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.

“We do not need to walk down the path of imagination like fiction writers when we write poetry. There
is a lot happening around us that can inspire us to write. That is why I adopt an open mind to break
away from the imaginary world in my poems,” he explained.

Initially, Fuhnwi wanted to write poems as a hobby. At one point, he even considered abandoning the
art altogether in favour of his 8am to 5pm work. But after noticing that African poetry is not having a
significant presence on the world literary landscape, he decided to contribute and encourage a new
generation of young African poets.

“It is somewhat clear to me that not many young Africans focus on this genre of literature. I like
meeting other young people, interacting with them and making sure their actions contribute positively
to nation building,” he said.

Now he has a passion for writing poetry, made more enjoyable by his determination to break free from
the hurdles to his own cautious mind. Writing poetry, he says, has widened his knowledge and ability
to think deeper in the face of occurrences around him. He says a good poet must keep abreast of
current affairs or have a special eye of events happening around them daily.

“Being a poet comes with a lot of consciousness or sentience,” he stated.

In his poems, he adopts clear and simple language to tell very compelling and engaging stories loaded
in a few lines. In the poem “Stolen Breath”, he writes:

Oh no! see how that bullet turns up
And, did life just depart her without hiccup! ?
Ick! I’m troubled by that pain on her face
But, how was she a menace! ?
Jeez! This death scares me to death! !