An Interview with Mohammed Salihu

Mohammed Salihu is a poet whose work explores themes of migration, identity, spirituality, and healing. His poetry is shaped by his personal experiences and cultural heritage, blending raw emotion with spiritual depth. Mohammed is inspired by the power of language to evoke empathy and foster healing. Voices from the Soil: Wounds and Wisdom is his debut collection, which reflects his journey through grief, faith, and the search for belonging.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

I started writing Voices from the Soil: Wounds and Wisdom as a way to process experiences of grief, migration, identity, and spirituality. Poetry became my means of translating emotions into something tangible, something that could resonate beyond my personal story. The book emerged from both personal and collective reflections—a desire to heal wounds while also preserving wisdom. As I wrote, the poems began to take shape like a call and response between memory and supplication, pain and healing.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title Voices from the Soil: Wounds and Wisdom came after much contemplation. I wanted something that could capture both the pain and the resilience found in stories of migration, heritage, and survival. Soil symbolizes home—both the land we come from and the one we carry with us. It’s the foundation of identity, memory, and spirituality. Wounds and Wisdom reflects the duality of struggle and growth—how pain and loss, though heavy, often lead to clarity and transformation. These themes are present throughout the book, especially in sections like “Devotion Songs” and “Healing Songs,” which explore faith and renewal.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

The themes in my book: migration, nostalgia, resilience, and spirituality—resonate deeply with certain songs. Some that capture its essence include:

“I’ll Go Anywhere” – Mustafa the Poet (a reflection on grief, faith and personal struggles)

“Timbuktu Fasso” – Amine Bouhafa ft. Fatoumata Diawara (a song rich with cultural memory and spiritual weight)

“Gambia” – Sona Jobarteh (a moving tribute to home and heritage)

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I was drawn to poetry during the COVID-19 pandemic when I saw young people using their voices to speak on global issues. That moment made me realize that poetry could be more than self-expression—it could be activism, healing, and storytelling all at once.

Beyond that, I’ve been deeply inspired by poets who write with raw honesty about grief, spirituality, and the human condition. Writers like Wole Soyinka, Umar Sidi, Sadiq Dzukogi, and the late Hassan Usman Katsina have greatly influenced my approach to language and imagery. Their work carries a rhythm that feels both spiritual and grounded—something I try to emulate in my own writing.

I also draw inspiration from oral traditions, music, and Northern Nigerian poetry, which have shaped how I think about cadence, repetition, and the power of spoken word.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope readers come away with a deeper sense of empathy—for migrants, for those grieving, and for anyone navigating issues of identity and belonging. My poetry doesn’t provide answers; rather, it opens a space for reflection.

My perfect reader is a lover of profound poetic expression. Someone open to feeling, questioning, and seeing the world through different lenses.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.