Renowned Ghanaian poet, writer, and art collector, Abena Pokua Adompim Busia, recently revealed a captivating and personal story about how her poetry first got published, thanks to the legendary Nigerian novelist and poet, Chinua Achebe.
During an interview on The Chat on Channel One TV, Abena Busia shared how a chance encounter at an art exhibition in Manhattan, New York, led to a conversation that would change the course of her literary journey.
She recounted how Achebe, one of Africa’s most revered literary figures, became the first person to formally publish her poetry.
The unexpected meeting took place at a friend’s art exhibition in Manhattan, where Abena Busia was admiring the artwork on display. Little did she know that she would come face to face with Chinua Achebe, whose influential works like Things Fall Apart have left an indelible mark on African storytelling.
Describing the encounter, Abena Busia said, “I went to my friend’s art show in Manhattan and a lot of amazing things happened that day. I was looking at a wonderful lithograph when this familiar voice came and spoke over my shoulder and the voice was Chinua Achebe and it is the day I met him who was the first person to publish my poetry.”
“He asked for it that day. We had a conversation and he asked me to send him my poetry that day and I met him looking at the first art piece I ever bought. I really couldn’t afford that piece but I really wanted it and it was $250 and this was 40 years ago.”
This serendipitous encounter not only led to the publication of Abena Busia’s poetry but also forged a meaningful connection between the two literary giants. It goes to show the power of unexpected meetings and the influence one person can have on another’s creative journey.
