Bayo Oyagbola launches the Sky’s Forgotten Prayer, explores language, memory and the search for meaning

Lawyer and poet Bayo Oyagbola has launched his first poetry collection, The Sky’s Forgotten Prayer: Echoes of River, Drum and Heaven, at an event held at the Metropolitan Club, Lagos.

Published by Bookcraft, the collection brings together poems written across several years, exploring themes of memory, mortality, spirituality, Yoruba culture and the enduring human search for meaning.

At the launch, Oyagbola discussed the collection during a fireside chat, reflecting on his use of Yoruba and English, the relationship between poetry, music and dance, and the questions of existence and uncertainty that run through his work.

Speaking about his relationship with Yoruba, Oyagbola, who is the managing partner at Oyagbola Chambers, explained that learning to read the language only after leaving school deepened his appreciation of its richness and broadened his perspective. He also reflected on poetry as a continuous search for meaning rather than a pursuit of definitive answers.

“The essence of life is to continue to seek, to search for truth, whatever that may be. To search for meaning, I think, is probably the most important.”

The conversation also explored Man’s Sorrow Is Man, one of the poems in the collection, and its reflection on humanity’s capacity to become its own greatest threat. The discussion ultimately returned to the role of poetry in preserving memory and engaging with questions that may not have easy answers.

Also speaking at the launch, lawyer and poet Tade Ipadeola reflected on his understanding of Oyagbola as both a lawyer and a poet, noting the distinctive perspective that comes from navigating both worlds. He also highlighted the collection’s engagement with Yoruba and Nigerian cultural heritage and encouraged attendees to engage with the new work.

The launch also featured poetry readings from family and friends, who shared selections from the collection as part of the celebration of Oyagbola’s work.

The evening concluded with Oyagbola reading the poem “Why”, a poem dealing with Cosmological Relativity, which he described as his favourite of the poems in the collection. The poem considers questions of time, existence, consciousness, matter and the nature of reality, capturing the philosophical inquiry that runs throughout The Sky’s Forgotten Prayer.

The Sky’s Forgotten Prayer: Echoes of River, Drum and Heaven is available for purchase locally and online through several major booksellers, including Rovingheights and Quintessence. Internationally, it is available on Amazon and Kobo, among others.

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