‘I’m spending lots of money recording poetry albums that no one buys’

OBERT Dube who is affectionately known as the African Poet has travelled to several countries in and outside Africa sharing his poems and raising the Zimbabwean flag, but, sadly he says he is receiving less value and appreciation for his craft.

In a very emotionally touching message on his Facebook page, the multi-award-winning poet opened up on how his sweat has brought him nothing over the past years with fans requesting him to perform for free.

The Victoria Falls-based poet is a celebrated icon in the Zimbabwean arts, who has headlined both local and international award ceremonies and gained recognition from legends like Kenyan scholar Patrick Lumumba. He has been invited to be an MC on big stages such as the Tanzanian Sauti Za Busara Festival and Germany’s International Afrika Expo festival among others.

On his page, Dube said he was sceptical about continuing with poetry as he is not making money from it. He said his clients seemed to prefer his services as an MC than as a poet.

He said he, however, always finds himself reciting poems on request from the audience free of charge at the events where he would have been hired as an MC.

“My poetry career is drowning, it may sink. I do MC and poetry and my clients inquire about both, but later settle for MC only, and then we agree. During the event, an elderly person comes to me and says ‘Please perform just one poem’ or at a wedding when the wave is high, someone says ‘With this US$20, perform a poem about mothers, my journey, Uthando Yinkinga and Ngilestress’. Remember, the wedding money is for the bride and groom,” wrote Dube.

He proceeded to seek advice from his social media fans on whether he should completely quit poetry and focus on fascinating events as an MC, which is what usually brings food to his table.

Dube also lamented low subscription on his YouTube channel despite the huge following that he has on Facebook.
“I don’t want to be rude to my clients and I don’t want to be used by my clients. I honestly haven’t seen any poetry progress apart from parting ways with huge money when recording poetry albums that no one buys. The other thing that is stressing, torturing and tormenting me is that I have 112 000 followers on my page but I have only 5 000 YouTube subscribers,” he wrote.

Responding to Dube’s post, several people encouraged him to try a different approach to poetry and try to adapt to the changing times, techniques and generational perspectives on the genre.

“Fuse both, be poetic when you MC and it will be an elevation to you being unique,” suggested one.
“Do them both and charge once. Remember, you are inspiring many people around the world,” wrote another.
Another encouraged Dube not to ditch poetry as he is not only doing it for himself but uniting people from different continents through his works.

“Poetry is like book-writing where most times, royalties come in when the owner has long gone and the beneficiaries become your grandchildren. You are growing a Baobab tree and you may never see the fruit.

“But, however, this act of your poetry is congregating the nation and bit by bit, people are starting to know who they are and coming together like rain droplets to form a water body, isiziba (lake). Remember, the rain doesn’t come all at once, but, in the end, rivers fill up. We love you,” commented one Munya Mathe.

Dube has mentored several poets and has been promoting the growth of indigenous languages through poetry by training young poets from different tribes in Zimbabwe. However, as someone regarded as a poetry legend and a mentor, his skepticism about this art raises questions about the future of indigenous poetry and that of up-and-coming poets.