Cameroonian poet Fuhnwi Jude wants young people to embrace poetry
Cameroonian poet Fuhnwi Jude is looking to promote poetry across Africa to attract more young people to the art. He has released a collection of 22 poems on his website to encourage a new generation of African poets to embrace what he describes as the most important and powerful genres in literature.
“Each one of us is a walking anthology. But poetry is not really celebrated and promoted in Africa,” he said.
Fuhnwi is a poet, journalist and strategic communications specialist. He is currently based in East Africa where he works as a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross. He was born and raised in Bafut, north west of Cameroon. His interest in poetry was nurtured in high school, although he did not embrace writing until recently.
“I have always loved reading poetry. It turns language that we believe we know into words that no longer mean or sound the way we know them. It feels different,” he said, “But I wanted to become a journalist.”
After high school, Fuhnwi studied journalism at the University of Yaounde II’s Advanced School of Mass Communications. He worked as a journalist for several years before enrolling for a master’s degree in conflict, peace and security in Ghana. His work has taken him to different parts of Africa, Europe and beyond. It was in the course of his work and travels that his poetry career developed. Starting in 2017, Fuhnwi Jude has written a collection of poems that speak directly to our daily experiences.
“I want to get my message across in a few lines”- Jude Fuhnwi
Among the new breed of young inspired writers gradually gaining roots into the literary landscape in Africa is undoubtedly Jude Fuhnwi.
The young Cameroonian poet, whose works address social issues such as war, oppression, bad governance and human rights, currently works for Interpeace, an international peace-building organisation, as Senior Global Communications Officer, after having worked as head of the Africa Communication unit at BirdLife International, and as Regional Correspondent for West and Central Africa at SOS Children’s Villages International. Jude Fuhnwi, who was shortlisted in 2015 for the Foreign Press Association (FPA) Award in London, in the Thompson Young Journalist from the Developing World category, holds a Masters degree in Conflict, Peace and Security; a Bachelor degree in Journalism; and a certificate in Business Journalism from Ghana, Cameroon and Uganda respectively.
