A Leopard Does Not Behave Like A Lion

The leopard understands that even though the lion is king, it can never change its dull brown coat by royal command.

There is a reason why the human race is interpreted in different colors, why we have clans and tribes, why we have language and dialect. The one reason is variety. Without variety, the world will be one dull place. That is why the changing seasons, together with the colors and ambiance they bring, give us such joy. That is why we have day and night. It is in the spirit of that variety that I plead, that we cannot be a commune of copycats, either of ourselves or the rest of the world. Each one of us has a poem, play and story to tell that nobody else can. The power of diverse perspectives is evident in the way words change in context and meaning as they are pronounced on the tongues on different people. Pick the word, God. In Hausa, it is Allah. In Twi, it is Nyame. In Ewe, it is Mawu. In Ga, it is Nγumɔ. The fascinating thing is that the word, God, takes on more descriptions as it is mentioned in other languages. I used this illustration to buttress the fact that we must write from our POV (point of view) of the world we live in or want to live in. That is the strongest place a writer can write from. That is the place where more likely than not, he/she will make more sense. Playwright Afua Sutherland said that what we cannot buy is the spirit of originality and endeavour which makes a people dynamic and creative. We must write from the depths of our identity and the heights of our capabilities. There is no excuse to waste one's writing life trying to sound like others.




Your understanding of the world through your cultural identity will set you apart. Kofi Awoonor said that a writer is first and foremost an individual; born and bred. Comes from somewhere, a family, a town, a country, a culture, a civilization, a people… Individuality defines artistic capabilities. No one comes from a vacuum…” Your perspectives on humanity are still needed. For a long time, we have listened to the westernized view of things even at our our existential peril. Western literature, in all its brilliance, has still not being able to capture the myriad of nuances that dance in the African worldview. Although works by seminal African writers and poets made definitive statements about independence, a vacuum remains when it comes to the continuation and expansion of our narratives. Presently, we have African writers and poets who are taking their places in the literary world. That should galvanize the Ghanaian writer and poet to do more with his/her art. Ghana, with all its rich and colorful traditions, is far behind other countries in putting our stories and poetry out there. It is time to showcase our worlds through our different cultural identities. It is through this kaleidoscopic effort that we can make an impact in our world and beyond.


Your usage of your cultural nuances (language, practices and beliefs) makes your writing authentic. Poet Darko Antwi puts it succinctly in his essay, All Poets Are Mad...Except Kwaku Ananse, that cultural nuances, like languages, should be treated like food or people. It should be within our choice to consume or befriend, irrespective of origin or ethnic background. Some people like local dishes. Others want to go foreign. Someone wants a bit of this and a bit of that. It's all a matter of choice. I do not like writing all my poems in English. I speak six languages and do believe I should be able to mix them up whenever I like. I have been experimenting with a fusion of Twi and English (tentatively dubbed, Twinglish). There may be some who might not like that, as it might sound to them as a variation of Pidgin English or, worse, a terrible case of sanitized vernacular. As a professional linguist, I have always had a big problem with the word, 'vernacular'. There used to be a time when all the native languages were classified as vernacular as English was hailed as the right language. I think that is still the case. This attitude must change, for goodness' sake. If our politicians and leaders are too timid to take the lead in this matter, our poets and writers should. Believe it or not, our languages are very important. They encapsulate our histories, music, folklore, proverbs, legends and knowledge. The work at hand is enormous but if each poet decides to take up the cross of standing up for culture and tradition, we can create an industry for ourselves.


You are not required to write to satisfy anybody's set of rule (unless it is for an anthology with set guidelines). Pick a set of styles and be known for them. Never commit the mistake of writing to suit the expectations of others. Write for yourself first. It is important for us to be confident in what we do. Instead of comparing and contrasting yourself, hone your art and develop the knack for self-correction. If it does not read right, it will not sound right. Write in every style you set your eyes on. Push yourself to do things that are out of the norm for your poetry. Be creative when it comes to presentation. However, if you are writing for an anthology or competition, by all means, pay attention to the guidelines. In short, you must pay attention to your art.


Write as much as you can about as much as you know. Wole Soyinka, in exploring what made him write, said that looking at faces of people, one gets the feeling there's a lot of work to be done. There is always a story or an idea begging to be written. More likely than not, poets and writers are witnesses or characters of some tragedy, comedy or melodrama. Such experiences must not escape the net of exposition. Poets and writers alike must write and write and write about what they know. There should be no end to our activities because we are presented with opportunities to change the world and we better be up to it.


Do not imitate. Innovate. Orison Swett Marden advised, do not imitate. Originality is the best substitute for advertising. I hate it when people imitate others. It is a pet peeve. I believe that the world has so many interpretations that it is a travesty to live without a touch of originality. I get it that not everyone can create from nothing. However, we can create something from something. We can take something familiar and make it unfamiliar or vice versa. Innovation, something that sets a company from its competitors, is sorely needed in African writing. We cannot afford to sound the same. Language is like a mold of soft clay. It can be morphed into anything the potter likes. We cannot keep on using a particular style ad nauseaum. We must learn to infuse newness into the way we write.


Do not substitute the richness of your own circumstances for circumstances you know nothing about. One of my lamentations (and I have many) is when I read native writers and poets trying to sound westernized. I ask myself whether (a) they are ashamed of their own stories, (b) unable to tell their own stories or (c) reluctant to use their own environments to drive their works. I used to joke with friends that a day in Accra could easily fill an anthology with poems or short stories. The humorous situations, coupled with scenes of perseverance, do fill the mind with amble material to write. We cannot wait for inspiration. We have to meet it half-way by using what exists in our hearts and minds.


Brand yourself through intentional distinctiveness in your writing. Maya Angelou nailed it when she said

When I am writing, I am trying to find out who I am, who we are, what we're capable of, how we feel, how we lose and stand up, and go on from darkness into darkness. I'm trying for that. But I'm also trying for the language. I'm trying to see how it can really sound. I really love language. I love it for what it does for us, how it allows us to explain the pain and the glory, the nuances and delicacies of our existence. And then it allows us to laugh, allows us to show wit. Real wit is shown in language. We need language.

Focus on your uniqueness. Play to your strengths. Use your persona to leverage your work. There is no other voice out there that sounds like yours. Others may try to imitate. Let them do what they like. Find a place in your writing where you produce excellence and grow there. Be known for a style of writing. Differentiate yourself from the crowd. Remember that if you are distinct in your writing, you would have achieved the very purpose for which we write. This is not time to rest on your oars.

Your cultural identity plays a critical role in your poetry (and writing)