The Revelation of amu nnadi || by Precious Okpechi

with additional reporting by Richard Ali.

Beauty, I have worshipped you. / Let this single hour atone / For the theft of all of me.

Sara Teasdale.

Slideshow of images from The Revelation

The Revelation was held last week, on the 29th of July, at Port Harcourt’s Dome event centre. The main hall was transformed into an intimate drawing room setting. In the front, near a raised dais, were twelve circular dinner tables arranged sparsely in a nod to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Around these were clustered royal red chairs. The dais itself was magnificent, with huge speakers on the sides. Multicoloured strobe lights cast mirage patterns on the backdrop. All this would go to prove an exceptional event, even by the very high standards of Nigeria’s Oil City.

The Rivers State capital drew in a pan-Nigerian and international crowd to honour 2014 Glenna Luschei Prize winner, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi (who writes under the name “amu nnadi”). amu nnadi’s work has been shortlisted twice for the $100,000 NLNG Nigeria Prize; in 2005 for pilgrim’s passage and in 2014 for through the window of a sandcastle.

The event was designed to be a double-bill: a public presentation of the poet’s newest collection, the love canticles, side by side a tasting party for a musical album, titled everything beautiful, of songs based on poems from the love canticles as well as the celebrated poet’s earlier published collections (through the window of a sandcastle, a river’s journey, a field of echoes, and the love canticles) and the as yet unpublished eucalyptus.

The first part of the programme was a teaser, comprising poetry readings. Chioma Ibegbunam read with you, while Sotonye Julius read heart’s whisper, and Michael Chidoziem Chukwudera read long have i stared. There were also readings by Boma Bliss, Elia Chikezie and David Jack on the programme, as well as a performance of nke’m oma by Farida Abas Momoh. These poems, read in different styles by members of the Port Harcourt Literary Society, served to remind seated and arriving guests that love tends to sneak up on its object and endear itself with soft tendrils, holding the lover fixed and pining for more. The soon well over 200 guests had come for the promise of love and music, but most were unprepared for the sense of euphoria the reading of amu nnadi’s poems brings. In attendance were captains of industry, representatives of various state governments, leaders of public corporations, academics, and creatives, all queued behind Mr. Efiong Okon Akwa, CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

A keynote speech by Chief John Nnia Nwodo proved to be a high point of the event. The learned chief recounted a youthful love he shared with a woman who left him only because of ethnic differences. He also recited a letter exchanged between this forbidden love and himself. This vulnerability, this baring of the soul, was a reminder that, in the face of love, we are all our most naked and truest selves. This resonated with the audience who gave the chief rousing applause.

The second part, the programme proper, was opened by August Chuks. He rendered two songs, loved by you and things said, which borrow from amu nnadi poems of the same names. His was a joyous performance, giving life to the verses-turned-lyrics by the allure of his voice. Love encompasses was his message. It soon became clear that the adaptations of amu nnadi’s poems into music would be in different genres. August Chuks performance was followed Buchi, who rendered the crowd-pleasing confession and orgasm. The big masquerade, amu nnadi himself, then presented everything beautiful, walking around the stage and incorporating members of the audience into his performance.

Perhaps the highpoint of the second half of the event were the soft rock medleys sung by the phenomenal Pamela Scott? Her voice, in her photograph and questions, touched every heart with urgency. She rendered each song with an admirable control that saw the whole arena hold its breath before breaking into ecstatic applause.

The lovely baritone, Amutolani Jenny Chukwuemeka, picked up her own lyrics from amu nnadi’s dear sara, and fashioned them into an opera, thus extending the limit of what is possible with the human voice.

dear sara

Today for you Pedralbes a rare resort
 Through tree lined streets sun saunters
 You were not absent you did not hide in the dark
 A smiling tourist with clicking shutters
 Your smile shines still with solar summaries
 There are no shadows to you
 Nor to Barcelona, city and temple and priestess too

 Estimada Sara
 El tesoro sacrato de Una ciudad realmosa
 Estimada Sara
 Tu corazon era biblia de milagros confessados

 Today you are the first flower of spring
 Garden draped with annotations splendid
 Many moons gone I shiver in silence
 More mesmerising than a salsa's sorcery
 She walked with me do you remember
 Two hearts woven as Persian rugs beaten
 Cavalcade of a love conquered a City's indifference trampled by faithless feet

 (Chorus) Estimada Sara

 And then that moment of goodbye
 When time stood still as trapped mannequins

 (Chorus) Estimada Sara.

amu nnadi read beloved, followed by string master Tarri Guitarri’s how i will love you and then Feelix Sam’s unforgettable country cover of the poem memories. Composer and maestro, Tammy Allaboh, came onstage to conduct the choral closing prayer. Dr. Allaboh’s abilities was the prestige of the night, bringing the ceremony to a close.

Poetry and music are a perfect couple and in amu nnadi’s The Revelation, a marriage was consummated. It remains to be seen what beautiful children this union will bring forth. The poet stated that the final version of the show would go on to tour 10 Nigerian cities in the coming months and we are certain this will be to packed audiences. The Revelation was a definitive event in the literary history of Port Harcourt and amu nnadi’s new book, the love canticles, aided by a cast of talented poetic priests and singing deacons, is both hymnal and liturgy.