reality in Nigeria, Africa, and then the world. It amplifies a horde of subaltern voices trod down by the horns of belligerent forces and comprador bourgeoisie. The masterpiece encapsulates the writer’s romance with books and empirical life’s occurrences.
The themes of the anthology revolve around quotidian experiences and joy, hope, ecstasy, values, faith and persuasions, creed, travail, pain; the quotidian struggles and resilience, of homo sapience in Nigeria, Africa, and then the world. The anthology is structured into seven parts, precisely; (1) Flakes of Pain (2) Desolate Drums (3) Vestiges of Hope (4) Threshold of Triumph (5) Plumes & Garlands (6) Echoes of Love (7) Doxology.
Flakes of Pain: is a critique of a country ruled by imbeciles masquerading as ‘patriots, Empty Minds who know not the meaning of nationhood; the entrenchment of looters’ solidified by a horde of instant gratification-seeking indolent youths; homes ravaged by fierce torrents of moral decay; a cynical, pseudo-democracy where the masses get nothing by way of real democratic dividends; where the thieving bourgeoisie’ exploits the ‘objective naivety’ of the masses; a nation governed through ethnic and primordial parochialism, that has legitimized extreme poverty, crumbled political economy, ruined institutions, and calamitous social existence. Flakes of Pain reflects a country consumed by an obsession with a whimsical god of money; a system of education that highlights only the benefit of acquiring a certificate and not the importance of building character. A perverse political system that thrives in the midst of a faith fanaticism that pays too much allegiance to religiosity, to the irreversible detriment of genuine spirituality and morality. An economic recession causing gorges of confusion, collapsing castles, crumbling skyscrapers in high profile business districts of financial implosion and poverty explosion—from Australia to Venezuela the rhythm rings clipping off wings of wealth, crippling corporations with glee, crashing domes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
Desolate Drums: Depicts of the frailties, vulnerability, and inevitably succumb of every homo sapience to a cruel monster, callous foe, and illusive tyrant gobbled by the pangs of hades—death, allowed by the Great Grand Architect of the Cosmos, but worsened by the brazen uprising, rising inferno, mayhem unleashed on Jos– a tin city of the radiant sun by myopic militants, aided by chieftains in the tower of power. Vestiges of Hope: is applicable to Africa’s multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious characteristics. The clincher in this genre in this category, are ‘Scripted Lines’ and Hustle which demonstrate the virtues of diversity and portray the vibes, bustles, and mesmerizing energy of a cosmopolitan city. Threshold of Triumph: is a prophetic attestation to a new horizon; an imminent transcendental change; as humanity is on the crest of redemption and threshold of re-invention to experience an invigorating rebirth. A‘ ‘guaranteed all day of bliss and no night of pain with ease, perfect governance upon a domain was once ruined by pain and delusion as all enjoyed the paradise of unending merriment. The author, however, cautioned against predators from overblown liquidators that drain our wealth leaving our economy with paralysed feet; the vultures that prevent us from enjoying the chaste bloom of nature’s essence. ‘‘As the new day beckon, men must eschew opacity; walk not the path of corruption in search of integrity nor dine with fools in search of wisdom.’’
In ‘Plumes & Garlands’: the author eulogizes Mark Onuchi eulogizes his former teachers whose profundity of thought and sound pedagogy shaped the curve of his intellectual and furnished him with his gateaux of philosophical paraphernalia. Iconic literary pundits and prolific scholars, namely Professor Charles Bodunde, and Dr Akintoye Akindele, whose, unflinching passion and words woven in the loom of radiant colours provoke enchanting notes of delightsome ardour are immortalized in this section of the anthology! The writer, specifically adorn the pedagogical skills, panache, intellectual modesty, and tenacity of rare cerebral navigators burnished with literary gemstones. —Professor Charles Bodunde. Mark Onuchi also venerates the legendary literary ancestor, Christopher Okigbo; a prodigious word carver, hewing words with crystal craft; a fearless but proficient bard that churned out pellets and missiles on erring political pantheons. What’s more, Mark Onuchi also magnifies his fellow poets of diverse creeds and tongues and several unsung heroes, tireless women, devoted mothers, dedicated fathers war veterans, community leaders, unknown inventors… dead or alive This part brings to light the words of Henry Brook Adams, who affirm that ‘‘A teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops. It also amplifies Josef Stalin’s allusion that ‘‘Writers are the engineers of the human soul’’—– and E.W Kenyon’s ‘‘The art of writing is the art of immortality.’’
Echoes of Love: is a corpus of exotic romantic poems and love songs…..It’s a new genre emblematic of the Biblical Songs of Solomon. Doxology poetically defines the indescribability of the Great Grand Architect of the cosmos. The anthology reflects both the conventional world view— Though fashioned from the prism of the Christianity faith, it is all-encompassing, all-embracing, and all-involving creative work of deep inspiration, profound thought, and sound intellectualism.
Finally, the anthology is crafted in a seemingly complex but highly intelligible poetic tone. Occasionally, the author also deploys the use of prose to capture salient existential trajectories and phenomena affecting human existence. The series of questions that dot the poems go beyond the rhetorical. I’m still scratching my head to find the right literary term for these creative works. I must keep this piece to remind my students of the power of language, particularly the use of metaphors, allegories, satire and parallelism wrapped in Shakespeare’s complex discursive pattern and Achebe’s simple and direct prose! This is proof of poetry’s virtue and eternal relevance of literature: an indispensable subject. The epitome of the poet’s craft, simply: lucidity, gravitas and flair. At the risk of being repetitious, Websongs is a profound, sophisticated, and robust work of poetry. I therefore, recommend the masterpiece to all students and lovers of poems, literature, and language.
Felix Oludare, Ajiola, Ph.D. writes from the Department of History and Strategic Studies Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos.
