…It’s a story of a city that never stops believing and now, I get to capture that journey in words and performances in the over twenty thousand seater home stadium in Fratton, and take in all that energy like former Nigerian internationals who also etched their names within this arena; Kanu, Yakubu and even John Utaka…
Bash Amuneni, renowned Nigerian spoken words poet has been appointed as the new poet in residence (Poet Laureate) for the Portsmouth Football Club, an England club with 126 years of history.
Bash Amuneni on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 while announcing his newest mile stone on social media described the appointment as a testament of his work, consistency and dreams.
“But for me, this is more than just an announcement. This is a destination. I have walked a long road, one paved with failures, disregard, disrespect, rejections and moments where the weight of it all felt unbearable. But poetry has never let me go. No matter how many times the world told me no, and many times when support was few and far between, I kept writing. I kept performing. I kept believing that words had a place for me, that my voice belonged somewhere.” He said.
Amuneni describing the England Football Club said it is one that understands the struggles of creatives and what it means to fall and rise again.
“Pompey is more than just football. It’s a story of triumph and hardship, of lifting the FA Cup, of back-to-back league titles, of financial collapse and remarkable resurgence. It’s a story of a city that never stops believing and now, I get to capture that journey in words and performances in the over twenty thousand seater home stadium in Fratton, and take in all that energy like former Nigerian internationals who also etched their names within this arena; Kanu, Yakubu and even John Utaka.”
Continuing, Bash affirmed that as a poet, performer & mentor to so many young poets around the world, his work has always been about collaboration and unearthing the soul of a place, a moment, a movement.
Winner of the 2024 Creative Future Writers Award, Ibrahim Babatunde Ibrahim while congratulating the newest poet in residence described him as a poet of integrity deserving of the honour.
“You’ve not only been setting the pace in many ways, you’ve also invested yourself in pulling others up. This is so big, but the win is not just for you. It’s for all of us, and beyond those I know you’ll use this to bless directly, it’s also for everyone this will inspire to go and break a new ceiling elsewhere. God bless you, Bash! God bless the African creative community out here! Keep shining the light!”
As Bash Amuneni begins his new role, the general public can expect commissioned poems that echo the streets of Portsmouth and of course, pieces that revels in the beauty of the club.
