Maryam Bukar Hassan, the spoken word artist better known by the moniker Alhanislam, is widely known for employing poetry as a tool of advocacy for social justice and gender equality.
Such is her renown that she holds the honour of the first United Nations Global Advocate for Peace and Security and frequently travels the world to recite her poems at high-profile summits. Given how prolific she has been, it is almost impossible to believe that until recently, she had yet to publish a book of her own.
A Poet’s Attempt to Freeze Time heralds Alhanislam’s transition from pure performance poet to published author, and to mark the release of this debut poetry collection, a congregation of about 120 people converged at Spine & Label, the beloved Abuja bookstore on Sunday, July 19, for her premiere book reading.
Moderated by the establishment’s COO, the writer-illustrator-poet Abdulkareem Baba-Aminu, the event was kick-started by former vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who declared himself an ardent fan of Alhanislam’s.
In his speech, he praised the book, declaring his difficulty in selecting a favourite out of the many poems within the 350-page collection, and stressed the importance of individuals following Alhanislam’s example by finding their unique voices so that the collective can thrive.
During their conversation, Baba-Aminu asked Alhanislam about the unique title of her book, and she explained that it was actually coined by her friends who often remarked that reading her poetry felt like “freezing time.” Disclosing that the poems in the book were all brand-new creations, she announced that she would be recording them for the book’s audiobook release as well as plans to adapt a few of them into short films.
Alhanislam’s selected readings – one from each of the book’s five sections – told stories about friendship, love, self-actualisation, mental health, tragedy, and loss, showcasing her ability to tap into a vast emotional landscape for inspiration and a beautiful writing style that is as grounded as it is powerful.
In addition to Prof. Osinbajo, dignified guests at the event included Mrs. Hadiza El-Rufai, Hon. Aisha Augie, bestselling author Fatima Bala, Binta Isah-Isma’il, Hadiza Gabon, Teresa Oyibo Ameh, Kabura Zakama, Salamatu Sule, Raheena Adamu-Abdu, Dr. Eric Iyayi, and many more.
Two young, emerging poets were also given the opportunity to perform their original poetry, a generous gesture by Alhanislam that demonstrated how poetry as a living art form can foster dialogue across generations and equally signalled Alhanislam’s willingness to position herself within a continuum rather than on a pedestal.
In addition to serving canapés, fresh juices, and an array of sumptuous refreshments, the Spine & Label team presented Alhanislam with their trademark book-themed cake, after which the newly-minted author obliged fans and well wishers with autographs and posed for photos happily, even surprising one attendee with a birthday cake, all with her trademark warm and positive energy.
Little wonder then, that copies of A Poet’s Attempt to Freeze Time sold out quickly.
Mariam M. Abdullahi is a certified project manager, architect and a creative writer. Her short story ‘Barka Da Sallah’ was recently published in the anthology ‘Someone Should Hold Farida.’ She lives in Abuja.