Dr Lenrie Peters (1932 - )
In vain your bangles cast
harmed circles at my feet;
am Abiku, calling for the first
and the repeated time.
(Extract of Abiku)
Dr Lenrie Peters
was born in 1932 in Banjul (The Gambia). In 1956 he graduated with a
BSc. from the TRINITY College of Cambridge. From 1956 to 1959, he
worked with the University College Hospital of London. In 1959, he
received a Medical and Surgery diploma from Cambridge. He holds a
Master’s degree in Arts.
From 1954 to1955 he was the president of African Students’ Society of Cambridge. He worked as journalist of African programs with the BBC from 1955 to 1968. He was the president of the Historic Commission of Monuments of the Gambia and President of FESTAC comity in 1977.
Mr Peters was the President of the board of directors of the National library of the Gambia and Gambia College from 1979 to 1987. From 1985 to 1991, he was a member and President of the West African Examination Council (WAEC). He was member of the jury for the Literary prize of the Commonwealth in 1995.
His first collection of poems was published in Nigeria in 1963. It is entitled Poems.
Dr Peters first novel, The Second
Round was published in 1965 by Heinem
ann. It has 193 pages and the story is preceded by
a poem on Freetown. The novel is about a young physician, Dr Kawa, who
settles down in Freetown at the morrow of independence after completing
his studies in England. He falls in love with a young girl only to
discover how unfaithful she is. He is seduced by the wife of his
neighbour. His passionate love affairs ends up in dismal failure. Dr
Kawa is so traumatised that his sentimental life is plagued by
disorder. In an attempt to escape from this situation he moves to the
country side. The whole story intends to show how complex a society can
be. Dr Kawa, someone who sees life to be simple, or too simple, sees
himself involved in the complex problems of other people which will
eventually affect his own.
In 1967, Dr Peters published Satellites, a collection of 55 poems where
intimate emotion is combined with a deep meditation on human dignity
and justice.
Four years later, Katchikali, another collection of 69 poems was published. It was in 1971. Katchikali is a sacred crocodile pool in Bakau, in the Greater Banjul Area. It is also the title of one of the poems (n°56).
In 1981 he published his Selected Poetry. This collection is very much
similar to a personal anthology. It is composed of 104 poems: 28
extracted from Satellites, 28 from Katchikali and 48 new poems. This
work is the fruit of 14 years of poetic creativity.
From 1954 to1955 he was the president of African Students’ Society of Cambridge. He worked as journalist of African programs with the BBC from 1955 to 1968. He was the president of the Historic Commission of Monuments of the Gambia and President of FESTAC comity in 1977.
Mr Peters was the President of the board of directors of the National library of the Gambia and Gambia College from 1979 to 1987. From 1985 to 1991, he was a member and President of the West African Examination Council (WAEC). He was member of the jury for the Literary prize of the Commonwealth in 1995.
His first collection of poems was published in Nigeria in 1963. It is entitled Poems.
Dr Peters first novel, The Second
Round was published in 1965 by Heinem
ann. It has 193 pages and the story is preceded by
a poem on Freetown. The novel is about a young physician, Dr Kawa, who
settles down in Freetown at the morrow of independence after completing
his studies in England. He falls in love with a young girl only to
discover how unfaithful she is. He is seduced by the wife of his
neighbour. His passionate love affairs ends up in dismal failure. Dr
Kawa is so traumatised that his sentimental life is plagued by
disorder. In an attempt to escape from this situation he moves to the
country side. The whole story intends to show how complex a society can
be. Dr Kawa, someone who sees life to be simple, or too simple, sees
himself involved in the complex problems of other people which will
eventually affect his own.In 1967, Dr Peters published Satellites, a collection of 55 poems where
intimate emotion is combined with a deep meditation on human dignity
and justice.What magic spells
held the first men,
wandering in darkness
heads bowed to draw
breath, refuge from toil
and say
this is our home
Katchikali
Four years later, Katchikali, another collection of 69 poems was published. It was in 1971. Katchikali is a sacred crocodile pool in Bakau, in the Greater Banjul Area. It is also the title of one of the poems (n°56).
In 1981 he published his Selected Poetry. This collection is very much
similar to a personal anthology. It is composed of 104 poems: 28
extracted from Satellites, 28 from Katchikali and 48 new poems. This
work is the fruit of 14 years of poetic creativity.