Investigative Journalist Adeola Akinremi Unveils First Poetry Collection ‘Scattered Ground’

Award-winning investigative journalist Adeola Akinremi has unveiled his debut poetry collection, ‘Scattered Ground.’

The ex-Features Editor of THISDAY and consultant for the World Bank Group disclosed the release in a statement issued to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday.

Akinremi emphasized that the influence of two literary icons—T.S. Eliot, the notable Anglo-American Modernist poet from the early 20th century, and J.P. Clark-Bekederemo, a key figure in contemporary Nigerian and African literature—shaped his writing style.

He remarked, “J.P. Clark demonstrated that a journalist can also voice the grief and aspirations of a people. Meanwhile, Eliot taught that poetry should confront the harsh realities of the world.”

“Scattered Ground is my effort to intertwine these two realities: the specific African narrative and the universal human experience,” he added.

The collection draws from Akinremi’s journey as a journalist, public policy expert, and a firsthand observer of significant historical events.

With insight gained from reporting in conflict-ridden areas, navigating influential global power structures, and witnessing climate-induced displacement, the work expresses a uniquely Nigerian perspective while remaining relatable to a global audience. The title itself is rich in metaphor: it reflects a continent rich in resources and promise yet often fragmented; an individual's self that spans different worlds; and the language and culture of a people striving for significance in an evolving environment.

“Scattered Ground” addresses critical issues of the present age with clarity and courage. The climate crisis is intricately woven throughout the poems, illustrating the creeping impact of desertification, rising ocean levels, and dwindling resources that affect those least responsible for these changes.

As a journalist and policy analyst, Akinremi’s experiences with displaced communities across Africa and his reporting from flood-affected regions lend genuine depth to the climate-related grief captured within the collection.

The poetry also hazards an unmistakable gaze at the machinery of government—the systems that stifle the individual, suppress dissent, and perpetuate inequality. Through his lens of covering insurgencies and the gradual weakening of democratic principles, Akinremi melds the precision of a journalist with the soulfulness of a poet. His contemplations on authority do not preach; instead, they mourn, voicing the frustration of a citizen yearning for progress.

Moreover, the book deeply explores themes of African identity and the phenomenon of displacement. In an age marked by mass migration driven by war, environmental changes, poverty, and political oppression, Akinremi delves into the emotional journeys of those who migrate and those who stay behind—individuals carrying memories of home across borders and oceans while witnessing their homeland fade.

In ‘Scattered Ground’, migration emerges not merely as a policy topic but as a profound human truth, illustrated with empathy and nuance.

Themes of conflict and human dignity resonate throughout the collection. Akinremi portrays war from the vantage point of its victims, emphasizing shattered lives and lost futures rather than abstract statistics.

He insists on acknowledging the humanity often obscured by sensational headlines, interlacing personal sorrow and memory into the broader societal crises that lend weight to public discourse.

Mr. Akinremi, now based in the United States as a public policy expert, is recognized as one of the most esteemed journalists of his generation. His career encompasses prestigious newsrooms, significant global institutions, and now, the field of poetry.

With the launch of ‘Scattered Ground,’ he embraces a remarkable global legacy of newspaper editors who have ventured into poetry. He has received several accolades, including the Nigeria Media Merit Award for ‘Features Writer of the Year’ in 2006 and the Diamond Award for Media Excellence, both highly regarded in African journalism. His work has gained recognition from major international media outlets such as Associated Press, The New York Times, The Guardian (UK), The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times.

While on academic leave from THISDAY, Akinremi garnered international attention in 2016 by revealing that Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari had copied parts of Barack Obama’s 2008 victory speech—a disclosure that sparked global outrage and prompted a presidential apology.

His career in international development has led him across various regions, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, where he has served as a consultant for the World Bank Group.

Akinremi holds a Master's degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C., as well as a second Master's from the University of Ibadan. He is currently engaged in doctoral research.