WHY I STARTED EBEDI WRITERS’ RESIDENCY – DR. WALE OKEDIRAN
Abubakar A Ibrahim interviews Dr. Wale Okediran
YOU’VE BEEN RUNNING A RESIDENCY WHICH IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN NIGERIA. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO DO THIS?
I was actually inspired to think along this line when I went to my home town for weekend with my wife and she said, why do you allow this place [the country house] to go to waste, that I could make use of it in a way and she brought this idea of a resort. The idea got a good grounding in me because when I recollect in the past when I had worked on a manuscript I wanted just a few weeks to finish it up and I couldn’t get away. So from there, we started asking around for those who had one or two experiences in having attended residencies in the past and their experience. We brought them together to form the board; somebody like Alkasim Abdulkadir, who had gone for residency abroad before, the same thing with Uche Umez, who is based in Imo, he has that kind of experience before and then with two other colleagues, we decided to form a board of directors and sent out calls for applications and the response has been very encouraging. Since then we’ve been running this programme.
FINANCING THE PROJECT MUST COST A LOT.
WHERE IS THE FINANCE COMING FROM?
Well, So far, the financing has been from me for now because I believe anything worth doing is worth some sacrifice. We are in the process of applying for assistance because we’ve been advised and we agree that for such a venture to have a long lifespan, you have to be sponsored because donor fatigue may set in. So far I’ve been sponsoring it.
HAVE YOU BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE QUALITY
OF WORK THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN THE RESIDENCY?
One thing we want to do is not to be too involved in the project that comes out of the place. We are more interested in people giving us an idea of what they want to work on before they come in and before they leave, we want to see that they really worked on that project so that people will not come there for a holiday or run from some problem to come and hide there for a few days or a few weeks. Regarding the quality, we don’t want to assess that too much because we believe that is the prerogative of the writer but along the line, Litramed Publications based in Lagos volunteered to look at the products of this residency and so far we have sent them four manuscripts out of which one is being considered for publication. Some other writers have their own arrangements. What we want to do is to give a free reign to every writer that is coming. We don’t want to monitor what he’s writing. We just want to make sure that he writes and he writes what he says he will write on.
SO WHAT FACILITIES HAVE YOU PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THE WRITER WRITES?
What we do is to provide residence, private rooms with toilets and everything, tables and chairs. They [writers] come in with their laptops but we provide them with internet facilities so that they can browse and do other things. We have a small book collection which they can use as reference. Of course, there is a sitting room, a television room, where they catch up on happenings all over the world. We have a housekeeper who will take care of their needs so they can be free to write. The cleaning of the place, their laundry and even going to the market to purchase their groceries and other needs, even cooking; all are handled by the housekeeper. All we want them to do is sleep, wake up, write, sleep wake up write. And we have also decided that the community should benefit from the programme and we said that each resident should spend two hours in a week with secondary school students in town. The resident is free to teach those students anything that catches his fancy.
YOU MENTIONED PLANS TO EXPAND THE FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAMME. HAS THERE BEEN ANYTHING CONCRETE?
No, there hasn’t been anything concrete yet. We are sending out applications and in the next couple of weeks we hope to get responses from them. All we have been able to do is get a parcel of land. We want to make the residency programme bigger than it is. In addition to the residency, we want to have literary seminars, maybe once in a month, where we invite guest speakers to come and talk to writers and maybe students as well. We also want to increase the number [of residents] from two to four or five. Not many so as not to distract them. But we are hoping that in the next few months, before the end of the year, we will get some grants that could sustain the programme.
IT SEEMS ALL THE RESIDENTS ARE MEN. WHAT IS HAPPENING...
No, the first two were women. Out of the six residents so far, two are women, four are men and I think the next set will be women. What we want is to make it a single gender event so that people will be comfortable with each other and it will also enhance their work. So far, we’ve had people from South West, South East. We’ve not got anybody from the north and we are trying to push because we know there are so many good writers from there and that’s why we are not limiting ourselves to writers in English language. We are also considering writers in indigenous languages. In fact, one of the writers who just finished writes in Igbo and we hope that out of the teeming population of Hausa writers in the north we could have one or two who could come and use the facilities so that this could be national and international the way we want it to be.
JUDGING FROM THE THREE SETS YOU’VE HAD
SO FAR, HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THEIR IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY?
Ah! In fact, I can say that judging from the response from the teachers, students and their parents and community leaders too, it seems as if the community is gaining more than the writers. Some of the students have never met a living writer before. One of the students said, at an event, that she had this perception that all writers are dead because all the books she had read were by Shakespeare and other old English writers. So to them, it is a fascinating experience that they are coming across living writers. And our residents have been able to identify some talents among them, talents that could be nurtured in the future. And the community itself, I could remember during the first passing out ceremony of the first set, we brought the Kaabyesi, the Aseyin of Iseyin as a guest of honour and two of the students read their poems, which they wrote for Iseyin, and the Kaabyesi was happy. In fact, right there, he offered me a chieftaincy title which I have not taken up yet, just to show how pleased he was.
SO HOW MANY SETS DO YOU INTEND TO HAVE IN A YEAR?
From our calculations, we want to run it from January to November, that’s 11 months and 11 months is 44 weeks and if each set will stay for six weeks, then we imagine we will have about seven sets in a year. We want to leave December free for those who want to travel or be with family.
SO IF A WRITER WANTS TO COME TO THE RESIDENCY, WHAT DOES HE NEED TO DO?
He just needs to send an application to the General Secretary at alkasimabdulkadir@yahoo.com. And the application must consist of a bio data, two references and a summary of the work he intends to do during the residency period and contact addresses. Once that is sent in, the board will look at it and consider if it is suitable or not. And the applicant should also indicate which month of the year will be preferable for him or her. This will enable the board to sort out the applications.
DOES THIS IMPLY THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING APPLICATIONS ALL YEAR ROUND?
Yes, all year round. We are also receiving applications from all over the world. In fact one of the next residents is coming from Uganda. So it’s all year round. And we give them stipends to take care of their financial needs to cushion the effect on those who work and maybe would be asked to take a leave without pay so that such a person would not lose much.
Is there any flexibility to the programme such that if a writer wants to make
some changes in the programme in such a way that will suit his needs, are you
open to any such arrangement?
Well, the only flexibility we allow now is on the time. We give six weeks. If a writer feels that four weeks is enough for him or her, then we allow him to go but we don’t want to encourage a stay of less than four weeks because it will defeat the purpose. We don’t want to have someone spend one week or two weeks, maybe he is here for sightseeing. The other flexibility we have notated is in terms of relating with the community. If the writer feels he wants to do adult education for elderly men or elderly women, no problem. Or if he wants to do a study on something peculiar to the area, like the area is noted for asoke, if the writer wants to do a study on this, you don’t want to work with students but with weavers, you want to write about them, you are welcome. But whatever you want to do should be something that can be seen, something tangible.
http://ebediresidency.blogspot.com/2013/04/why-i-started-ebedi-writers-residency.html
OKEDIRAN: 'THE WRITER IS LIKE A DISTANCE RUNNER' (INTERVIEW)
This interview with the President of Association of Nigerian Authors, Dr. Wale Okediran, was conducted by me in 2006, a few days to the International Colloquium on 20-Year After the Nobel Prize in Literature organised (Aug. 25th - 26th) by the association to honour the Nobel Laureat, Professor Wole Soyinka. He speaks not just on this, but other issues, especially his literary development.
NNW: YOUR WRITING CAREER; HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
Hon. Wale Okediran:
I started writing from secondary school, Baptist School. I was a member of the
press club. We used to paste our write-ups on notice board. I continued writing
through my days in Comprehensive High School, Ayetoro, in Ogun till my
university days at Ife where I became Editor-In-Chief of the campus newspaper,
Rip Off. This formed the basis of my venturing into the creative world. It was
only after medical school that I started writing seriously when I had more time
to myself.
WHAT WERE THE MAJOR MOTIVATING FACTORS?
The major motivating factors include the fact that in my secondary school
everyone was writing. My love for reading is also a major factor. And being a
Baptist school we used to receive literary materials from some American Baptist
churches. They were mostly second-hand books, but they were good, well
illustrated. In spite of this motivation, however, some of those I started writing
with later opted out, leaving just a few of us. And when I started writing
fully, I just used it as a means of expressing my mind, especially when I was
writing for newspapers like Tribune 
and Guardian. I used it as a form of social
correction, pointing out some of the things going on around me that I thought
were wrong; corruption, ethnicity etc. And, of course, when I started my
medical practice, I remember many patients who had a lot of stories to tell me
? some of them stranger than fiction. And many of these stories inspired my
imagination and I started re-organizing the stories, re-locating them to get
some fiction out of them. They really form the core of my writing. I didn?t
even know I was good at writing initially until one of my friends pointed it
out for me. It all began when I complained to him that I had written many
articles for newspapers but they were not being published. He said it seemed I
was writing faster than I was being published, and suggested that I should try
my hand on novel writing. I laughed then, because I didn?t know I could do it.
But luckily I saw an advert in newspaper about the London School of Writing.
While I was doing the course by correspondence the tutors suggested I could
start my hand at writing. That was only when I had the confidence. That was how
I started writing in 1980s.
YOU DISCOVERED YOUR WRITING TALENT VERY EARLY, YET YOU STUDIED MEDICINE.
WHY?
Well, I was lucky to have started my education where almost everybody was an
all-rounder. We had good teachers both in science and art subjects. So it
wasn?t anything difficult for people to cross from science to art. Art was even
my best subject. I had distinction in English, Literature, Geography etc. I
ended up having only credits in the sciences. So, looking back, it is like I
was actually better in the art subjects. But my parents encouraged me to do a
professional course and so I just chose medicine.
AS A DOCTOR YOU MUST BE A VERY BUSY PERSON. HOW DO YOU FIND TIME TO WRITE?
Once you have interest in something you will always create the time. I had to
cut down on my social activities like going to parties and even watching
television. I used my every available time especially weekends and around 10 pm
everyday when I?m back from the clinic. I try to put in about two hours every
evening. Some times I wake up around 4 am to write for about three hours. So it
became a routine. With that kind of arrangement one can put in a lot of effort.
Once in a while the work could be so hectic that I hardly had the time to write.
But I always come back whenever I have a free time.
IT SEEMS YOU SPECIALIZE MORE ON NOVEL WRITING.
Yes, initially I started with poetry, but along the line I saw that I was
better skilled in writing short stories and novels. I have over 25 short stories,
some of which have been published in journals, including Friendship Press, New
York. And I?m planning to do a collection of them soon. I do short stories in
between my novel writing, when I?m trying to relax. But essentially it is the
novel that I prefer. One of my earliest poems won an American poetry
association?s prize many years ago. But since then I haven?t done much poetry.
YOU THEMATIC PRE-OCCUPATION IS MAINLY PROTEST. WHY?
I think it has to do with my antecedence in writing. I started writing as a
newspaper columnist and most of my writings then were critical works,
criticizing the system etc. I discovered that I could express my self in
fictional works without being accused of abusing government or anyone, that is
why I moved to fiction. So it was like just carrying my newspaper social
criticism to my books. So that?s why it is like a protest work.
MANY PEOPLE ARE OF THE VIEW THAT, GIVEN THE AFRICAN EXPERIENCE, THE AFRICAN
WRITER HAS TO WRITE PROTEST WORKS TO BE RELEVANT. WHAT?S YOUR VIEW ON THIS?
I think they are right. The only thing is that to the outside world, this is
not good enough. I remember a few years ago when I sent my manuscript to a
publisher in the US, the first thing that struck him was that most of my works
were protest works, about corruption and so on. He wondered and said is that
the way your country is? And he said when are you going to write about love
stories and the like? And I made him to realize that because of the peculiarity
of the African situation, the African writer cannot run away from all these.
Because these are the problems we are faced with on daily basis. But, having
said that, I think we should mix up our works a bit. I tried doing that in one
of my works; Rainbows are for Lovers, a romance novel. But I discovered that I
was still protesting [laughter]. So it is like one can?t get away from it.
WRITING AND POLITICS; HOW SMOOTH IS THE COMBINATION FOR YOU?
It is not that smooth. In fact, my coming into politics wasn?t planned, I got
into politics through my relationship with late Chief Bola Ige. Because I was
his personal physician for many years. We got to know each other through
writing because he too was a very good writer, a poet, and a good supporter of
ANA. We used to hold readings in his house when I was the chairman of Oyo ANA.
That?s how we got to know each other, and I became his physician. Then he
started encouraging me to come into politics because he thought I was
protesting too much. He said ?look, you keep writing and complaining, why not
go in there, if you don?t go in there nothing will change. You have to
encourage people of your like mind to move into politics.? And that?s how I got
into politics. In 1999 I had a board appointment with the Oyo State government;
I was the chairman of the zonal health boards in charge of the public
hospitals. That gave me a lot of exposure to the grassroots people. So when the
2003 candidates were being sought for the National Assembly, my people decided
that if I was good enough to be able to organize hospitals in the area, to
improve their health care, then I should be a good representative, and that?s
why I get the post. But it wasn?t without stress. Because I got entrapped in
some of the political intrigues that Nigerian politics is known for. Even
within my party, on one or two occasions my name just disappeared from the list
between Ibadan and Abuja. And I had to go round again and start campaigning all
over the place.
YOUR NAME DISAPPEARED FROM THE LIST? HOW?
I was a consensus candidate and all the names were taken to the electoral
commission in Abuja for final registration. My name was removed by one of my
party chieftains and replaced with some one else?s name. It was much later I
got to know this. I was told that the party chieftain said that I didn?t pay
him homage so he removed my name. So I had to run round and normalize the
situation. And as God would have it, I got the ticket. And I have been trying
my best since to adequately represent my people.
THE NIGERIAN POLITICS THESE DAYS IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE GODFATHER SYNDROME.
WERE YOU ALSO SPONSORED BY A GODFATHER?
Well, the person who removed my name was a Godfather to another candidate and
he wanted to show that he is powerful. I won?t say I had a Godfather myself
because I won?t consider the later Bola Ige as godfather. I will call him a
mentor. Because there is a wide difference between a mentor and a godfather.
Mentors bring up you without expecting something in return. But Godfather will
have arrangement with you, they will give you conditions which you must fulfil
when you get to the position.
HOW SMOOTH HAS YOUR POLITICAL JOURNEY BEING SO FAR?
Well, it is not being to smooth. Often I?m thrilled when I see that I?m making
some headway in what I?m doing as a legislator ? when debates go the right way,
bills which you favour get passed, when I?m able to attract good project for my
constituency etc. These are moment when I feel elated, I feel happy to be a
legislator. But sometimes I get depressed and saddened. And sometimes I even
thought of packing it up because of the frustration. Frustration which you face
when bills and motions which you definitely know are detrimental to the people
get passed due to some powerful lobbying group from somewhere. And then
sometimes too when you come face to face with evidence of corruption in the
system; it makes you sad. And sometimes when you travel abroad for
parliamentary meetings and you see the quality of the kind of parliamentarian
they have, it makes you feel sad. And this is not the fault of Nigerians per
see, it has to do with our long military rules which have not developed the
democratic system. My belief is that if we allow the democratic experience to
continue even with all the problems it is going through in a few years? time we
too will be able to boast of quality parliament. Sometimes it is really hellish
for those of us who believe in the rule of law in the National Assembly. When I
came to the National Assembly the first thing I did was to look for people of
like minds, people whose antecedence are either in the democratic movement or
people who are former teachers and who are principled. And we formed ourselves
into a small group called Forum for Democracy and Good Governance. And we
became a think-tank in the National Assembly, looking at bills in a positive
may not in a mago-mago way. And through this organization we have been able to
do lot of things. We were able to mobilize effectively for the Anambra crisis
to be debated on the floor of the House. Because when Awka was razed down and
Ngige was almost fried alive attempts were made not to debate the issue. But
through this our group it was debated. The same thing we did in the Oyo crisis.
Not that we had anything against the new governor but we just felt that the
procedure through which he got into the position was fraudulent. A few members
of the House of Assembly were suspended so that they could have a two-third
majority to impeach the former governor. It was fraudulent. And in spite of the
efforts of the powers-that-be to stop us, we were able to debate the matter in
the House and condemned the action. Even though nothing really happened to
change the situation, it is on record that we condemned it. And, of course, our
biggest triumph was the third term issue, against which our group again started
the opposition. We were able to make sure the third term agenda was thrown out.
It was a very difficult time for us. We were faced with a lot of threats and
harassment. But I think it?s worth it. These are some of the moments when I
feel happy.
THERE ARE SPECULATIONS THAT YOU ARE PLANNING TO RUN FOR THE GOVERNORSHIP OF
OYO STATE.
It is not true. I don?t think I?m ready for that in the present circumstance.
May be I could try a shot at the Senate or another term at the House of
Representatives. All these will depend on the decision of my party. But for the
governorship, I think for now that will be difficult. That may come later.
WHAT?S YOUR ADVICE FOR YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY?
I think the first thing for them to understand, and I?m sure they are aware of
it, is that you have to stand on the side of the people in whatever decision
you want to take, because they are the ones who elected you. A good name is
better than silver and gold, so we should endeavour to make some impact on our
individual constituencies. Then they should not see politics as a do-or-die
affair. All these incidents of assassination, violence is a negation of the
principle of somebody who wants to serve. I believe if you want to serve your
people, you should wait for them to vote for you instead of forcing yourself on
them and using all sorts of illegal and illogical means of getting to the
office. And I think politics should be regarded as a hobby not a career. Every
politician should have a profession, a job, which he can always turn to if
elections don?t favour him. Politicians who are full time politicians and have
nothing else to do are very dangerous people because they become so desperate
and they would do all they can to stay in power For instance, if my party
decides not to put me up again, all I will do is to go back to my medical
practice and continue my practice and writing.
ANA IS HOLDING AN INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM TO CELEBRATE 20 YEARS AFTER
SOYINKA?S WINING OF NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE ON THE 25TH TO 26TH OF THIS MONTH
AT ILE-IFE. WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PREPARATION SO FAR?
We are all set. The occasion will be two events in one. The first event will be
the colloquium whereby international scholars will do an assessment of the
future governance and development of the African continent, under the theme:
?Twenty Years after the Nobel Prize: Literature, Governance and Development in
Africa?. The scholars include Nadine Gordimer, the South African writer who won
the Nobel Prize in 1991 and Professor Biodun Jeyifo of Harvard University, USA.
President of the Federal Republic of Ghana, His Excellency, Dr. John Kuffour
will also be attending the event as the special guest of honour while the
former Secretary-General of the commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, will be the
chairman of the occasion. And, of course, Wole Soyinka himself will be there,
including President Obasanjo or his representative, governors and the ministers
of Education, and Culture and Tourism. The second aspect of the event is
literary competition. We asked young playwrights of about 40 years old, to
adapt any of Soyinka?s works, except his plays, for stage presentation. We have
about 15 entries and we have done the short-list. The best play is already
being rehearsed for the stage during the occasion. We had some initial setback.
One of our major sponsors, one of the leading communications outfits the
country, suddenly became lukewarm after promising to bankroll the event. And so
we were able to get only 50 per cent of our budget. But we decided to go ahead,
we decided to scale it down rather than cancel it. Organizations that are
helping us include Obafemi Awolowo University where the event will hold; they
are helping us with some facilities. Cadbury and Chevron are also assisting.
FINALLY, A WORD FOR THE NIGERIAN WRITERS.
I just want to assure them that writing is a long distance thing, it is like a
long distance run whereby what you need is stamina not speed. And so they
should not get frustrated when their works are not published on time. They
should just continue to hone their skills to improve their works. One thing I
notice in the Nigerian writers is condemning literary prizes especially if
their works did not win. This doesn?t show much maturity, because, as everyone
knows, judging literary work has some element of subjectivity. It is not
something one should be hankering about. A good writer should not write because
of prize. Any work that is good enough whether it wins prize or not will
receive a good audience. The essence of writing is the writing itself and not
the prize One other thing I don?t want them to worry themselves too much about
is the issue of branding young Nigerian writers as copycats. I learnt Tanure
Ojaide said that, and it has generated some controversy. My reaction to all
these is that a young writer could copy somebody he considers as his role model
until he finds his own style and voice. This is not the same thing as
plagiarising. It is only bad when someone plagiarise or continues to copy
someone even after many years of writing. Above all, Nigerian writers should
persevere and keep on writing.
(c) Sumaila Isah Umaisha.
WALE OKEDIRAN: MY PLANS FOR AFRICAN WRITERS
A medical doctor, former ANA President and award winning, prolific author whose book is on the reading lists of several African African countries, Dr. Wale Okediran is the Secretary General, PAWA (Pan African Writers Association), the continent’s apex writers’ guild. Also the founder of Ebedi Writers Residency, Oyo State, Okediran was a former member of the Federal House of Reps. In this interview with Henry Akubuiro, he responds to questions on the workings of PAWA, how he has been advancing the cause of literature on the continent and the high stakes for African writers.
WHAT’S PAWA’S MANDATE AND HOW HAS IT BEEN EXECUTED OVER THE YEARS?
PAWA was founded in November 1989, as a cultural institution born in the larger crucible of Pan Africanism, that is, an umbrella body of writers’ associations on the African continent and the Diaspora. The mission of PAWA, unanimously accepted at its inaugural congress in November 1989, in Accra, Ghana, is “to strengthen the cultural and economic bonds between the people on the African continent against the background of the continent’s acknowledged diverse but rich cultural, political and economic heritage.”
In 1992, the Secretariat of PAWA, which is located in Accra’s Roman Ridge neighbourhood, was granted full diplomatic status by the government of Ghana to coordinate the activities of all the national writers associations in Africa by linking them with each other and using literature to promote the spirit of pan Africanism on the continent. One of the ways to improve literature in the continent is the urgent need to encourage our young writers through writers workshops, residencies and the provision of literary journals. It is also important for writers to belong to groups and associations through which they can interact with each other, exchange ideas and stimulate each other.
PAWA is currently organising some of the aforementioned activities despite the challenges of inadequate funding and the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through virtual literary activities, PAWA has been able to organise some literary events, such as workshops, seminars and book fairs. We have also commenced an empowerment project for female writers through which the writers are supported with some grants from their entrepreneurship business.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACING PAWA AT THE MOMENT?
Funding remains PAWA’S main challenge. Though the African Union mandated every African country to pay an annual subscription to PAWA, very few countries have been doing this. Even when this is done, the subscriptions are rarely regularly paid. The result is that PAWA is currently unable to execute many of its activities.
In addition to poor funding, the inactivity of some national writers associations has affected the activities of PAWA in the affected countries. This is because, even where active writers exist, as long as these writers are not under any active national writers association, PAWA cannot work in those countries. Although PAWA’S Constitution empowers the association to encourage every African country to have an active national writers associations, it is often difficult for PAWA to do this in order not to be seen to be interfering in the affairs of sovereign African countries. It is my hope that the new PAWA Council, which has representations from the five geopolitical regions of the continent, will find a lasting solution to this. Finally, the current COVID-19 pandemic has been a big constraint on the activities of the association.
AS THE NEW PAWA SECRETARY GENERAL, WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE GOALS?
My immediate goals are to make PAWA more relevant to the needs and aspirations of African writers; increase the number of national writers’ associations that are currently PAWA’s members; improve PAWA’S funding in order to make it meet the needs and aspirations of African Writers; and sustain PAWA’s activities, despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
SO FAR, WHAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE ADMINISTERING PAWA? ARE THERE SOME LITTLE BEGINNINGS TO BE PROUD OF?
We thank God. The experience has been very good, despite a brief, bumpy beginning. Since my coming into office, PAWA has had very good support from the government of Ghana, as well as the Ghana Writers Association (GAW). With this support, my staff and I have been able to bring PAWA back to the international stage, away from the previous perception of a local organisation. We have been able to revitalise the association through the execution of several projects, such as the Empowerment Project for female African Writers, virtual conferences in the areas of Francophone, Arabic and Swahili literature, among other important topics.
Within a few months of coming into office, I was also able to physically visit the governments and writers of Togo, Nigeria and Congo, while holding virtual conferences with writers in Ivory Coast and South Africa. Through these engagements, I was able to secure for PAWA promises of cooperation, collaborations and adequate funding from these countries.
In addition, through visits to various diplomatic missions in Ghana, PAWA has attracted a lot of support from the international community. The publication of PAWA’s quarterly newsletter has also gone a long way in publicising the activities of the association all over the African continent.
PAWA’s recent admission as a member of the International Authors Forum (IAF) is another big booster for the association’s international image. PAWA is in the final process of publishing two very important journals. The first is an anthology of short stories, Voices that Sing Behind the Veil, edited by Ivor Agyeman-Duah. The second is a Book of Tributes to Jerry Rawlings, edited by Professor Bill Ndi. Both publications should be released in a few months’ time.
WHAT OTHER WAYS DO YOU THINK PAWA SHOULD BE FUNDED?
PAWA’s Constitution allows the association to generate funds through some internal activities. To this end, we have been able to generate some funds from advertisements in our quarterly newsletter. We also have plans to establish some virtual and online literary workshops and editing facilities, through which we hope to also generate some additional funding. We are in discussions with an established publishing house for a PAWA imprint, which will enable us to assist our members in the publication of their works at a moderate cost.
ARE THERE PLANS TO HAVE A WRITERS’ RESIDENCY PROGRAMME RUN BY PAWA?
Yes, we have plans to establish two writers residencies under PAWA’S auspices. The plan is to site the residences in the northern and southern parts of the continent. We are already speaking to potential collaborators on this project.
DO YOU THINK EBEDI RESIDENCY HAS HIT THE STANDARD YOU SET FOR IT?
After 11 years of operation and hosting 120 writers, the Ebedi Residency is yet to hit the standard the Board of Directors and I set for the project. Apart from the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused a prolonged shut down in the activities of the residency, our plans to extend the activities of the residency to include a Creative Writing Academy has not yet materialised. It is our hope that the proposed Ebedi Creative Writing Academy (ECWA), when fully operational, will assist writers willing to improve their writing skills.
ANY NEW WORK IN THE OFFING?
My new novel, Madagali, which is a fictional account of the Boko Haram insurgency, will soon be released by Evans Publishers Plc, while the second volume of my travel stories, More Tales of a Troubadour, has also been submitted to a publisher.
With these two manuscripts out of the way, I can now concentrate on the biographies of two notable Nigerians, which I am currently working on.
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/wale-okediran-my-plans-for-african-writers/
AT 66, I’M STILL INSPIRED TO WRITE MORE FOR HUMANITY —OKEDIRAN
By On Apr 18, 2021
Award-winning Nigerian author and secretary-general of Pan African Writers Association, Dr Wale Okediran, reflects on his life at 66 and how his journey has inspired many others.
CONGRATULATIONS ON TURNING 66. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A WRITER AND A SENIOR CITIZEN?
I thank God for his grace and mercies. As the saying goes, age is in the mind, as such, I am still as physically active and literally productive as I was many years ago. This is especially true for writers. I am always inspired by a writer such as the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka who recently released his latest book at 86 years.
The same thing goes for the Emeritus Professor of Medicine and well known Children’s author, Anezi Okoro who recently retired at the age of 91 years. Even at 91 years, Prof Okoro was very reluctant to quit work. I was with him in his Enugu home a few days after his retirement from the Ebonyi State Teaching Hospital in 2020 when the elderly writer complained of boredom. ‘’Wale, what can I do to keep myself busy?’ he asked me. I jokingly told him to go into farming. The following morning, the old man informed me that after breakfast, I should accompany him to the plot behind his house to commence his farming career. It took me a while to dissuade him from embarking on another hard assignment even at an advanced age.
ANOTHER CONGRATULATION FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR NEW SET OF BOOKS, FOR THE BENEFITS OF THOSE KNOWING YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME, CAN WE KNOW YOU IN FEW WORDS, SIR?
I am a Nigerian author of many novels, short story collections, biographies and a collection of travel stories many of whom have won national and international literacy awards. I was commissioned in 2001 by Longman Nigeria Plc. to write a series of novella for school children on HIV/AIDS Awareness. My award-winning novel, tenants of the house has just been made into a movie directed by Kunle Afolayan. A medical doctor by training, I am a former Member of the House of Representatives and a past National President of the Association of Nigeria Authors. I now live and work in Accra, Ghana as the current Secretary General for The Pan African Writers Association.
WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE SERIES OF STORIES ABOUT THE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE?
The books which were written during the long period of the Physical Lockdown due to the Covid 19 Pandemic came about at the suggestion of my Publisher, Mr Dapo Gbadega the CEO of RASMED Publishers, Ibadan, Nigeria. He observed and I agreed with him that in view of the rising incidence of Gender Based Violence all over the world especially as a result of the Covid Pandemic physical lockdown, there was an urgent need to use literature to educate the public about the scourge.
It was in the course of researching for the books that I discovered that GBV is a big issue which cuts across both genders as well as all age groups. This was why my Publisher and I decided that rather than bring out one big book which many may find too intimidating, I should write a series of Novellas which would adequately address the issues.
This was why each book, tackled different situations ranging from abuse of infants and the elderly, female hawkers, male patients as well as inmates of boarding houses belonging to secondary school and religious institutions. The beauty of the project to my mind was that apart from the stories, suggestions for the prevention of the scourge were highlighted at the end of each book. The books were therefore both for entertainment and education of readers.
WHO ARE THE TARGET AUDIENCE FOR THE BOOKS OR ARE THEY FOR ONLY CHILDREN?
Actually, the Advocacy Books on Gender Based Violence are not only for children. The books are for both children and adults because contrary to popular opinion, victims of Gender Violence are not only children. Some of the victims of GBV in my collection were adults including a grandmother. In addition, it is important to add that even though the majority of victims of GBV are females, males are also affected. From my experience, incidences of GBV range from a ‘male to female’; ‘male to male’ as well as ‘female to female’.
HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON A TITLE AND A PICTURE OF THE BOOKS?
From my experience when I was commissioned in 2001 by Longman PLC to work on a similar set of Novellas on the HIV/AIDS issue, I discovered that for such books to be attractive to readers, the titles must reflect the story lines. In addition, for the pictures in the book, a writer must work with an experienced illustrator. What I did was to explain to the illustrator how I wanted the pictures to appear. The illustrator will then supply me with some sketches which I will go through and between the two of us, we would then agree with the final product.
MUST CHILDREN BOOKS BE POETIC OR PICTORIAL IN ORDER TO EMPOWER KIDS TO BE BRAVE AND FEARLESS IN THEIR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS?
In addition to a very good and inspiring story line, you also need the services of a good and highly imaginative illustrator to effectively communicate with children.
It is also important to note that writing for children is a serious business. You cannot write for children unless you like children and can’t bring yourself to their level to think like them. Some people cannot tolerate children whom they see as forms of distractions and disturbance. Such people cannot make good writers of Children’s Literature.
HOW BEST CAN CHILDREN BOOKS BOAST THEIR SELF-ESTEEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE THEIR IMAGINATIONS?
Children by nature are very inquisitive and very intelligent. Apart from being eager to learn, they quickly sponge up things that they see around them. This is why it is very important that the reading material they are exposed to must be of a very high quality. It is an anomaly to think that because your reader is a child, you have to water down or ‘talk down’ on them. As pediatricians will tell you, children are complete individuals on their own and must be treated as such. They are not ‘small adults’ who should be spoken to in a derogatory or ‘childish’ manner.
ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR CHILDREN’S BOOK OR AUTHOR, DEAD OR ALIVE, THAT HAVE INSPIRED AND KEEPS INSPIRING YOUR WRITING AND STYLE?
Mabel Segun, the famous author of MY FATHER’S DAUGHTER and other children’s stories is actually my mentor in the genre of Children’s Literature. It was after attending her Seminar on Children’s Literature which was organized by the Association Of Nigerian Authors in Kaduna in 1990 that I started writing for children.
I have also benefited immensely from the works of some famous authors of children’s books such as Maurice Sendak as well as J K Rowling, the author of the immensely successful Harry Porter series.
I have equally learnt a lot from reading about Children’s Literature from Literary Magazines such Writers Digest which I have been subscribing to for the past 20 years. Another very good resource is the Cartoon Network on the Television which I watch with my grandchildren whenever they are visiting.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A LITTLE IN ANY OF THESE BOOKS, EITHER YOUR PERSONAL-FAVORITE-THOUGHTS ON ANY OR YOUR FAVORITE SENTENCE, PARAGRAPH, OR PAGE?
Mabel Segun used to emphasize these phrases; ‘’You have to like children before you can write for them’’ ‘‘to be successful as a writer of children’s stories, you have to come to their level’’
I have also discovered that just like every form of writing, the best children’s stories are those that were well researched. It is not just enough to sit in your sitting room and write for children. You have to go out and see children in their natural location or read widely about a subject you wish to write about.
My children’s novel; THE RESCUE OF UNCLE BABS (Macmillan Publishers 1998) which won the 1999 ANA/Matatu Children’s Literature Prize was borne out of my experience travelling in a train from Ibadan to Kaduna to attend the 1998 ANA Convention which took place in Kaduna.
Read the rest on tribuneonlineng.com
FOR YOUR BEST WRITING TIME AND COMPANION/ENERGY: MORNING, AFTERNOON OR EVENING AND SUGAR OR PLAIN, TEA OR COFFEE?
I write every day, morning, afternoon and evening. However, I prefer the early hours of the morning from 2 to 6 when my brain is very fresh. My writing companions are a hot cup of coffee, light music in the background and some cracker biscuits to keep my sugar level steady. In my younger days, I use to add some Kolanuts to my writing arsenal just to keep away sleep. I hardly use that wonderful writer’s friend these days unless if I have to keep to an emergency deadline or whenever my Publisher comes up with another wonderful idea accompanied by a fat cheque which I cannot resist.
WHAT’S THE LAST BOOK YOU READ OR THE LAST THING YOU EXPERIENCED THAT MADE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD OR CRY?
An excerpt from Ken Saro Wiwa’s wonderful book SOZA BOY where a policeman who was promoted burst into tears and refused the promotion because it would meant being posted away from his very lucrative check point duties to a desk job.
CAN YOU TELL US SOMETHING LITERARY IMPORTANT THAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW AS A CHILD?
That much of Literature is a reflection of the society, its good values and its ills and that there is nothing new under the sun.
HOW DO YOU DO SO MUCH WRITING AT ONCE: TRAVELOGUES, NOVELS, ESSAYS, CHILDREN BOOKS AND RUNNING AN ASSOCIATION AS BIG AS (PAWA)
I thank God for his mercies and favours. He gave me parents and teachers who inculcated the virtues of hard work, team work, love of reading and writing in me at an early age. As I grew up, I was also lucky to meet friends and associates who recognized my God given talents and encouraged me to tap into them. I can say that a lot of what I am doing today was on the recommendations of friends and family members.
Unknown to many, I am actually an introvert as well as very conservative person who just want to be left alone. There have been instances when I actually did my best to run away from some suggested projects only for those projects to be some of most successful ones in my life. On the promptings of people, I have moved out of my ‘comfort zone’ and achieved things beyond my imaginations.
Perhaps, the most important lesson I have learnt is the need to help others. My Ebedi International Writers Residency in my hometown, Iseyin, Oyo State which I have been running for the past 11 years at no cost to writers is a case in point. Through the project, I have been able to mentor many writers, students and community leaders who have in turn been sources of immense blessings to me in many ways.
IS THERE ANOTHER SIDE OF YOU THAT EVEN YOUR MOST LOYAL FANS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I don’t know how to dance.
AND LASTLY, WHAT’S THE ONE SIMPLE WORD OF COMFORT AND MOTIVATION TO AN ABUSED CHILD?
God loves you
https://tribuneonlineng.com/at-66-im-still-inspired-to-write-more-for-humanity-okediran/
UN SDG BOOK CLUB INTERVIEW SERIES MEETS WITH WALE OKEDIRAN
12 November 2021
The Esteemed Okediran has published till date, fourteen novels, many of which are on the reading lists of a number of Nigerian universities.
His highly acclaimed novel, Tenants of the House, which is a fictional account of his years in the House of Representatives was the 2011 Co-Winner of the Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature.
Dr. Okediran served as the National President of Association of Nigerian Authors between 2006 and 2009, he is currently the Deputy Secretary-General (Africa) for the Union of Writers from Africa, Asia and Latin America. He has consulted for several international and local development agencies such as Constella Futures International USA, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, USIS, UNAIDS, NPHCDA, NACA, UNICEF, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, and Action Aid.
In an interview with the SDG Book Club African Chapter, Dr. Okediran spoke on his extensive experience in the literature world and his book "Corona Tales" which was selected for the SDG 3: English Reading List.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING/ CREATING IMAGES FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS?
I have been writing for children for the past 30 years
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE UP THE SDG CHALLENGE?
My desire to contribute to good quality children’s books for the SDG Project.
THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE SDG BOOK CLUB IS TO INFORM AND EDUCATE CHILDREN. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO CREATE A FUSION OF ENTERTAINMENT, EDUCATION, AND INFORMATION TO INCREASE CHILDREN’S UNDERSTANDING OF GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
My approach was to write on a topical and important topic such as the Covid-19 pandemic in a simple and interesting style backed by beautiful illustrations which children can learn from and also enjoy.
HOW DO YOU CARRY OUT RESEARCH FOR YOUR BOOK?
Apart from my background as a medical doctor as well as a Writer of children’s stories, I consulted recent publications on the pandemic as well as children literature. This way, I was able to use current information on the Covid-19 as well as information about children’s literature for the book.
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTER
There is no main character in the book. Rather, the book has a series of important messages for children on the Covid-19 pandemic which has been causing anxiety in both adults and children.
https://namibia.un.org/en/158193-un-sdg-book-club-interview-series-meets-wale-okediran
INTERVIEW WITH WALE OKEDIRAN, BY CHIAKA OBASI
A former president of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Wale Okediran (WO) is a physician, writer and politician (He had represented his constituency in Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives). He is the founder of Ebedi International Writers’ Residency, Iseyin, a winner of an ANA Prize for Fiction and a joint winner of the 2010 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa which he shared with South Africa’s Kopano Matlwa with his acclaim novel, “Tenants of the House”. He was interviewed by Chiaka Obasi (CK) who was among the residents for the May/June 2013 session of the Ebedi International Writers’ Residency.
CK: FROM THE BEGINNING, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE?
WO: I think my original inspiration came from my effort at correcting what I consider to be societal ills through writing. Each time I discover that something is wrong in the society, either corruption at official levels or some form of indiscipline or injustice, I rush to my pen and paper and put it down. Initially, I was doing that through the newspaper articles before I went into creative writing. I can say that my writing was inspired by my reaction to my immediate environment.
CK: YOU ARE A PHYSICIAN AND LATER, YOU JOINED POLITICS. HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO WRITE DESPITE YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES?
WO: Well, right from school days, I have been able to discipline myself to combine so many things together. I was able to master the art of multi-tasking. I was actively participating in sports, track and field events and Hockey, representing my secondary school, university and state. When I was doing all this, I tried to avoid distractions and stick to the plan and time table I drew for my self. I stuck to my activities religiously. I kept away from things that would bring distraction such as television, films and idle talks, and people felt that I was an introvert. I preferred to stay in my room and write. When I was fully involved in medical practice, my daily schedule was to go to my hospital in the morning, take a lunch break around 2.00 pm. When my children were younger, I would go to their school and pick them after school, go home and rest for awhile (take my siesta) and around 5.00 pm, I would go to the sports field and jog or play tennis and then I go back to the hospital and from 6 pm to 9.00 pm, I will be in the hospital. After this I will spend the next three hours writing. So, when I went into politics, this continued because it has become part of me.
CK: ALL YOUR WORKS ARE PROSE WORKS. WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN FICTION WRITING?
WO: I enjoyed Russian Literature a lot, especially, works of Dostoevsky, Pasternack as well as Anton Chekhov, who was a medical doctor and dramatist. I also enjoyed the works of Saul Bellow, Jeffrey Archer and many other writers like Soyinka—his works that were accessible to me such as “Ake: Years of Childhood”, and “The Man Died” I; and “Love in Times of Cholera” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I enjoyed these works and they rubbed off on me.
CK: YOUR WORKS DEAL WITH SUCH THEMES AS LOVE, AMBITION, CORRUPTION AND POLITICS. ONE EXPECTS THAT HEALTH ISSUES AND THEMES WOULD DOMINATE YOUR WORKS, BEING A PHYSICIAN. DO YOU CONSCIOUSLY AVOID THEMES THAT ARE LINKED TO MEDICINE?
WO: Though my works are mainly about love, intrigue, corruption adventure, once in a while, you see snapshots of medical life. For example “Rainbows are for Lovers”, “The Boys at the Border” and “Dreams Die at Twilight”, all have hospital scenes.
CK: YOUR ACCLAIMED NOVEL, ‘TENANTS OF THE HOUSE’ PORTRAYS REAL LIFE CHARACTERS IN NIGERIAN POLITICS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FEDERAL HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY AND THE PRESIDENCY. THOUGH THE CHARACTERS ARE FICTIONAL, WERE YOU IN ANY WAY CRITICIZED BY YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE?
WO: Yes, (Chiaka laughs) my colleagues in the house are not happy with the book. To them, I portrayed them as crooks. They felt I betrayed them and that I am not a politician, that I was a writer planted among them to reveal their secrets. But two or three felt that what I did was in order to sanitize the society. But on the whole, many felt I put sand in their garri, so to speak.
CK: WHICH OF YOUR NOVELS DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR BEST?
WO: That question has been difficult to answer. It’s like asking you which of your children you consider the best. I think I will choose “Tenants of the House”. It afforded me the opportunity to voice out things that were not right in the Federal House of Assembly. I am happy with the quality of production of the book.
CK: HOW DID YOU CONCEIVE THE IDEA OF EBEDI INTERNATIONAL WRITERS’ RESIDENCY?
WO: The idea came from my wife who though that we should put our house to a better use. Most of the time we were not around. We only came home once in a year or when there was an event in Iseyin. I also used to tell her that I need a place to write and I know there are writers who are also in the same dilemma. We decided to let it (the house) out to writers. We knew we have to work with writers who have attended residencies abroad. We contacted Uche Umez, Alkazim Abdulkadir and Akintayo Abodunrin. These writers have participated in residencies in the past. My wife and I and these writers are the board members of Ebedi International Writers’ Residency.
CK: DO YOU HAVE CO-SPONSORS IN THIS RESIDENCY PROJECT NOW?
WO: So far, we don’t have sponsors. It is still a personal project. But daily, we are in search of sponsors who will take over and help sustain the project.
CK: HOW WOULD YOU ASSES THE SUCCESSES OF THIS PROJECT SO FAR? ARE YOU IN TOUCH WITH FORMER RESIDENTS TO KNOW THEIR SUCCESSES AFTER THEIR STAY HERE? HAVE THE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO THE RESIDENTS HAVE TAUGHT SO FAR ACTUALLY PROVED THAT THEY HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS?
WO: I can say that we are happy with the progress so far. The response from the residents has been remarkable. The demand by writers to participate is very high. Some of them have been doing well, like A. Igoni Barret who published a new book of short stories. Elnathan John who has been short-listed for Caine Prize for African Writing this year (2013) was here. We hope to start literary workshops, seminars with guest writers who will impart positively on the immediate literary community. We have been able to discover one or two potential good writers among the students. We hope that this can get better. More information on the residency are available on ebediresidency.blogspot.com
CK: NIGERIA HAS MANY GIFTED WRITERS, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE DISCOVERED WHEN THEY RELOCATE TO THE WEST, WHEN THEY ARE SHORT-LISTED FOR AWARDS ABROAD AND WIN PRIZES OR WHEN THEY SUCCEED THROUGH PERSONAL EFFORTS IN GETTING A LITERARY AGENT AND GETTING PUBLISHED OUTSIDE AFRICA. WHY ARE NIGERIAN PUBLISHERS ONLY INTERESTED IN PATRONIZING NIGERIAN AUTHORS ALREADY DISCOVERED AND NURTURED BY THE WEST?
WO: You are right. There are two major reasons. Laziness and lack of initiatives on behalf of Nigerian publishers who are not ready to groom or invest on writers. They are ready to make money out of them without putting money. Another reason is that publishing is a business and publishers are there to make money. So, harsh economy and poor reading culture made them wary of how they invest in writers whose works they feel may not do well in the market. That’s why they always look for established writers.
CK: HOW CAN READING CULTURE AND PUBLISHING OF CREATIVE WORKS BE REVIVED IN NIGERIA?
WO: Poor reading culture could be due to poor educational background because if you do not start early to introduce reading to children, they may not pick up. Secondly, reading is a secondary need on the continent. The primary needs—foods, shelter have superseded reading. People will only read and write after their primary needs have been met. Apart from these factors there are distractions from soccer, premier league, internet, computer games, home video and so on. Our youths are glued to all these. Book reading becomes jettisoned.
Parents and guardians should encourage their children/wards to read from a tender age. My parents encouraged me to read newspapers. Bedtime stories for kids should be encouraged. Research has shown that the more television children watch, the less they perform well in school. This should be checked. Government should build more libraries and equip them with good books. The leaders at the state and local government levels should provide libraries as well. Government should also look into the tariffs on reading materials such as papers so that books can be affordable. NGOs and philanthropic and corporate bodies should donate and give out books to schools to encourage the students to read.
CK: NIGERIAN AUTHORS WHO ARE LUCKY TO GET PUBLISHED IN NIGERIA OFTEN COMPLAIN ABOUT BEING CHEATED BY THEIR PUBLISHERS AND ABOUT PIRACY. AS A FORMER LAWMAKER, DO YOU THINK THAT THE AGENCIES CONCERNED WITH ANTI-PIRACY POLICY IMPLEMENTATION AND THE COPYRIGHT COMMISSION WERE ADEQUATELY EMPOWERED BY THE LAW TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE AUTHORS AND OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OWNERS? I ASK THIS BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT AS PIRACY GOES ON, NOTHING HAPPENS TO THE OFFENDERS. THE PUBLISHERS SMILE TO THE BANK AND THE WRITERS LICK THEIR WOUNDS.
WO: When I was in the house, I was a member of the committee on culture and the team that made concerted efforts to check piracy. In a country where there is poverty and lawlessness, fighting piracy is a herculean task. I can say the agencies are doing their best. I notice that sometimes they raid the hideouts of these pirates, in Alaba market for instance. As regards writer-publisher relationship, some publishers don’t pay royalty, don’t inform writers when they do re-print, that is why Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) under my leadership some years ago, tried to assist authors to address this. The law is on ground and it is working. The agencies go to bookshops to arrest the offenders. They should increase their punitive measures.
CK: MOST OF THESE ISSUES RAISED HAVE LED TO SELF PUBLISHING AND VANITY PUBLISHING. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ASPIRING NIGERIAN AND AFRICAN WRITERS?
WO: I always try to discourage self-publishing except genres like poetry and drama. But for fiction, I think authors should try and get published by mainstream, conventional publishers because when you submit your work, it will go through a system whereby internal editors will critically analyze the book, edit and put in professional input to make it better than the original product.
Marketing also helps. A self-published book has a limited audience because the author may not have the resources to market the book. A conventional publishing house has all the facilities and outlets to market the book
When you self-publish your work, you will be running after printers and spending the time you will utilize in settling down to write.
CK: THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR TIME.
WO: It’s my pleasure.
LITERATURE, MEDICINE AND POLITICS ARE MY WIVES | WALE OKEDIRAN
African writers August 18, 2021 40 Min Read
“Literature, Medicine and Politics are My Wives” INTERVIEW WITH DR. WALE OKEDIRAN
By Phateema Salihu (Literature Voices)
(Dr. Wale Okediran served as a Member of the Federal House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. He has published till date, 14 novels. His highly acclaimed novel, Tenants of the House, which is a fictional account of his years in the House of Representatives, was the 2011 co-winner of the Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature. In 2010, he established the first Writers’ Residency in Nigeria, ‘The Ebedi International Writers’ Residency’ in Iseyin, Oyo State. He is a Fellow of the General Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, a Fellow of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors and was once its National President between 2006 and 2009. He is currently the Deputy Secretary-General (Africa) for the Union of Writers from Africa, Asia and Latin America and is, presently, the Secretary General of Pan African Writers’ Association (PAWA) in Accra Ghana.)
PHATEEMA: THANK YOU FOR GRANTING THIS INTERVIEW. IT IS A BIG HONOUR FOR ME, A YOUNG WRITER, TO BE ABLE TO INTERVIEW ONE OF THE VETERAN WRITERS IN AFRICA. FIRST OF ALL, A WARM CONGRATULATION TO YOU ON YOUR MOST RECENT APPOINTMENT AS THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF PAN AFRICAN WRITERS ASSOCIATION (PAWA). WHAT IS PAWA? WHAT ARE THEY DOING, ACTUALLY? THE ASSOCIATION IS NOT POPULAR AMONG YOUNG WRITERS ON THE CONTINENT.
Okediran: Thank you for your compliments. PAWA is The Pan African Writers’ Association (PAWA), founded in November 1989. It is a cultural institution “born in the larger crucible of Pan Africanism, which is an umbrella body of writers’ associations on the African continent and the Diaspora. The mission of PAWA: it was unanimously accepted at its inaugural congress in November 1989, in Accra, Ghana that it is “to strengthen the cultural and economic bonds between the people on the African continent against the background of the continent’s acknowledged diverse but rich cultural, political and economic heritage.”
The Constituent Congress of PAWA was held at the Kwame Nkrumah Conference Centre, Accra, Ghana, from 7 to 11 November 1989 under the theme: “African Unity; A Liberation of the Mind”. Representatives from more than 36 countries formally signed the Declaration and Constitution that led to the establishment of PAWA. PAWA now comprises the 52 national writers’ associations on the African continent. In 1992 the Secretariat of PAWA, which is located in Accra’s Roman Ridge neighbourhood, was granted full diplomatic status by the government of Ghana. In 1991, the Conference of African Ministers of Education and Culture, meeting in Cotonou, Benin Republic, resolved to celebrate November 7th, the day on which PAWA was founded, as International African Writers’ Day, which is now celebrated throughout the continent. The founding Secretary General of PAWA was Professor Atukwei Okai. He was succeeded in August 2020 by Dr. Wale Okediran.
PAWA is to coordinate the activities of all the National Writers Associations in Africa by linking them with each other and using Literature to promote the spirit of Pan Africanism on the continent. PAWA has not been very popular in the past because its activities were largely restricted to Ghana and a few African countries. However, we are trying to change that style by opening up PAWA to the entire continent and the world at large. We have started doing this through interactive virtual literary events, as well as an empowerment projects for the female writers.
PHATEEMA: WE SURELY HOPE TO SEE MORE OF PAWA IN THE NEAREST FUTURE. GHANAIANS ARE CURRENTLY MANHANDLING NIGERIANS IN GHANA, HOW ARE YOU SETTLING DOWN IN THE COUNTRY? WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS? HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO HELP IN THE CRISIS, SEEING THAT YOU ARE A POWERFUL VOICE FROM THE CONTINENT? WHAT WERE THE IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES YOU FACED UPON ARRIVAL BOTH IN THE CRISIS AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT?
Okediran: The issue of the current friction between Nigerians and Ghanaians is a complex one. It has to do with a long-time history of rivalry between the countries in the areas of commerce, sports, fashion, literature and food…. ‘the Jollof wars!’ Luckily, the situation is not as bad as it is being painted by the media. Ghanaian traders are complaining about the high influx of Nigerian traders who are taking over their jobs, especially in the area of petty trading. You know that Ghana is a small country of about 30 million people compared to Nigeria’s over 200 million. It is, therefore, natural for Ghanaians to feel threatened by this influx.
However, the matter is being looked into. I was at the meetings held by the Nigerian Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo when they came to mediate in the problem. The immediate challenges I faced here was the issue of accommodation since the family of the immediate past Secretary General of PAWA, Professor Atukwei Okai is still staying in the official residence for PAWA’s Secretary General. I am still staying in a Guest House while the issue is being sorted out. The other issue is that of official vehicle, which is yet to be provided. I currently use the services of UBER to move around Accra for my official duties. Food is also a big issue for me. Having been used to home cooked Nigerian foods, it’s not been easy adapting to eating largely Ghanaian foods in restaurants but I am gradually coping.
PHATEEMA: I CAN IMAGINE INDEED. AS A MEDICAL DOCTOR TURNED WRITER, THEN A POLITICIAN AND SO ON, WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING A ONE-MAN ARMY AND DO YOU BELIEVE BEING A FULL-TIME WRITER IN NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE? IF YES, HOW?
Okediran: ‘One-man army?’ (Laughter). I thank God for all the talents he has deposited in me. I, sometimes, feel overwhelmed with all the energy bursting out of me. Somebody once described me as a Salon car fitted with an aircraft’s engine (Laughter). Just like the famous Russian Writer, Anton Checkov, who was also a Medical Doctor, I am married to three wives; Medicine, Literature and Politics.
A few years ago, when I went to read to some secondary school girls in Kano, one of the girls asked me to name which of my three careers: Writing, Literature and Medicine, I loved best. It was a difficult question then and even now because I believe that the three professions feed each other. While my medical profession provided the inspirations for my stories and are used to pay the bills when my writing was still in its infancy, politics provided me with the linkages and also some inspirations (My award winning book, Tenants Of The House, was inspired by my stay as a Member of the House of Representatives), which are very necessary for the publicity and marketing of my books.
Even in the advanced countries, many writers don’t write full time. They have to combine their writings with other activities such as Teaching, Business, among other things. It is even worse in Africa with its poor economy and infrastructures. It is in realization of this that PAWA recently inaugurated an Empowerment Project for African female writers. This way, we believe that when writers can concentrate on their writings when they don’t have too much money worries.
PHATEEMA: IS RAINBOWS ARE FOR LOVERS YOUR FIRST WRITTEN BOOK? ALSO, DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR GENRE OF WRITING YOU MAJOR IN? WHAT IS YOUR STORY OF BECOMING A WRITER? WHY HAS PRACTICING MEDICINE BECOME YOUR SECONDARY ACTIVITY?
Okediran: Yes, Rainbows are for Lovers was my first published novel but not my first written book. My original manuscript was about my experience as a Youth Corp doctor. The mms was later published as Strange Encounters by Heinemann Books). However, when I presented the manuscript to my then editor in Spectrum Books, Mr. Gbenro Adegbola, he suggested that I should try my hand at a romance story since according to him it was easier to sell love stories. Having no previous experience in writing love stories, I quickly went through some old copies of my wife’s ‘True Romance’ magazines and studied important points such as characterisation, dialogue and love scenes. This research as well as my Diploma Course in Creative Writing helped in making Rainbows Are For Lovers one of Spectrum Books’ best-selling books till date. I was really thrilled by its success, especially when Spectrum Books had to fly me from Lagos to Enugu where the book was publicly presented by the late Cyprian Ekwensi at the Enugu Trade Fair in 1987. Even though the book was my first, Ekwensi went to predict that the book and author will go places. When I later discussed some of my challenges as a young author with the late icon, Ekwensi told me not to worry but to keep writing and that very soon, my characters will be writing the book by themselves. I thought it was a joke or an exaggeration until much later in my writing career, some of the characters in my books started writing the stories by themselves.
My writing life started during my secondary school days when I joined the school’s Literary Society. From there, I became the Editor of the school’s magazine. I had distinctions in English Language and Literature and wanted to study Mass Communications in the University but my father refused and insisted I study Medicine. Even as a Medical Student, I was still very active in literary activities and soon became the Editor of one of the campus newspapers at the then University of Ife called, ‘Rip Off’. I had problems with the university authorities when my paper cartooned the then Deputy Vice Chancellor who was caught late one-night urinating in one of the campus car parks. I narrowly escaped being rusticated from the university largely because I was a popular university sportsman. I was on university scholarship because I played Hockey for my university and my state.
The truth of the matter is that I am originally an art-oriented person having scored distinctions in all my arts subjects in secondary schools as against the credit scores I had in my science subjects. My original plan was to study Mass Communication but my father objected since he had already boasted to his friends that one of his children would be a Medical Doctor. And since I was also good in the sciences, I enjoyed my Medical School years during which I still found time to edit a Campus Magazine and play for the University’s Hockey Team. I was eventually awarded a university scholarship for my last three years in medical school and also represented Oyo State in many national sporting events. After medical school, I enlisted for a Diploma Course in Creative Writing before going into full writing alongside my medical practice which I still carry out albeit on a part time basis. No, I am not worried that writing has displaced my Medical Practice. I believe that I am just going back to what I was originally destined to do. I am, however, very fortunate to have attended medical school before going into writing since like many doctors and writers, medicine taught me how to write. The organic linkage between Literature and Medicine goes back to ancient times when the ancient Greeks recognised and honoured the connection by placing both medicine and poetry under the dominion of Phoebus Apollo, their god of the sun. The invocation of Apollo as the Patron of Medicine and Poetry stems from the belief that the physician and the writer can both be healers.
The list of men and women who have combined medicine and literature is long and varied depending on the inclination of the compiler. A writer like Chinua Achebe began but perhaps wisely did not finish medical school. By contrast, William Somerset Maughan finished his studies but never practiced it. Others like the poet John Keats eventually abandoned practice for full time writing while the greater number of doctors whose list is long continued and still continue to juggle both occupations throughout their lives. Famous literary physicians include Oliver Goldsmith (Circa, 1730), John Keats (1795-1821), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), Tobias George Smollett (1721-71), Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), Somerset Maughan (1874-1965), William Carlos Williams (1883-1963). Nearer home, the likes of Professors Olatunde Odeku, (late) Anezi Okoro and Adeloye as well as Ewa Henshaw, Tony Marinho, Femi Olugbile among others were able to combine literature with their medical practice. Although I still practice medicine, I am known more as a writer. One day, I will retire to my medical practice.
PHATEEMA: YOUR WRITING JOURNEY IS TRULY INSPIRING. YOU HAVE MENTIONED SOME RUSSIAN WRITERS IN YOUR LIST OF FAVOURITE WRITERS; PEOPLE LIKE ANTON CHEKNOV AND THE REST, HAVE THEY IN ANY WAY INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING? WHAT IS THEIR STYLE THAT FASCINATES YOU?
Okediran What I found fascinating in Russian Literature is that most of the settings of the novels are rural and domestic. They are usually fascinated by the simple challenges of everyday life such as love, family, life and death. In these regards, they have a lot of similarities with Africa and the developing countries. Most of the movements in the books of some of these writers such as Dostovesky, Chekhov, Pasternack to name a few are psychological. In fact, one of my novels; Dreams Die At Twilight a psychological novel, was inspired by my reading of the Russian writer, Dostovesky’s The Possessed. Although love was the matrix in Dreams Die At Twilight the contemporary issue of drug trafficking told against the mind of a troubled Medical Doctor was the main thrust of the novel. At the end of the book, the dream of the protagonist of the story to become an overnight millionaire through drug smuggling hit the rocks and so the book’s title
PHATEEMA: YOU SAID YOUR INSPIRATION TO WRITE COMES FROM THE NEED TO CORRECT THE ILLS OF THE SOCIETY: LOOKING BACK NOW, WILL YOU SAY YOU HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN EFFECTING CHANGE IN THE SOCIETY THROUGH WRITING? ANY SPECIFICS? WHAT KIND OF CHANGE?
Okediran: As an artist, I consider it my duty to tell the story around me in the best possible way possible. I also believe that the duty of a writer is to write as honestly as possible what the society often considers ‘unspeakable’ so that through this, some of the ills in the society can be corrected. For example, I was prompted to write Tenants Of The House because of my deep seated conviction that Nigeria has great potentials once we can get our acts together both by those in power and the followership. One of the ways of doing this is to tell our stories however painful or uncomfortable this may be. This way, while laughing at our mistakes, we can learn how to correct them and move forward. My experience with Strange Encounters and Tenants Of The House has confirmed that well known fact that in creating good and memorable novels, a writer must be ready to ruffle some feathers. While it is true that some of my colleagues in the Nigerian Parliament were miffed by some of the expositions in Tenants Of The House, the book has been well received by a large number of them. In fact, some of the Legislators have praised me for helping them by telling the world some of the challenges politicians face when taking up the arduous task of nation building in a developing country such as Nigeria. Even though I cannot boast that all my works have been largely successful in effecting changes in my immediate society, I am still satisfied that many of my works have been able to effect some degrees of awareness in the minds of those who have read them.
PHATEEMA: AND I MUST ADMIT, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. FOR PEOPLE TO BE AFFECTED BY WHAT YOU WRITE. AS A FORMER MEMBER, FEDERAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, YOU WERE A PART OF THE COMMITTEE THAT HELPED FIGHT AGAINST PIRACY AND HELP PUT LITERATURE IN A BETTER SHAPE, ARE THOSE BODIES STILL IN EFFECT OR WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN?
Okediran: Yes, the bodies, especially, the Copyright Commission is still very active and doing its job. The only setback is that the Bill for the Endowment for the Arts, which I proposed and was also worked upon by some Legislators who came after me has not yet seen the light of the day. It is my hope that the Bill will soon become a law for the benefit of Nigerian writers and artists.
PHATEEMA: YOU AND YOUR WIFE MOOTED THE IDEA OF EBEDI INTERNATIONAL WRITERS’ RESIDENCY IN NIGERIA. THE IDEA HAS PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN FORGING A LOT OF YOUNG WRITERS DOING WELL TODAY, HOW DID YOU SUSTAIN IT FOR TEN YEARS WITHOUT COMPLAINING ABOUT FINANCES? IS THE FUNDING FROM YOUR PERSONAL SPONSORSHIP OR DO YOU HAVE OTHERS WHO ARE HELPING?
Okediran: The idea of the Ebedi Residency came to me when I was looking for a place to complete a work at hand. When I complained to my wife, she then suggested we convert our country home in Iseyin, Oyo State for the venture. This is a laudable programme whereby aspiring and established writers can take time off their daily routines and seclude themselves for a while in a serene environment, sheltered from the noise and bustle outside, in order to fully devote themselves to the tussle with their creative imagination. Here, they will have all the infrastructural support they require; without distraction from family or friends, distant from the endless ritual of weddings and funerals and other ceremonies and well provided against NEPA and water shortages. In addition, we pay writers a weekly stipend to stay in the residency and offer them a publishing opportunity for their completed works through a well-known Lagos based publisher. In return, the writers are expected to interact with secondary school students in Iseyin for a few hours a week in order to mentor them. So far, a lot of gifted writers from the schools have been discovered.
It has not been easy self-sponsoring the residency these past ten years but I thank God that the residency is daily gaining national and international acceptance and recognition. Right now, a Belgium based organisation, Arts Move Africa (AMA) now provides flight tickets to intending residents from outside Nigeria. Although some of my friends and organisations have been giving me some occasional financial support, I am searching seriously for a corporate or government sponsorship for the residency in order to expand and sustain the project.
PHATEEMA: VERY COMMENDABLE I MUST SAY. I CAN SEE THAT AMONG THE ESTABLISHED WRITERS FROM THE SOUTH, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO STRIKE A MUTUAL CHORD WITH WRITERS IN THE NORTH INCLUDING YOUNG ONES. THE LATE ABUBAKAR GIMBA ONCE DEDICATED A POEM TO YOU “SCALPELS OF QUILLS.” WHAT WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH THE LATE VETERAN AND OTHER NORTHERN WRITERS IN GENERAL?
Okediran: I was brought up by my parents not to discriminate in my relationships with people from any corner of the world. Humility, gratitude, hardwork as well as patience were some of the ethos drilled into me from childhood. In addition, my paternal grandmother was a Fulani woman, thus I see myself as a complete Nigerian who should feel at home anywhere in the country. I also think that my positions in ANA as a former National Treasurer, General Secretary and later National President went a long way in helping me to bond very well with writers from every corner of the country. The icing on my nationalistic cake came with my election into the House of Representatives in 2004 when I was not only able to make friends across ethnic and religious divides, but was also able to travel round the country. Therefore today, I have travelled to all the 36 states in the country and can boast of having friends in every one of these states.
PHATEEMA: MANY OF YOUR BOOKS ARE ON THE READING LIST OF TOP UNIVERSITIES, HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE SUCH FEAT?
Okediran: I thank God for this. The interesting thing is that I never lobbied to have any of my books on the reading lists of these universities. It was my friends in those institutions who out of their love for my books and my personality who volunteered to suggest those books. This is why it is very important for writers to improve their writing skills and write well. Before anyone will recommend one’s book, the book must be well written. It is also important for writers to invest in good human relations so that somebody somewhere will be ready to speak up for the writer even in his or her absence.
PHATEEMA: AS A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN AUTHORS, YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAD BEEN FACTIONALISED, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE NEW LOOK THE ASSOCIATION HAS TAKEN? WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST AS A WAY FORWARD TO BRING BACK THE ASSOCIATION TO ITS FORMER GLORY?
Okediran: The situation in ANA today is very sad. As one of those who have invested a lot of time, money and goodwill in the association, I am really saddened by the current crisis in ANA. Despite this, I am still hopeful that the problem will soon be over. Some of us are working daily in the background to make this possible and God willing, it will be so.
PHATEEMA: AS A HEALTH WORKER, YOU WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVOCATING FOR MODEL LAWS AND MANY OTHER POLICIES FOR DISEASES SUCH AS HIV/AIDS, EBOLA AND LASSA. ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH ANY AGENCY DURING THIS PANDEMIC OF COVID-19? WHY DID YOU NOT ENSURE THAT NIGERIAN WRITERS GOT A NEW DEAL FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHILE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES?
Okediran: My contribution during the COVID Pandemic was within the ambits of my personal NGO – ‘Family Counselling Centre’ where we were able to provide some form of palliatives to cushion the effects of the Pandemic. We also provided some amount of Personal Protective Equipment such as facemasks and sanitizers for some communities. As a writer, I was also able to publish a set of children’s books on the COVID Pandemic. These books are now being used in some parts of the country for awareness campaigns to children on this very serious problem.
During my stay at the NASS, I proposed a Bill for the Endowment of the Arts. Unfortunately, I could not convince the large majority of my colleagues to support the Bill which was eventually dropped. However, I was able to create a substantial degree of awareness for Literature among the Legislatures through the Public Presentation of two of my books while in the House. The large attendance and publicity given to the events went a long way in getting some of the lawmakers to contribute to Literary activities in their respective constituencies. In addition, two successive Speakers in the House of Representatives bought copies of my book; TENANTS OF THE HOUSE which was inspired by my stay in the House for every member of the House of Representatives.
PHATEEMA: THE NIGERIAN YOUNG WRITERS THINK THE OLD ONES DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEM. OF COURSE, YOU ARE AN EXCEPTION. MOST OF US ARE ON OUR OWN. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THE YOUNG GENERATION OF WRITERS COMING UP? WHY HAVE THE OLD WRITERS IN NIGERIA NOT BOTHERED ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF THE YOUNG ONES? WHY ARE OTHER OLD ONES NOT CREATING INSTITUTIONS LIKE EBEDI FOR ACCELERATED GROWTH IN THE COUNTRY?
Okediran: I think some of the older writers are doing their best considering the fact that they themselves have a lot of issues to cope with. Apart from grappling with the tedium of bringing up their children, paying school fees as well as tackling their own professional challenges, they also have to sort out their own writing life. Some of the older writers I know such as Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Adichie, and the next generation such as Baba Dzukogi, Lola Shoneyin among others have also done a lot for young writers. My message to the young writers is for them to try and improve their writing skills through some of the things I mentioned above. They should not expect to be spoon fed because nobody spoon-fed the older generation. They should keep writing and looking for opportunities to publish and explore. They should not hesitate to go anywhere in the world where their crafts will be improved.
PHATEEMA: WHAT EXACTLY HAVE YOU SET TO ACHIEVE IN PAWA? WHAT SPECIFIC STRATEGY OF PROGRAMMES HAVE YOU DESIGNED TO POPULARISE PAWA ON THE CONTINENT?
Okediran: My primary focus and goal will be to re-energize PAWA and make it more relevant to the needs and aspirations of African Writers. There is an urgent need to make every corner of the African continent feel PAWA’ s influence. To do this, it will be necessary to open Regional PAWA offices in the 5 regions of the continent with corresponding Country officers. These officers will work with writers who may have to work as volunteers.
It is also important for us to spread PAWA activities and programs all over the continent. This way, more countries will benefit from PAWA and in return, will be ready to support the organization. PAWA will continue to identify and celebrate notable African Writers including those in the Diaspora. In this regard, PAWA will like to resuscitate the annual Global African Writers’ Dialogue with a view to giving all Writers of African descent a worthy platform to show case their works. PAWA will also work with all organs of the African Union with a view to promote Literature and Culture on the continent.
Other activities on my plan are: Fundraising, Staff capacity building, Establishment of the PAWA library, recognising new and celebrating established African writers, including those in the Diaspora. Annual Global African Writers Dialogue. Regional and Continental Poets of the Year, Creative Arts African City for the year, Recognition for Writers in Indigenous Languages, Spoken Word Contests and Events, Publishing, Leveraging resources, shared missions, values, and contacts with other organisations and institutions to advance PAWA’s goals, establishment of a PAWA Creative Writing Academy, establishment of a PAWA Publishing Company, Establishment of PAWA Writers’ Residences in Anglophone and Francophone countries, PAWA Annual Literature Prizes, Using developmental issues such as the HIV/AIDS, the COVID-19 Pandemic, Violence Against Women and Environmental Pollution among others to develop Literature series that can be used for awareness campaign among Africans. Seminars and Workshops on different Literature Genres as well as marking the African Writers’ Day Celebration in Accra on November 7th of every year.
PHATEEMA: IN THE LATE 80S, INTO THE 90S, A LOT OF NIGERIAN WRITERS CHECKED OUT OF THE COUNTRY IN PURSUIT OF THEIR ART. HERE WE ARE TODAY, A NEW WAVE OF EXODUS OF YOUNG ONES ARE CHECKING OUT AGAIN. IN FACT, THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA HAS BEEN PUBLISHING YOUNG WRITERS FROM NIGERIA IN WHAT THEY CALL NEW GENERATION OF AFRICAN POETS. WITH THIS, NEBRASKA (US) WOULD BE PART OF OUR LITERARY HISTORY. DO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PHENOMENON? WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ABSCONDING BY WRITERS IN NIGERIA?
Okediran: Writers by nature have always been nomadic in their nature. If you go back into literary history, various well- known writers such as Hemingway, Somerset Maugham, Anton Chekhov, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe among others have always lived in different parts of the world apart from their home countries. There was a time that Paris, France became the hub for writers from all over the world. Now with modern technology, the world has even become a global village. I have nothing against young and old writers (at 65 years, I now live in Ghana) moving to anywhere they wish as long as such movements will enrich their writings.
PHATEEMA: AS AN EXCELLENT ART ADMINISTRATOR WHO CARE ABOUT YOUNG WRITERS, WHAT OTHER GRAND THINGS DO YOU HAVE FOR THEM IN PUBLISHING? THE YOUNG ONES ARE FILLED WITH COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE OLD ONES. YOU AND YOUR CONTEMPORARIES PUBLISH YOUR WORKS AT WILL WHILE THE YOUNG ONES PUBLISH AT WAR. HOW CAN THE YOUNG ONES BE PUBLISHED IN NIGERIA?
Okediran: One of the ways I always help young writers is to tell them the truth. The first is that, many of the so-called established writers also suffered a lot and some are still suffering from the vagaries of being published. Many of them including my humble self, had to wait for years before getting published or making money from their published works; therefore, the assertion that the older writers publish ‘at will’ is not entirely true. Almost every writer that I know of had to go through the arduous route of waiting to be well known. The second truth about writing is that ‘the art is long’. Success in writing does not come overnight. To succeed as a writer, one has to spend hours improving one’s skills. This can be done by reading widely, investing in Literary Education through Writing Workshops and Creative Programs (I had to pay for a 12 month Writing Program).
My plans in addition to giving young writers space to write at the Ebedi Residency as well as the recent empowerment project for female writers under the PAWA include: organizing Writing Workshops in all the genres of Literature so that writers can improve their writing skills, Publication of an Anthology of African Writing as well as the establishment of more Writers Residencies in the African continent.
PHATEEMA: YOU ARE A BIOGRAPHER OF MANY HIGH PERSONALITIES IN NIGERIA, WHAT IS THE TRICK THAT GETS THEM TO HAVE YOU AS THEIR BIOGRAPHER? CAN YOU LIST THE ONES YOU HAVE SO FAR?
Okediran: I have written the following biographies of high profiled Nigerians:
- Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; The Emergence Of A Virile Opposition Leader. (2012)
- Dr Olusola Saraki; My Triumphs and Travails (2013)
- Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Rising Above The Storms (2016)
- Prof Tale Omole; A Vice Chancellor And His Mission (In Print)
- Ten Years Of Intervention In Health Advocacy; The HERFON Story (In Print)
- ROCHAS REVEALED; The Life And Times Of Governor Anayo Okorocha (2017)
- GEN Robert Adebayo; 90 Years In The Battle Of Life (Ongoing)
- ABIOLA AJIMOBI; LEGACY OF A TRANSFORMER (2019)
Phateema: What’s your opinion about Ben Okri’s recent assertion that the future of literature is in Africa?
Okediran: To a certain extent, I agreed with Ben Okri that Africa has a lot of talents and stories to sustain a very virile and interesting literary milieu. However, whether or not Africa can supersede other parts of the globe in creative works is largely debatable but not impossible.
Phateema: Thank you sir.
Phateema Salihu is a poet and activist who has been described as a hurricane because of her passion and dedication to literature and art. She is a member of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation and one of the rising literary voices emerging from Niger State. Her works have been published or are forthcoming in Praxis Magazine, Brittle Papers, Kalahari Review and so on. She is the moderator, Hill-Top Weekly Book Chat Review. She has published a collection of poems titled: SKETCHES. Facebook/Instagram: Phateema Salihu, email: salihufatima3@gmail.com
https://literaturevoices.com.ng/literature-medicine-and-politics-are-my-wives-wale-okediran/
HE POLITICS OF INK
THE POLITICS OF INK
Interview with Wale Okediran, former member of the Nigerian House of Representatives and current President of the Association of Nigerian Authors.
Most writers are intensely political people but tend to avoid formal engagement in state politics as it involves electoral offices. You bucked the trend then as an elected member of a national legislature and now also as the elected President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA. Tell us more about the factors determining your involvement in politics, and if you think more writers, especially in the developing world, should be similarly engaged.
Wale: I was introduced to politics by Chief Bola Ige, the late Attorney General of the federation, who incidentally, was also a writer. It was his opinion that it is not enough for writers to criticize from the outside but should also get engaged in the political system from the inside. From my experience in the last four years, I agree entirely with him. When I first got to the House of Representatives, I felt out of place until I was able to find legislators of equal minds with whom we formed a group, The Forum for Democracy and Good Governance, which eventually formed the nucleus of the group that finally shot down [President] Obasanjo’s tenure elongation bid. The group has also been in the vanguard of insisting that only people-oriented policies see the light of day in the parliament. In view of all these achievements, it is my belief that more writers should join politics in order to improve the standard of our fledging democracy.
: What would you like to achieve and
be remembered by as President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, and
what have been the main difficulties you are encountering in pursuance of these
objectives?
Wale: My objectives as ANA President are, to improve the standard of writing in the country through regular skill empowerment activities such as Writing Workshops, Literary Exchange Programs as well as regular publication of our Newsletters and annual Magazine. My Executive Council is also pursuing membership drives so that each of the 36 states of the country will have an ANA branch. Closely related to this is the membership auditing going on in all the chapters in order to improve the quality of membership. Finally, I will like to make sure that the ANA property in Abuja is fully developed and commissioned before the end of my tenure. In respect of the property, we have been able to get the services of a developer whom we hope will be able to complete the project on time. Finance remains the main challenge to all the above but we have been lucky with support from many donor agencies.
: Much of your time as President has
also been spent fire-fighting or settling disputes, in various branch
associations and between varied writer interest groups. Did you expect to meet
this much disunity in the body of writers?
Wale: Honestly, I never anticipated that things were as bad as I found them. Although I had expected that writers can sometimes be very emotional over certain issues, I never expected that these differences would degenerate to such high levels of attrition.
: As a member of the Nigerian
legislature you are specially placed, it would seem, to lobby the case for
increased government support to Nigerian writing. Does your partisan
involvement in Nigerian politics and position in government actually help or
hinder your effectiveness as the voice of Nigerian writers?
Wale: Not at all. In fact, my election as ANA President was well celebrated by my colleagues in the National Assembly. In his letter of congratulations to me, the Senate President, Senator Nnamani called my election a big honor for the Nigerian Parliament. He went ahead to sponsor an ANA prize for Igbo literature while the Speaker, Hon Aminu Masari hosted myself and the exco [ANA Executive Council] to a dinner to mark the occasion. All that demonstrations of support cut across party lines. The problem I had in pushing forward issues for writers actually came from the executive arm of government who by law are expected to execute decisions of the parliament. This difficulty came in view of the well-known hostility of our leaders to writers whom they don’t like to empower so that they will not expose their weaknesses and sometimes dishonesty.
: Who are your favourite writers in and
outside Nigeria, and why?
Wale: I enjoy Russian Literature, especially the works of Pasternak and Dostoyevsky among others because the Russia of their time had so many similarities with Nigeria of today. In fact, Dostoyevsky’s The Possessed inspired my Dreams Die at Twilight, which was shortlisted for the first NNLG fiction contest. In Nigeria, Soyinka, Achebe, Osundare and the many of our other up and coming writers continue to fascinate me.
: These days a President of ANA must
also pay attention to the growing body of Nigerian writers and writings outside
Nigeria. Is there any plan to formally organize ANA representation outside the home
country?
: We have been in touch with some of
our writers abroad on the issue of engaging them one way or the other in order
to make use of their skills and experience. I had a lengthy discussion on this
issue with Harry Garuba during my last visit to Cape Town, South Africa, while
Pius Adesanmi has promised to support the Association as soon as possible. We
also welcome more suggestions from our members in the diaspora on this very
important issue.
: ANA is a writers’ body in a
developing country with a continuing history of government emasculation of free
speech, sometimes leading to the harassment of writers. Does ANA have a
properly organized means of intervening in these circumstances, or of
generating public debate on good government?
Wale: ANA has a pool of friends/members in the media, law enforcement agencies and government. These people have always been ready to assist us whenever we call on them for help.
: Tell us about your own writing.
You are a recent winner of an Association of Nigerian Authors Prize for
Fiction. Is your writing being affected in any positive way by your
involvements in politics?
Wale: Positively and negatively. Positive because I now have a lot of raw material, garnered from my political experience, with which I believe I can produce new and great works. In the negative way, the pressure and demands of [political] office have not allowed me enough time to read and write as I would have liked to do.
: In these days of conflict in the
perception and interpretation of generations of Nigerian writing, have you any
final Presidential word for the country’s writers, young and old, new and
established?
Wale: My final word will be for our writers to develop a high degree of Emotional Intelligence with which they should deal with each other. They should try as much as possible to avoid the penchant for keeping malice and losing their temper on the slightest provocation. It is also my hope that once we can have more publishing opportunities as well as literary activities, the vocational frustrations which usually spark off these crises in the first instance will have been dealt with.
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