Poet, U of M school of business communications specialist and social entrepreneur Cheta Akaluka has released her debut poetry collection this January.

The writing is centred on her goal of relaying what she has learned about self-love, Christianity, marriage and her home country of Nigeria. The book is titled Phenomenally Flower — a verb commanding readers to flourish in their own lives.

“I wanted everything [in the book] to be bright,” Akaluka noted. “I wanted everything to be encouraging, so that [everybody] who comes in contact with it, even if it’s just the cover, knows that there is hope and light in this world, and you just have to be intentional.”

It is divided into four sections — Germinate, Grow, Flower and Flourish — representing steps of personal development and overcoming hardship. The journey follows stages of creating means for betterment, improving the situation, experiencing the change and finally realizing a new outlook for life. Through this structure, Akaluka highlighted that the mere recognition of a problem and enaction of a plan is not the end of the story.

“Phenomenally Flower is […] a documentation of different seasons of my life,” the poet explained. “I have put together lessons, [like] guiding lights for people who are in similar situations, so they can look and first of all know that they’re okay, they are normal. [This] isn’t something extraordinary that they’re going through, but also know how to navigate those situations.”

The first poem of the book is “Beacon,” a short poem with only three stanzas of three lines each. The poem introduces the book rather effectively, inviting the reader to search for hope, love and positive guidance within it. Following the opening reassurances, the next section starts on a darker note with “Enjoyment,” which depicts a lethargic morning before work and the broader lack of meaning in life. The third section begins with a three-page dedication of the poet’s relationship with God, titled “To My First Real Love.”

 The last section opens with “Congratulations, You Won,” a four-page list of everyday challenges for readers to celebrate their overlooked endurance. Akaluka’s debut is overall an inspirational work of literature.

“I’m able to draw certain conclusions about life,” she remarked. “Poetry is a lot about observation, it’s a lot about listening with your eyes, which sounds very metaphoric, but it is what it is. Listening with your eyes, observing and putting that creatively into different pieces. Most times it’s when I sit to reflect that all these words start pouring out of my pen.”

The collection presented in Phenomenally Flower is the result of a decade of writing poems. The publishing deal came when Akaluka won the Black Label Poetry Slam in 2019. She was announced as the winner after three rounds facing off against competitors from across Winnipeg.

“It was amazing to have that experience, because […] I have a strong science background, so I was on my way to study engineering when I realized I had a talent, a calling […] an undeniable skill for communication. So I rerouted to communications and marketing,” she recalled.