Q1: When did you start writing and whom influenced you the most?
Eniola: I started writing in 2019 , but intentionally in 2020. I’d say every poet with a dab-hand in language intrigues me but if I should a poet that influenced my writing, that will ultimately be Kaveh Akbar. Whereas, being exposed to the works of Derek Walcott these days, I am beginning to get immersed.
Q2: Any pivotal moment when you knew you wanted to be a writer?
Eniola: If I should give an answer to this one, it would be a nebulous and vague one. Because I don’t think there’s particularly any moment I feel I wanted to be a writer. I just seem to know and establish, even right from when I began writing, the fact that there’s a need to let the world in on my woes and wins.
Q3: Who has helped you most with writing and career?
Eniola: There are fairly many Nigerian poets who helped me most with my writing. But I think I’d be damned if I failed to mention that Mrs. Samantha Beardon, an obscure British poet, helped me largely in Poetry.
Q4: Where did you grow up and how did that influence you? Have any travels influenced your work?
Eniola: I grew up in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria. And there are quite a number of things in Ibadan that influence my language and style of Poetry some of which is the origins and narratives of the emergence of the place.
As regards travels, I don’t do much of that. Although, my tour travel to Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife helped my recently-completed hybrid of the death and activism of George Iwilade, a renowned student activist killed in the 1999 OAU massacre.
Q5: What do you consider your most meaningful work creatively to you?
Eniola: Most meaningful work? I have quite a handful of them but my poem BROKEN ABECEDARIAN in Temz Review still stands out the best for me.
Q6: Favorite activities to relax?
Eniola: I get to see movies, read, and talk writing.
Q7: What is a favorite line/ stanza/lyric from your writing?
“i am sorry if I have bored with my sorrow once again.”
Q8:What kind of music inspires you the most? What is a song that always come back to you as an inspiration?
Eniola: I don’t really do music but any emotional song of the 90s work for me.
Q9: Do you have any recent or upcoming books, music, events, etc that you would like to promote?
Eniola: I think every reader/person should read Nomad by Romeo Oriogun.
Bio: Eniola Abdulroqeeb Arówólò is a Nigerian writer and a member of the Frontiers Collective His works have appeared—or are forthcoming—in 4faced Liar, Fourth River Review, Rulerless, Perhappened, Kissing Dynamite, Lumiere Review, Temz Review, Afritondo, Kilimanjaro Voices, and elsewhere.
Twitter Handle: @eniola_abdulroq
Links:
https://www.thetemzreview.com/poetry-eniola-abdulroqeeb-aroacutewoacutelograve.html
https://www.perhappened.com/purelighteniolaarowolo.html
https://www.thefourthriver.com/tributaries-newnature/2022/8/3/omyal
https://www.kissingdynamitepoetry.com/eniola-abdulroqeeb-arowolo-ayekooto.html
Fevers of the Mind 