Créatif: Deborah Johnson "The Global Poet"

Deborah Johnson is a Nigerian performance poet who laid a defining mark on the Nigerian creative scene in 2025

—Chiamaka Ruth

Deborah Johnson is a Nigerian performance poet who laid a defining mark on the Nigerian creative scene in 2025. Beyond the deserving recognition, her story, passion, and artistry are rooted in concrete elements that solidify her revering identity—not as a façade, but as an artist whose talent lies in her depth.

In a digital world that is crowded with noise and fluff, she manages to speak truth that echoes not just through her country, but to the edges of the entire African country and beyond. Through poetry and spoken-word performance, she has carved out a distinct creative identity, one rooted in honesty, social consciousness, and emotional depth. Unlike many who treat art as ornament, The Global Poet wields words as instruments of truth-telling and reflection. Her poetry serves as a medium for social commentary, confronting issues that resonate deeply with young people navigating modern Nigerian and African realities.

Born Deborah Johnson, she hails from Delta State, Nigeria. Her creative journey did not begin with instant virality or public acclaim. Instead, her relationship with artistic expression developed early, shaped by observation, lived experience, and a growing awareness of the world around her.

Long before the spotlight found her, Deborah was already building herself and learning to trust her self. One of Deborah’s first major recognitions emerged from within Nigeria’s spoken-word poetry scene, where she steadily built the foundation of her creative identity. She won several notable competitions, including the 2022 Abuja Literary Society Slam and the 2023 Lagos International Poetry Grand Slam, two of the country’s most respected poetry contests. These victories positioned her as a formidable voice within the Nigerian poetry community.

Her work soon transcended national borders. Deborah represented Nigeria at the World Poetry Slam Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, competing against world-class spoken-word artists from across the globe. She finished in fourth place, an impressive feat that brought international attention to Nigerian performance poetry.

She further extended her reach by competing at the Coupe d’Afrique de Slam Poésie in Bamako, Mali, where her performances once again stood out among a diverse pool of African poets.

Beyond live performance, Deborah’s creative influence spans literary and advocacy spaces. She won the British Council’s New Narratives Challenge, affirming her ability to tell stories that resonate with a global audience. She also participated in the UNICEF Poetry Mediathon, an initiative dedicated to amplifying poetic voices for social causes.

Her work has appeared in the Frontrunners Poetry Booklet and in the acclaimed anthology Bloom, expanding her presence beyond the stage and into published literature. She also emerged victorious in the “Doing Things with Stories” Global Playoff Contest, a storytelling competition organized in the Netherlands.

Deeply invested in social advocacy, Deborah contributed her creative skills to VOICE X, a U.S. Embassy-supported project focused on mental health awareness. She has also worked as a radio voice actor, creating narrative pieces that explored issues affecting Nigerian youth. In recognition of her growing impact, she was selected as a 2023 Fellow of the See My World Program and continues her work as a Young Storyteller with RISE Africa.

What is arguably considered to be Deborah’s most visible breakthrough came through mainstream Nigerian media. She auditioned for De9jaSpirit Talent Hunt Season 3, where she did not advance to the final stage. However, her audition performance gained significant traction online, earning her widespread recognition as a spoken-word artist.

Rather than retreat in shame, she returned stronger for the next season. Deborah took time to refine her craft and re-entered the competition in Season 4, stepping onto the stage with renewed confidence and clarity. She stood out among all the other competitors by choosing spoken word as her artistic medium, which is something rare to see in mainstream talent competitions. With each performance, she delivered compelling pieces that addressed themes such as social justice, gender-based violence, tribalism, and national insecurity. At the end of the season, Deborah emerged as the winner of De9jaSpirit Talent Hunt Season 4, becoming the first spoken-word poet to claim the show’s top prize.

The victory came with a ₦30 million award, but its significance extended far beyond money. For Deborah and for poets across the country, it was a powerful affirmation that words were powerful and that storytelling had a place on the cultural stage.

Despite her accolades, Deborah Johnson remains deeply committed to her purpose: using words to confront uncomfortable truths and create art that challenges perspective.

In one of her performances, she declares:

“This is not poetry for applause.

 This is poetry for people who feel unseen.”

Her work is marked by honesty, depth, and intention. She stands as an inspiration to young creatives across Africa and beyond, particularly emerging poets who are still learning to craft their identity and find their voices. As she reminds her audience:

“I am not loud because I want attention.

 I am loud because silence never saved anyone.”

Through every performance, Debi_xson proves that words matter, and that when spoken with courage, they have the power to change everything.