Ikeogu Oke, award-winning Nigerian poet, is dead

Ikeogu Oke, award-winning Nigerian poet, is dead.

TheCable learned that Oke died on Saturday in Abuja. Until his death, he was receiving treatment at the National Hospital, FCT, for a yet to be ascertained ailment.

Oke was a celebrated poet who won the 2017 NLNG Prize for Literature.

His poem, The Heresiad, was declared winner of the coveted prize from among 184 entries received from across the country.

His works have been published in international journals, anthologies and other publications worldwide.

Oke performed his poems at various fora in Nigeria, South Africa and the US, including as a special performance poet guest of Brown University in 2014.

He graduated with a BA in English and literary studies from the University of Calabar and an MA in literature from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

‘MY EPITAPH’

On September 16, he took to his Facebook page to write his epitaph.

The post read: “My Epitaph. Here lies a man who loved virtue and art, And gave to both his fortunes and his heart. Ikeogu Oke (1967 – ).”