AJ Dagga Tolar: “Poets Must Understand That It Is Not Enough to Write Poems”

Nigerian poet and activist AJ Dagga Tolar is the author of the collection The Heart Is Not A Republic For Politics. Invited by the Literary Renaissance Foundation (LRF) to its July monthly book reading on Sunday, 6 July, Tolar captivated the audience with a reading of several poems in the anthology, the most evocative of which was ‘House of Many Hearts’.

The poem ‘House of Many Hearts’ crystallises Tolar’s perspective that poetry cannot be boxed into a singular definition. It is a home to many hearts. The “heart” is a metaphor that defines existence, and the beating of the heart is the sound of life. In other words, poetry is both sound and life itself.

‘House of Many Hearts’ also looks at the variegated struggles that people face in life. Tolar told the LRF audience that poetry is “a freedom-spoken word”, through which people can push for their liberty.

While Tolar described poetry as “an instrument to interrogate human existence in the African space”, he declared that his collection is also a call for poets to understand that it is not enough to write poems. They must step forward by going beyond pen and paper and being involved in the political process.

This does not necessarily translate to joining political parties; it is about being a part of the process of the mass of the working people to find genuinely revolutionary alternatives to socio-political issues in one’s country.

The reading sparked constructive contributions and comments from the LRF audience, which included several literary icons, including Tolar’s own former student. To end the evening, the poet appreciated the LRF for its efforts and for inviting him to the event.

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