Photo by Roseline Mgbodichinma In his essay “A Laughing Giant,” Wale Lawal writes, “What the grasp of a people’s humour measures is the ability to express oneself technically and, more importantly, socially.” This grasp is precisely what Oyindamola Shoola masters in her latest poetry collection, “ Face Me I Face You .” The collection brings to life characters whose hilarious flaws reveal the chaotic beauty of everyday human interactions.
Oyindamola, a true architect of words, crafts poems that are accessible, refreshing, and rich in meaning. She is culturally attuned and deeply aware of the norms, values, and dynamics that shape everyday Nigerian life. Reading Oyindamola’s collection is like listening to a full comedy set by your favourite comedian or a no-skip Afrobeats album you love.
The cover of the collection of 32 poems is beautifully designed and characterised by strategic illustrations that display a typical Nigerian “f ace me, I face you” blueprint. The intentionality evident in the overall put-together of this book shows that we are reading a writer who truly understands her culture and craft — a poet who knows the form and all the unconventional ways it can be used to tell a story. The book even includes a scanned playlist of songs that share the characters’ names in the poems.
It is incredibly fun and mentally connecting to listen to the music as you read. “Face Me I Face You” offers readers a sensory experience. It depicts the sights, .