Covenant Egahiojo Ayegba is an 11-year-old spoken word poet born in the Island of Seychelles and now lives in Qatar. In a phone interview, she talks about her passion for Africa, becoming a poet, and more. Excerpts:
How did you become a poet?
From the fifth grade, my parents and English teacher saw my interest in spoken word poetry due to my wonderful performance in English Language and English literature. They encouraged me. I have represented my school in four poetry competitions, written and performed many poems in my school.
You live in Qatar but your poems are often focused on Africa. Why so?
No one is supposed to forget his or her roots. As the saying goes, “there is no place like home.” I’m determined to touch Africa with my talent.
When last were you in Nigeria?
I was in Nigeria with my family from 2013 to 2015, when we were relocating from Seychelles to Qatar. I can tell you without mincing words that life in Nigeria is all about survival of the fittest. The few times I followed my mum to places, I saw children with heavy loads on their heads hawking during or after school hours. Some had no shoes on their feet under the scotching sun. They dangerously crossed the highway to sell ‘pure water’ and other items. No child deserves to suffer or go hungry. They all deserve the right to education and healthcare.
What generally inspires your work?
I am a great listener and my parents give me a lot of clues. I always listen to them talk about Africa, especially Nigeria. Most of the times, hear my mum tell my dad how she would love to put a smile on the faces of the poor and needy. Also, when she has the opportunity, how she would love to build maternity homes in rural areas. I always see how pained my parents are when they hear people die avoidable deaths like high blood pressure or during childbirth. Their discussions inspire me to read more about Africa through the internet.
Are you working towards making a career out of poetry?
I am not doing spoken word poetry for fun. My desired career is to be a medical Journalist and my target audience is ‘Africa to the World’. I would like to visit all the remote areas where basic needs like health care, water and electricity are greatly neglected and to become a voice to the voiceless. If you want to know how a country is developing, visit the rural areas. I will also specialize as a paediatrician, to help vulnerable children and raise their hopes through poetry.
My parents give me the maximum support I need for my work. My mum also loves poetry and stays with me whenever I am writing. She also proofreads and edits where necessary. I love how she supplies me with tea and snacks whenever I am working on my poems. She herself is a drama artist. My dad also proofreads and further edits my work. He and my elder brother are currently my engineers and photographers.
Your recent poem, ‘Just One Superbug,’ focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic. How did it come to you?
First, the poem is aimed at telling the whole world that we belong to one God who has the power to erase the human race from the earth and the need for us to shun violence and embrace God and peace. African leaders need to wake up from slumber and start investing in health care facilities. Most of our them fly abroad for medical treatments while we have the capacity to build world class hospitals.
Who are your role models in spoken word poetry?
It’s Hellen Keller and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I would love to be able to speak to the world like Adichie.
What is your vision for the future?
I would like to serve as an ambassador for child health and welfare and to use my poems to campaign for the rights of every child to have access to healthcare and also for the eradication of child labour. There are so many vulnerable children out there whose lives are greatly endangered, whose deaths mean little or nothing because no attention is drawn to their plight. My desire is to give back to humanity to the best of my ability as a creative writer and communicator.
What is your advice to other young poets?
They can become whatever they believe in. They should write their vision, make it plain, pursue it diligently and be creative. They should know that dreams are not those things you see when you are asleep, but those things that won’t make you sleep.
To thank all my fans for their support.
