Poetry as Mental Excursion: Ezenwa Ohaeto's the Chants of a Minstrel as Chants of a Poet-Raconteur

Abstract This study interrogates the aesthetic and thematic preoccupations that dominate the poetic engagements of one of contemporary Nigeria’s great poets, Ezenwa-Ohaeto in his last poetry collection entitled The Chants of a Minstrel. The focus is on the traditional performative roots of his poetry as well as the roving-story-telling vibes in this collection which ended up as his poetic swansong. It examines the ever-increasing link between verbal arts and written verses by projecting the oral essences, the roving-nature, the universality and multiplicity of thoughts expressed in most poems in the collection. The paper identifies the narrative aesthetics of Ezenwa-Ohaeto’s poetry and the various aspects of human condition which the poet portrays in the text. By identifying the poet’s artistic exploration of some highly important socio-political issues and his unwavering concern for the well-being of the world and its people, it reveals how the poet in looking at various facets of life, showers both soothing and corrective remarks that not only expose the numerous intransigencies of human existence but also lend a helping voice in the mission to better the earth. With this, poetry is showcased as a veritable aesthetic medium that maintains affinity with traditional story-telling roots while exploring modern national and global issues.