John Akpata
Encyclopedia
John Andrew Akpata is a writer, spoken word artist, musician, freelance journalist and federal politician in Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
.
and holds a degree in English literature. He has hosted the show "Monday Night Scribes" on CHUO 89.1 FM since January 2004 and was a columnist for Ottawa Xpress from 2004 to 2006. He was named Ottawa's best writer/poet by the 2005 Ottawa Xpress Readers' Poll for his columns, freelance articles and spoken word poetry performances.
John Akpata was a member of Ottawa's first-ever poetry slam team to travel to Chicago
to participate in the U.S. National Poetry Slam
in 2003. The following year he was a member of the Ottawa Slam Team at the 2004 Canadian Spoken Wordlympics (now called the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word
, or CFSW) in Ottawa. At that festival, he placed second in the World Individual Finals. He was also the Ottawa regional winner of the CBC Poetry Face-Off in 2004 with his poem "Belonging". In 2005 he was the first Capital Slam champion and competed on the Ottawa Slam Team that finished third at CFSW 2005 in Vancouver
, British Columbia
. Akpata was the manager of the 2007 Ottawa Slam Team that participated in CFSW 2007 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Most recently, Akpata was once again a member of the Capital Slam team when they won the National Slam Championship in Ottawa at CFSW 2010.
Akpata appeared on the 2005, 2006 and 2010 Live at Capital Slam spoken word compilation CD recordings of Ottawa slam poetry
and has released two solo CD recordings—the EP Phoure Twennie in June 2004 and the full-length CD Kerheb in October 2005, which was completed with funding from the [Canada Council for the Arts]. Akpata also plays bass and appears as a guest vocalist and poet on "The House of Words" by Free Will, an Ottawa spoken word artist.
Since then, Akpata's performance credits include the CD release party for Kerheb in March 2006, he represented Canada on the Four Continents Slam, a fourteen city tour across the United Kingdom, an "all-star" appearance in the 2007 Ottawa CBC Poetry Face-Off, and a feature performance at the 2007 Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest.
and was a candidate in three federal elections. In 2004, Akpata ran in the federal constituency of Ottawa South
, where he won 495 votes. He ran twice in the riding of Ottawa Centre
, where he attracted 386 votes in 2006, 378 votes in 2008 and 326 votes in 2011.
, bass guitar
and djembe
. Many of his poetry recordings feature his musical talents as well as his voice.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Writing, media and spoken word
Akpata is a graduate of Carleton UniversityCarleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
and holds a degree in English literature. He has hosted the show "Monday Night Scribes" on CHUO 89.1 FM since January 2004 and was a columnist for Ottawa Xpress from 2004 to 2006. He was named Ottawa's best writer/poet by the 2005 Ottawa Xpress Readers' Poll for his columns, freelance articles and spoken word poetry performances.
John Akpata was a member of Ottawa's first-ever poetry slam team to travel to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to participate in the U.S. National Poetry Slam
National Poetry Slam
The National Poetry Slam is a performance poetry competition where teams from across the United States, Canada, and France participate in a large-scale poetry slam. The event occurs in early August every year and takes place in a different US city....
in 2003. The following year he was a member of the Ottawa Slam Team at the 2004 Canadian Spoken Wordlympics (now called the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word
Canadian Festival of Spoken Word
The Canadian Festival of Spoken Word is an annual festival produced by Spoken Word Canada and planned by a local Festival Organizing Committee in each host city....
, or CFSW) in Ottawa. At that festival, he placed second in the World Individual Finals. He was also the Ottawa regional winner of the CBC Poetry Face-Off in 2004 with his poem "Belonging". In 2005 he was the first Capital Slam champion and competed on the Ottawa Slam Team that finished third at CFSW 2005 in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Akpata was the manager of the 2007 Ottawa Slam Team that participated in CFSW 2007 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Most recently, Akpata was once again a member of the Capital Slam team when they won the National Slam Championship in Ottawa at CFSW 2010.
Akpata appeared on the 2005, 2006 and 2010 Live at Capital Slam spoken word compilation CD recordings of Ottawa slam poetry
Slam poetry
A poetry slam is a competition at which poets read or recite original work. These performances are then judged on a numeric scale by previously selected members of the audience.-History:...
and has released two solo CD recordings—the EP Phoure Twennie in June 2004 and the full-length CD Kerheb in October 2005, which was completed with funding from the [Canada Council for the Arts]. Akpata also plays bass and appears as a guest vocalist and poet on "The House of Words" by Free Will, an Ottawa spoken word artist.
Since then, Akpata's performance credits include the CD release party for Kerheb in March 2006, he represented Canada on the Four Continents Slam, a fourteen city tour across the United Kingdom, an "all-star" appearance in the 2007 Ottawa CBC Poetry Face-Off, and a feature performance at the 2007 Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest.
Politics
Akpata is a member of the Marijuana Party of CanadaMarijuana Party of Canada
The Marijuana Party is a Canadian federal political party. Its agenda consists of ending prohibition of cannabis. With the exception of this one issue, the party does not have "official policy" in any other area...
and was a candidate in three federal elections. In 2004, Akpata ran in the federal constituency of Ottawa South
Ottawa South
Ottawa South is a federal electoral district in Ottawa in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is represented in the Canadian House of Commons by David McGuinty, brother of Ontario Premier and Ottawa South MPP Dalton McGuinty. The riding was created in 1987 from parts of Ottawa—Vanier, Ottawa...
, where he won 495 votes. He ran twice in the riding of Ottawa Centre
Ottawa Centre
Ottawa Centre is an urban federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968...
, where he attracted 386 votes in 2006, 378 votes in 2008 and 326 votes in 2011.
Music
Akpata plays several instruments, including guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and djembe
Djembe
A djembe also known as jembe, jenbe, djbobimbe, jymbe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered drum meant played with bare hands....
. Many of his poetry recordings feature his musical talents as well as his voice.