Politics and the Development of Modern African Poetry

Modern African poetry is poetry of commitment, and therefore, it has utilitarian value. It began as an intellectual response to the denigration of Africa and Africans by the white colonizers. From this point, there has been no going back, as African poetry has continued to be pressed into the service of the politics of the continent with a view to changing the prevailing poor conditions of the masses who suffer neglect at the hands of their ruling elite. However, in the current globalised world driven by ICT, focus has shifted to mirroring the degradation of the environment as a way of galvanizing political action towards preserving the ecosystem for the survival of man. This paper examines the relationship between politics and modern African poetry, from West to East and Southern Africa, and posits that politics is the substance while poetry is the vehicle of expression.