"The Last Time I Called" (Ofem Ubi)— Barnabas Ekpima

It was 2022, December, twenty... something! 

My friend, Innocent Chukwu and I placed orders for the book, "The Last Time I Called", it was the first time I ever had a book waybilled. 

It arrived right after my last exams for the semester (I know right, purrrfectt timing).

I had been thinking about the book in the exam hall. When it eventually arrived, I promised Innocent I won't flip it open till I get home but...

I lost every sense of restraint after five minutes, and I flipped it open on the road... Hah😂 

Although, the picture below was taken few days later... My first reading of the book was on the road, cover-to-cover!

i stole a glance at the first page,
it stole my heart in return 

On the acknowledgement page, my eyes selfishly spotted my name before any other person's name, "Barnabas".

Aside that, it was autographed by the author himself— touching, really touching.

In this book, Ofem documents grief in ways that make you realize grief is so much more than the loss of a loved one, grief takes on different shades, loss of time, loss of happy memories, etc. 

My mom doesn't read poetry, but she picked up this book from the table where I left it, after reading, she said, "I felt it... Grief as *** touched me the most." 

Amiri Baraka in one of his books had said, "...each night I count the stars, and each night I get the same number. And when they will not come to be counted, I count the holes they leave." 

The Last Time I Called by Ofem Ubi is a book that reminds one that loss gives, it gives the heart something to hold onto, something to count, still...

Grab a copy, and let Ofem lead you to everything, and everywhere.

The Last Time I Called is available at OkadaBooks and at Rap Joint Lagos.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ofem was selected for the G.A.S Fellowship Awards, an Artist Residency Programme that gives amenities of freedom for creatives to work and immerse themselves more into whatever artistic practice they’re involved in.

He is a multidisciplinary artist from Nigeria who uses poetry, photography and film to preserve memories.

His poetry film, Velvet, was selected for the Fringe of Color Film Festival (2021) Click highlighted texts below to watch short films by Ofem Ubi: Velvet, Southpaw, Drown me safely, Sweet Potato 

For more info about Ofem (social media handles, etc) kindly visit the Hall of Fame page or simply click Hall of Fame

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