written by Adetiloye Olamide Adesida.
In this dazzling poetic masterpiece, Adetiloye Adesida, beams his poetic lenses on some critical societal issues. The Dance of Shadows is a powerful and moving exploration that argues a continual search for a joyous love equilibrium, compassion, emotional self-awareness, politics, corruption, as well as where the quest for equity seems unforthcoming among others. He depicts the good and bad in a forever manner in a nowhere of the endpoint where “the measure of wealth is not in gold’s gleam”. He paintes the moribund electoral process that characterizes the current socio-political landscape of Nigeria and queries the sincerity of its leadership in bed with its followership. Accordingly, he did a fantastic X-ray of the geo-political system of Africa in general where “… the promise of fair play” is nothing but “a mere mirage”. From the words imbedded in “The Hollow Union”, he calls for “A nation united, not in greed or strife, But in progress and shared life.”
The Dance of Shadows outstandingly subjects the reader’s attention to an array of thematic issues with emphasis on love and politics. This is an eye-opener on worldviews and standpoints which gives room for a myriad of interpretations. A great advantage about getting hold of this collection of poems is its exceptional rendition.
Adesida explores the ways in which life challenges help shape critical issues of the society and way-forward.
Adetiloye deploys language, carefully loaded, to unearth vices bedeviling our society, to unveil the travail of the common citizens. This collection of poems is an ocean of vivid imagery and well-grounded metaphors. As an outstanding wordsmith, through some poems, he takes charge of the reader’s imagination through breathtaking words. He preaches “A world where love and beauty interweave.”
Avid and honest poet, Adetiloye paints with all sense of uprightness and openness. He juxtaposes a world “beyond the surface, where gazes may stray” and “beyond the surface, where appearances fade”, and humanity “in the face of adversity, rise (s) above”.
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This must-read collection submits that despite “a symbol of strength, love’s sweetest gift,” there is “… still, a flicker of hope (that) remains within”. And for “… every step we take, for in our legacy of hope, a better world we make” this in line “with open hearts, we heal the wounded soul”. Adetiloye scribes that in the quest for self-discovery, it is imperative to ascertain that “the mirrors reflected a thousand shades” even though he agrees that “this life, (is but) a recycling of tears and plight”.
