The Picture of Duty

“Jahrock Ujewe presents a powerful and honest poetic narrative in The Picture of Duty, shaped by memory, sacrifice, love, and national identity. The poems shift between the newsroom and the home, the battlefield and the bedroom. They reveal the emotional cost of service and the fragile human connections that persist afterward. Writing as both witness and participant, Ujewe reflects on war, political betrayal, terror, and the quiet bravery of everyday life. His voice moves easily between tenderness and violence. He captures spaces of love and longing alongside oil-stained mangroves and conflict-scarred landscapes. The Picture of Duty addresses the burdens of masculinity, patriotism, and moral responsibility in contemporary Nigeria. It is rich with satire, environmental awareness, and spiritual reflection. The collection seeks beauty in nature, desire, and hope, even amid the chaos of public life. With courage and emotional clarity, these poems explore what it means to serve, to love, and to remain human in a fractured world.”

—Ismail Bala, author of Memory of Departure

“When poetry masters the delicate craft of treading the tiny spaces between the personal and the communal without missing a heartbeat, it earns a spot at the table. The Picture of Duty is a rare collection of sublime poetry sculpted with care and stitched together with intense passion.”

—James Eze, author of unbind me now