Diké Omeje (1972 - 2007): a charismatic and pioneering poet-performer

Performance poet Diké Omeje died on the 13th of January this year. A talented spoken word performer, he toured the UK extensively and was a regular performer at Speakeasy in Manchester. His books include Crafting the Practice (Crocus Books) and The Mind Field (Cheersta publications).

Born 15th April 1972, Diké Omeje was educated at Manchester Burnage High School and later at Manchester Metropolitan University. An avid reader from an early age, his first spoken word performance was at Manchester's Night and Day at the age of 23. His talent as a performer was obvious from the beginning, and it was not long before Dike was well-known on the Manchester poetry scene.

After winning most of the local poetry slams, Diké soon graduated to MC, hosting the Commonword Manchester Slams and venturing further afield to try out his performance skills in other parts of the UK. Remaining true to his roots, however, he remained actively engaged with the Manchester Speakeasy, a poets' and musicians' collective of which he became Chair in October 2006. As a poet, he was probably best-known for his pioneering innovations in poetry performance and for working collaboratively with other spoken word artists, most notably as a key member of touring initiative Brothatalk.

Needing, like so many spoken word artists, to supplement his earnings with a job outside the poetry arena, Diké continued to work elsewhere, including a brief stint for the Big Issue magazine. Even after his career in performance had taken off he was still working as a department store security guard in Manchester city centre.

Shortly before he lost his battle with cancer, Diké Omeje performed on the prestigious Apples & Snakes Temptation UK tour, wowing audiences nationwide with his charismatic blend of humour, rhythm and spirital keynotes. A hard-working and witty performer, he will be sadly missed by poets and spoken word artists from across the UK and Europe.

Diké Omeje on the internet:
myspace.com/artycoolate
speakeasymcr.com
www.cheersta.co.uk
www.urbanstreet.co.uk
www.shorelines.org.uk