Manchester Museum

Inua Ellams - Tusk

Photo of poet Inua Ellams on stage at Manchester Museum© Jon Parker Lee

  • Photo of poet Inua Ellams on stage at Manchester Museum

Inua Ellams was commissioned by Manchester Literature Festival and Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester to write a new series of poems responding to a Tusk from Benin in Manchester’s Museum’s collection. The Tusk was part of the loot taken by British soldiers during the bloody 1897 punitive expedition during which Oba Ovonramwen was exiled and Benin City was destroyed. Inua performed his Commission in the Living Worlds Gallery at Manchester Museum on Friday 15 November 2019 as part of the 2019 Manchester Literature Festival. The event was introduced by Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, and Sadia Habib chaired an in conversation with Inua after his reading.

You can download a PDF version of Inua's commission above.