Author Profile - Prince Anin-Agyei

Biography:

Prince Anin-Agyei comes from a little town in the Eastern Region of Ghana called Achiase. He holds a Diploma in Animal Science from Thomson Education Direct, Pennsylvania (USA), and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Ghana, Legon. He is a Pan-Africanist and also a member of several international poetry societies like the International Society of Poets (ISP), International Matapoetry Movement (MIM), International Forum for Literature and Culture (IFLAC), the World Academy of Arts and Culture (WAAC) and the United States-African Literary Foundation (US-ALF).

Anin-Agyei is the author of the poetry collection 'Lyrics Of Kabutu: Collection Of African Poems', which was published by Authorhouse, Indiana (U.S.A). He is also the author of two other comprehensive traditional African poetry books ('Drumbeats Of The Black Christo' and 'Rhythm Of The Dead') and a traditional African novel ('Oracles Beyond The Gods') yet to be published.

He has won several International Poet of Merit Awards, Editor's Choice Awards and Commemorative Medallions for his poetry. Some of his poems have featured in African and North American anthologies like the Eternal Portraits Series, Poet's Corner, The Origin, International Who's is Who in Poetry and The Sound of Poetry (poetry collection on CD).


Five questions with Prince Anin-Agyei:

1. This poem discusses a pivotal moment in Ghanaian history, the killing of Nana Osei Tutu. What inspired you to explore this historical moment in a poem?

I have a firm belief that we are who we are today because there was yesterday. History will always guide us to know and make the right choices for the future.


2. More generally, do you think poetry can be used to preserve and spread Ghanaian history? Is there a role that poetry can play that oral tradition and history text books cannot?

Poetry is the best means for traditional African history to be preserved. Besides, all traditional Priests in Africa are poets by nature.


3. You were our first poet profiled on OGOV, way back in the Spring of 2007. What inspired you to send your poetry to us back then, when we didn't even have a website to show for ourselves yet?

I am proud to have been the first poet to be profiled on OGOV. I think that I still have the responsibility to keep the spirit of traditional African poetry burning.


4. It's been three years since your last profile. What have you been up to in the interim?

I have being able to complete two comprehensive work of traditional African poetry and one short story yet to be published.


5. How do you think your writing has evolved over the last three years?

My writings now have become more philosophical and vivid.


Contact Prince:

kwabenatu(at)yahoo.com

1 comment:

Julian said...

I love this poem Prince.

Keep writing