Plumbline (Jeffrey Jaiyeola) is a Nigerian poet who happens to be a geoscientist. He started writing at the age of 11 in reaction to his elder sister’s short story which had a rather sad ending because he wanted a ‘happy ending’. Today, his poems have sad themes all in hope of that ‘Grand Happy Ending’ sometime in the unknown future. He started out rapping in 2004 and always caught attention with his stark storytelling, intricate rhyme scheme and wordplay. About that time, a budding community of spoken word poets was developing, aided by the emergence of cafés to provide after-office-hour hangouts for the young working class. In that regard, he is seen as one of the pioneer spoken word poets in Nigeria. He loves to tell the Nigerian story, warts and all, because he strongly believes old wounds only truly heal when re-opened and treated. He is one half of H.I.D.D.E.N, the other half being Nigerian Poducer, Kraftmatiks. Together they are working on a Project for the Internally Displaced Persons from the Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria.
Plumbline is on Twitter as @Plumbtifex and the H.I.D.D.E.N is on Instagram as @contactthehidden.