Godspower Oboido (born 10 November 1988) is a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

poet and Christian preacher. His poetic voice has been compared to that of Christopher Okigbo and Leopold Senghor, two all-time leading figures of African poetry and influences that mark Oboido's style of poetry.

Biography

Early life

The last child of his parents, Godspower Oboido was born in

Benin City Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of ...

Edo State Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controversy ...

, Nigeria. He completed his primary school education in

and went to High Schools in

and Iyede, a small town in Delta State.

Career

Literary career

Godspower Oboido began writing in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

after an unsuccessful attempt to pursue a film career. In the beginning, he wrote many screenplays and stage plays, including "Shut Up and Sit Down" which he self-published. He returned to

where he started writing poetry. He said he had a longing to paint with words and slowly deviated from visual art. In 2014, Oboido's first book of poetry, ''Songs of a Chicken Bone'' was released in Canada by Nsemia Publishers. The poet has been published in ''The Istanbul Review'', ''Saraba Magazine'', ''African writer'', ''Nathaniel Turner'', ''The Star,'' and elsewhere. In an article on ''National Mirror'' Newspaper, the poet was named alongside seven other writers, as the future of Nigerian Literature.

''Songs of a Chicken Bone''

''Songs of a Chicken Bone'', a collection of Oboido's poems, is the poet's first full length poetry book and first book of his to be published traditionally. It was well received in the literary circle. British poet and literary publisher, Chris Emery, author of ''The Departure'' and other books, described Oboido's book as "spirited and engaged with the world". Poet, playwright and theatre director, Peter Harvey also wrote that Oboido "has been blessed with wide experience and with the grace to be true to his roots." ''Wandering Feet on Pebbled Shores'' Oboido's second poetry collection, ''Wandering Feet on Pebbled Shores'', was released in August 2017 b
Lamar Literary Press
(Beaumont, Texas). In ''Wandering Feet on Pebbled Shores'', Oboido sings of and powerfully negotiates the Africa that is alive and strong alongside the new world where “the traveler washes his migrant feet / with the wetness of dawn” and where “the road has mouth like a boa.”

Talks

The poet has given talks, read his poems and papers at various literary festivals and events at universities and institutions of learning around the world.

Awards

Godspower Oboido is a 2016 Highly commended runner-up in the ''Queens Young Leaders Award'' from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Also, In 2010, he was a finalist in the ''Future Nigeria Awards'', making the list of 100 of the brightest and best Nigerians under the age of 30.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oboido, Godspower Living people 1988 births 21st-century Nigerian poets Nigerian male poets