Local Nigerian-Canadian author Kingsley McKay Ilekendi will be celebrating the launch of his book on February 22

By Tommy Osborne

Local author showcase

Local author celebrating book launch

Feb 21, 2025 | 4:47 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – As a part of celebrating Black History Month, local Nigerian-Canadian author Kingsley McKay Ilekendi will be celerbating the launch of his book “Deep Thoughts, Sands, and Waterfalls.” The celebration will take place on February 22 at the Courtyard by Marriott at 2:00 p.m.

“We expect that we are going to unveil the book and then we have conversations that have speakers coming in to talk about the book, and then we’re also going to have a book review, and we’re going to have discussions on what the book is about, how the book would add value to the society, and also how people can get a hold of the book also,” Ilekendi said.

The book is a collection of poetry and prose, with a key theme being the challenges and difficulties that come with living. Saying “the very essence of living can be an assault to some people’s mental and physical well-being,” Ilekendi hopes to not only bring these challenges to light, but also show that anyone struggling is not alone.

“It provides opportunity for people to understand that they are not alone, whatever it is that they are dealing with. There are other people experiencing that, we have over 8 billion people in the world, and so many things are going on in the world,” Ilekendi said.

While the challenges of life is a consistent theme of the book, with it comes the value of positivity. In fact, two of Ilekendi’s favourite poems in the book are about the power of positivity and being the change you want to see in the world. One of them is “The Wheel of Love,” a poem focused on the value of initiating love in a world full of challenges.

Spruce Kings fall in Langley to Rivermen

20h ago

Sexual Assault and Harassment

Judge to rule on Canada Post employee's sexual assault and harassment case

Dec 13, 2025

Weather Alerts

Freezing rain warning issued for Prince George-area, snowfall warning remains for Williston, Pine Pass

Dec 13, 2025

“It talks about positivity, about wanting to sacrifice for the society, about wanting to do the right thing so that people experience love, because there’s very little amount of love going on,” he explained.

Another of his favourites, “Every Second,” is a poem of self affirmation and the pursuit of excellence, with Aristotle and his idea of phronesis being a motif.

“I was talking about mastering whatever it is that you do. He (Aristotle) was so good at his craft. So you want to essentially every time and ensure that you affirm that you are good and every second in your life counts. I then went on to talk about every week, because the very essence of our existence starts from that very moment, so every decision you make in the moment would reflect on what happens the next day,” he explained.

As for what he hopes the reader gains from his book, he hopes a reader leaves feeling inspired and knowing they’re not alone.

“I also want it to be thought provoking for them, to plant a seed in their heart that the world can be a better place and they can play a significant role in that. As individuals, we are just minor entities in the universe. Some people may think that, ‘oh, whatever I do may not add value, I can’t make any difference.’ But that’s not true. We want to always make sure that we try our best to play our part in the society, and that we play our part in sharing love and reducing the amount of hate that goes on in the world,” he said.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your inbox every evening.