Poetry Is An Intimate And Powerful Way To Express Myself-Theresa Lola

Sahara reporters, I met Theresa Lola when she performed at the African Literary Evening. She got a standing ovation for her poem ‘Bring Back Our Girls’. She has a mesmerizing power, and you will agree with me that she is incredibly talented. She spoke to Tundun Adeyemo from www.blackandoutspoken.com over the weekend.   

Why poetry? How did you get into poetry?
I developed an interest in writing while in primary school after entering a story writing competition set up by the school. In my teenage years, as I began experiencing more things in life, I began to focus on poetry as I felt it was a more intimate and powerful way to express myself.
What is the most that has generated most acclaim for you?
The ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ poem has so far generated for me the most acclaim. It’s a poem written for the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014. Apart from me, there are a lot of people doing all they can to keep the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ campaign alive so people really connected with the emotions in the poem when they heard it.
Who is your favourite poet?
I have a few who I admire for different reasons. Three of my favourites are Warsan Shire, Aja Monet and Zora Howard.