Romanticism as a Meeting Point Between the Nigerian Poet and Sculptor

Abstract

There is an inextricable relationship between Visual and Literary Arts, especially Poetry. This relationship was very popular during the Romantic period in Europe; from the late eighteenth to the early nineteenth  centuries, such inextricable relationship also existed in tradition African art.
However , most modern African artists deny this claim and view such  relationship as irrelevant to our immediate academic environment This work examines Ezenwa Ohaeto’s poem; “A song for the Drummers” and Cliff Nwanna’s “Drummer” (Oti-Igba) against the background of  Romanticist relationship in and line with Igbo folklore. Our enquiry reveals that the view that condemns Romanticism in African academic environment is wrong; rather Romanticism is the bedrock of modern African studies. Both works under discussion were thought provoking, well rendered and innovative.  Romanticism needs to be revived in Africa because of its didactic values. This work therefore stimulates and encourages more researches into this area of study.