Túbọ̀sún Ọládàpọ̀ is a Nigerian poet, playwright and radio-personality known as ‘the loquacious parrot’. He also has his own record label Olatubosun Records that ends and promotes the work of indigenous-language artists and folk poets across the Yorùbá speaking parts of Africa. This is the PTC’s latest workshop looking at his work with Linguist and cultural activist Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún.

The Poetry Translation Centre is very proud to partner with the Aké Arts and Books Festival to present a special series of translation workshops on the Nigerian languages of Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa.

This is one of three online workshops we are running on October 22 with the Aké Festival.

Book places for all three sessions! Find out more here.

Join like-minded poetry lovers from across the world to discover new poetry and different cultures, share insights and language skills, working together to open up a poem in its original language and reassemble it in English. The result will be new group translations of contemporary Nigerian poems. This session on Yoruba will look at a poem by Túbọ̀sún Ọládàpọ̀.

To help in this task you will be guided by the translator and linguist Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún who is an expert in the language that is the focus for that session, and the professional poet Ed Doegar. They will offer insight into the nuances of the language and culture, and give helpful suggestions for the direction of the translation that is produced.

Taking place online via Google Meet, the workshops are the perfect way to keep yourself feeling creative, engaged and connected to the world at large. A rough and ready guide translation is provided by the guest translator so there is no need to know the language being translated - simply sign up and bring your love of poetry and language.

The Poet

Túbọ̀sún Ọládàpọ̀ has recorded many poetry albums, accompanied by songs and dance. His published poetry includes Aroye Akewi (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2) and Arofo Awon Omode (poetry for children). His plays Ògún Lákáayé and E gbádé Fáládé were joint prize winners of the Oxford University Press drama competition in 1970. He has produced over two hundred other artists producing in Yorùbá.

The Translator

Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún has worked for many years as a linguist (currently at Google Nigeria), lexicographer (Oxford University Press dictionaries), Fulbright scholar of Yorùbá (Southern Illinois University), and schoolteacher of English in Lagos, Nigeria. In 2016, he was the recipient of the “Special Prize” of Premio Ostana, given for work in indigenous language advocacy.