The two creative media, music and poetry, may be wrongly perceived as dissimilar. However, popular examples, including the collaboration between Beyoncé and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in Flawless and Titilope Sonuga’s body of work, show that there is a unique value that lies in the convergence of these media. Often, the best songs hold value outside of their musicality, leaving listeners in awe of the performers’ lyricism, a nod to their poetic relevance. This merger of media was celebrated in the recently concluded event in Lagos, Nigeria, titled ‘Living In The Epiphany’.
On August 9th, 2025, over sixty creative individuals gathered for a day celebrating music, poetry, and the arts organised by The ArtiMetrics, a creative community founded by spoken word artist, Edwin Favour. The event’s panellists and performers shared creative work and insights that explored their individual interpretations of the subject.
Supported by the British Council’s Creative Showcase Programme and Jefferson Hospitality, the event featured spoken word performances, music performances, and a panel session hosted by Kamnelechukwu Obasi, featuring Lanre Lawal, Adebola Rez Afolabi, Rafiat Gawat, and Cynthia Ekeka. The panel that was themed: Rhythm and Revenue: Navigating Nigeria’s Creative Economy, and highlighted a key takeaway: passion and skill alone are not enough to sustain a creative career.
During the panel session, spoken word artist, MC, and lawyer, Cynthia Ekeka, stated that creative individuals must view their creative work as a business in order to charge well for it. “Keep a portfolio of the work you do and present your work properly online to attract better-paying clients,” she said.
Spoken word artist, Adebola Rez Afolabi, emphasised the need for balance between creative people pursuing business, monetisation, and creative expression. He stated that understanding your niche, audience, and originality are important to growing as a creative person.
Spoken word artist, Music Business Consultant, and Talent Manager, Lanre Lawal, highlighted that collaboration is key to prospering in a creative business, citing his extensive career in talent management.
When asked about the inspiration behind the event, the convener, Edwin Favour, explained that it was to introduce The ArtiMetrics, a community founded with the goal of positively spotlighting creative Nigerians in music and poetry, aiming to bridge the divide between established and upcoming artists. She reiterated the need for collaboration in the Nigerian creative community: “You don’t have to do it all by yourself,” she said. “Community and collaboration are important to creativity.”
On the challenges faced by creative individuals in Nigeria, she stated that The ArtiMetrics is providing a valuable platform for them to navigate the creative industry with a focus on career growth and monetisation.
A spoken word performer at the event, Isidinma Nnamdi, also known as Flowers, said: “When you mix music and poetry together, you expect magic. The future is bright for Nigerian creative people with events like this. I’m grateful that people resonated with my piece.”
Living In The Epiphany was an event that achieved its aim of providing community to creative individuals at different stages in their careers, creating an atmosphere of collaboration, artistry, and innovation, and providing moments of rest in a bustling city like Lagos. The event was a testament to the unifying power of creative expression across differing yet similar media like poetry and music, with performers across the two media conveying their profound interpretations of their moments of living in the epiphany.
Photography by Okoye
