This is a collection of poetry by African poet Macaulay Oluseyi Akinbami who gives voice to the inspiration, pathos, love and anger – a complex brew of feelings - of his Continent emerging into the 21^st Century.  While the poems were written to be performed on the streets of Lagos with the rhythms of this sprawling great African city in the background the vision is cosmic and global.   There are suggestions of Blake but also of the profound Christianity inherited by the author from his pastor father syncretized with the ancient beliefs of his country of Nigeria.  This poetry is a collection of radical philosophical musings on the place of mankind in the Cosmos, presenting itself in the form of love morals, death, life, mysticism and pain.  The poetry also addresses the norms of the society using the popular poetic device known as “hide and say.”

As revolution adapts radicalism, the subjects in this book are apt, practical and romantic while inspired by the concrete experience of the poet they relate to the vital issues of the day and universal values from the multifaceted prism of Africa.

Macaulay Oluseyi Akinbami is a philosopher, social critic, poet and dramatist born in 1973 to the late pastor V. O. Akinbami of Nigeria’s Ondo state which is notable for its aquatic and petroleum resources.  He was educated at the University of Lagos Akoka with a BA in European Language.  He also studied French at the Alliance Francaise Ikoyi Lagos.  Akinbami was greatly influenced by non-conformist Romantic writers like William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge (particularly “Kubla Khan”).  He was also influenced by David Diop and other African writers.  He addresses a large audience to enlighten people on the need for revolutionary change in his home country of Nigeria.  Some of his work has been featured in “Thisday”, a National newspaper in Nigeria and in the “English Journal” of the Department of English of the University of Lagos.

Alien Blues is a minute, graphic insight into the world intimately known by unfortunate citizens. Though stemming primarily from an equatorial African perspective, these short stories mirror the similar lives everywhere humans have managed to establish some form of civilization. The real issue is that the poor are not true citizens of their own countries. They have no enshrined political, social or economic rights. They age rapidly and die young despite pleading dialogues with unsolicited devils, religions and endemic discriminations.

These conditions has caused ECM to entertain these existential questions. Is life the paradise we seek or the paradise there is? Is love the phantom called happiness in a plus minus algebra? Is man woman? Can the sins of Africa ever be forgiven, so that she can get a break? If the blood of Christ is not enough after centuries of prayers what is? Are we here, there, in heaven or hell? Does it really matter? Does anyone, or even God really care? If we are all equally blessed, explain to the unfortunates how to understand the love? Alien Blues has no clues.

ECM was born on a cold winter February night in an expensive London hospital many moons ago. The doctor who welcomed him claimed he was smiling while peeing on his pristine white lab coat. Having managed to remain alive, and after severe discipline from boarding schools and brutal brothers amongst others he is an artist, composer, filmmaker and nomad working on feature films and animation. He has traveled extensively in the African, Asian and South American subcontinents attempting to evade taxation to no avail.