SPOKEN WORD POETRY AS MEMORIES AND SOCIAL CRITICISM: BASSEY IKPI'S 'HOMEWARD', WANA UDOBANG'S 'REVOLUTION' AND DIKE CHUKWUMERIJE'S 'DIVERSITY IS A PARADOX'

Works Cited - - - - - - - - - - 42 Abstract In the contemporary African society, spoken word poetry stands as a powerful tool for social criticism and change. This study examines the aesthetics and social contexts of Bassey Ikpi's 'Homeward', Wana Udobang's 'Revolution' and Dike Chukwumerije's 'Diversity is a Paradox'. This study analyses spoken word poetry as a tool for social criticism. This is a qualitative research which involves a close textual analysis of the primary data and also secondary sources of information on the texts, including textbooks, journal, articles, internet sources such as YouTube channel and TikTok. It adopts Postmodernism as its analytical framework, in which contemporary cultural world views and lifestyle reflect in artistic imagination. The study reveals that the 21st century digitalization civilization has unfolded a new age of activism, poets across the world embraced digital platforms as a medium for poetic expression. It creates digital platform where poets have direct connectivity with the audience all over the world. The study further reveals the strategies by which emergent Nigerian poets use spoken word poetry to examine social, cultural and political issues in the contemporary African society.