MY POEMS ARE NOW THE SUBJECT OF A MASTER'S DISSERTATION
"Slam and Social Construction: A Reading of Mottanni's Slam Performances" — University of Bamenda
BAMENDA, CAMEROON — October 2026
I am deeply honoured to announce that my spoken word poetry is the subject of a Master of Arts dissertation at the University of Bamenda.
The dissertation, titled "Slam and Social Construction: A Reading of Mottanni's Slam Performances," was written by Kikoh Herbert Kengok and submitted to the Department of English, Literature, and Digital Cultures in the Faculty of Arts. It is supervised by Prof. Kelvin Ngong Toh and Dr. Visi Sumbom Tubuo.
The dissertation will be defended this Friday at the University of Bamenda Campus.
What This Means
For over a decade, I have used spoken word poetry as a tool for social transformation—addressing gender-based violence, Sickle Cell awareness, cyber crime, child abuse, and the cultural dimensions of our region's crisis.
To now have my work studied, analysed, and interpreted in the academy is a validation that art is not just performance. It is scholarship. It is evidence. It is legacy.
"This dissertation is not just about my poems. It is about what poetry does in society—how it constructs meaning, shapes identity, and builds community. I am humbled that my work has become part of that conversation."
— Mottanni
About the Dissertation
The dissertation examines how my slam performances contribute to social construction in Cameroon, using three theoretical frameworks:
- Marxist Theory — Examining class struggles, ideology, and power structures
- Performance Theory — Analysing how identity is enacted through voice, body, and audience interaction
- New Historicism — Situating my work within historical and cultural contexts
The study analyses performances including:
- Abakwa Breeze — Systemic injustice and regional marginalisation
- Her Magnificence — Gender equality and the celebration of women
- Wuside Peace — The search for peace amid conflict
- No More — Colonialism, neocolonialism, and the quest for liberation
- Blank Njanga — Resilience, identity, and self-determination
- Bamenda Man — The strength of ordinary people
- Fayaside — Hope, resistance, and healing
- How Long — Justice and accountability
- Save Me — Masculinity, self-reflection, and transformation
A Note of Gratitude
To Kikoh Herbert Kengok — thank you for choosing my work as the subject of your research. Your scholarship honours me and my community.
To Prof. Kelvin Ngong Toh and Dr. Visi Sumbom Tubuo — thank you for your guidance and for taking spoken word seriously as a field of academic inquiry.
To the Department of English, Literature, and Digital Cultures at the University of Bamenda — thank you for creating space for this work.
And to every poet who has ever stood on a stage and spoken truth—this is for all of us.
About the Author
Kikoh Herbert Kengok is a Master of Arts candidate in Literature and Digital Cultures at the University of Bamenda. His research interests include performance poetry, identity construction, and African oral literature. The dissertation was supervised by Prof. Kelvin Ngong Toh and Dr. Visi Sumbom Tubuo.
Connect with Mottanni
Website: www.mottanni.com
Instagram: @motanni
Facebook: tanni.awa
YouTube: @Mottanni
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