Emmanuel Nwani is a multifaceted poet and the reigning champion of the Lagos International Poetry Festival. He is popularly known by his stage name “Grey Martyr” and is set to take the world by storm. After his huge win at the Lagos Poetry Festival, he was offered a huge opportunity to represent Nigeria on a global stage. It’s a chance of a lifetime, and Grey has done all that he can to ensure that he steps on that stage with his A-game. His dedication is truly incredible, and he has worked tirelessly to ensure that his poetry and performance skills are top-notch. But to represent Nigeria and win the 2025 World Poetry Slam, Grey Martyr will need all the support he can get. This includes financial and monetary donations.
Grey hails from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and is no stranger to the city’s struggles. His poetic words are laced with the rhythm of the streets and the weight of the water. When he speaks, his origins are evident. Grey’s spoken word journey started at his church in 2021. During services, he would recite poetry, much to the amazement of the congregation. Currently, Grey feels he has grown since then and his poetry skills have been sharpened. Later on, he started studying poets such as Harry Baker and Jackie Hill Perry. His focus was majorly on gospel spoken word artists, and eventually, Tobi Abiodun became one of his favourite poets. Grey has always been eager to learn from other poets and experts in the field. He makes it a habit to read as often as he can and consume good media.
The spoken word artist isn’t just a local sensation. He has also dominated national stages and competitions. Greymartyr has performed at the Abuja Lipfest slam as well as several other poetry slam competitions in Nigeria. He was also selected for a poetry residency in Abuja, where he learnt more about performing and improved his writing skills. As a creative and talented artist, Grey has also had his fair share of losses. He has failed, fallen, gotten back up, and evolved. He has followed in the footsteps of great performance poets such as Sage Hassan, Dike Chukwumerije, and Bash Amuneni.
Grey’s poetry has never been a selfish, one-man affair. When he speaks, he speaks for the people, and his passion about his work shows. Grey doesn’t just perform, he leads, builds, and mentors. His work is always filled with memory, empathy, and meaning. The poems he performs often reflect the lives we live, the grief we bury, the joy we chase, and the future we fight for, He doesn’t just speak for himself, he speaks for us.
Currently, Grey is preparing for one of the most important Poetry Slams in the world. He is being assisted and supported by the current in poet-in-residence of Portsmouth Football Club, Bash Amuneni. Bash is also Nigeria’s Ambassador to the World Poetry Slam Championship. Grey has also been coached by two outstanding and renowned Nigerian poets, Tamara Dogubo and Deborah Johnson. They have helped him practice and prepare himself for the World Poetry Slam. His friends and family have also done what they can to be there for him. Grey has mentioned that his mother has been one of the biggest supporters of his spoken word career.
On the 4th of May, 2025, a private virtual meeting was held to encourage and support Grey. Well-wishers, amazing poets, and supporters were present and very active during the event. It started with an opening address by the convener and one of Grey’s biggest supporters, Bash Amuneni. Bash Amuneni introduced himself as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the World Poetry Slam Championship. He updated everyone on Grey’s progress and his level of preparedness. He mentioned that Grey had successfully secured a visa. However, about a million naira was still needed to buy his flight ticket. The floor was opened for ideas on how to raise money for Grey, and guests were encouraged to make donations as well.
The main segment of the meeting was the Q and A session. Bash Amuneni held the helm and asked Grey questions about his preparations, poetry, and a lot more. Grey mentioned during this session that initially, when he got the news that he’d been chosen to represent Nigeria on a global stage, he had been focused on his excitement. Later on, he had experienced some anxiety because he had realized the gravity and pressure of his current assignment. He had wanted everything to be perfect. At a certain point, he’d even wondered if he should change the pitch of his voice.
Grey further added that funding has been the major problem thus far. A lot of people don’t see the relevance of supporting poets and are often dismissive about conversations like these. He referred to his experience at Abuja and explained that travelling was quite pricey. He also spoke about his problems with attaining a visa from the embassy. Proving his credibility had been quite difficult due to his nationality. However, Grey acknowledged that these experiences would only help to toughen him up for future challenges.
When asked about his overall health, Grey gave a very positive answer. He has been doing very well spiritually and admits that he is a Christian. He was in a retreat earlier this year to detox and spend some time with God. He has also been exercising and resting well. But mentally, Grey mentioned that he has been “fighting voices.” The pressure to represent Nigeria and win the slam has been intense. He has taken measures to avoid people who might weigh him down. Grey is also surrounded by an amazing team and a good emotional support system.
During the session, Grey makes it clear that representation is very important to him. With his performance and etiquette, Grey wants to uphold Nigerian and African values such as integrity and culture. There are also some outfits Grey plans to wear just to make sure Nigeria is adequately represented. This entire experience has also taught him discipline. Grey has never been a fan of fame and is definitely not ready to let it get to his head. He is determined to stay focused on his goals and avoid distractions.
The ambassador asked Grey if he believes there is a winning formula for poetry slams. Grey responded affirmatively and began to explain. For the world slam, he’ll be required to present three poems. The first and second poems need to be impressive, giving the judges a foreshadowing of what is to come. The last poem should show off who you really are and what you are truly capable of. A poet should also be honest, and their poetry should express and impress. When discussing performance challenges, Grey mentioned that language barriers were a bit of a hurdle. He had wondered at a point if he should add Spanish to his poem since he would be performing for a predominantly Mexican audience.
After the Q and A session, Greymartyr performed a part of one of the poems he had written for the slam. The audience is quiet and listens in anticipation. Grey is quick yet empathic with his words. We weren’t able to get the complete picture since he only presented a snippet, but I could tell from the mother reference that it was a poem about his homeland. Tobi Abiodun, a distinguished performance poet, made a few comments about Grey’s amazing performance and encouraged the talented poet.
In the final segment, friends and well wishers encouraged Grey and praised his perseverance and strength. Tobi Abiodun spoke for some time about amazing spoken word poets and mentioned that Grey’s performance was one of the best he’d ever witnessed. It is obvious that Grey has made a memorable impression on his poetry mentor. Many other friends and supporters spoke up, wishing him well and reminding him that he had what it took to win the competition.
Greymartyr’s win will amplify Nigerian poetry globally. A victory in Mexico isn’t just a personal achievement, it’s a national celebration. It opens doors for Nigerian poets everywhere and tells the world: we are not just here, we are leading. To support Grey is to say yes to poetry awareness in Nigeria, authentic stories, and a future where art and truth walk hand in hand. Let’s help Greymartyr get to Mexico because he is definitely ready. Nigerian poets are worth listening to.
Oreoluwa Odusote
Writer, poet, and dreamer.
