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| Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo |
Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo – The poet
Like Tolu Ogunlesi, Boston-based Nigerian American Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo is living proof that Nigeria has the highest ratio of pharmacists-turned-poets in the world. A bard, singer, activist and educator with a degree in pharmacy, Okoawo was also appointed a 2010 TED Global Fellow, a move which underlines her commitment to let her message be her medicine. Okoawo released her first solo album of poetry and music (“Black and Blues”) in 2004 and at the beginning of this month she put out her third, an album titled “Say Yes” which made history as the first-ever ‘Evolving Album’ which gives purchasers added content for free as the album evolves. Her name means “I want to be respected” in her native Esan language, and with her extraordinary talent we don’t see how we could do anything but.
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