Literature
Dr Chinyere Agabi is a lecturer in the department of Education Foundations and Management at the Rivers State University of Education, and the author of numerous children's literary books. In this interview, she speaks about her books and children's literature generally. Excerpts:
Your books are directed at teaching moral lessons. Does this imply that every children?s literature must have this didactic aspect to qualify as children?s literature?
Dr. Chinyere Agabi: Children?s literature should be designed to first capture the interest of a child and in sustaining that interest, carefully lead the child to learn one or more lessons. The child should be entertained in the course of learning. Every good literature for children must have these two aspects. The entertainment aspect must be within the lesson content; and the lessons may be moral, academic or purely social.
Your characters are quite striking, full of determination. This is not a general view about children, who are often seen as helpless individuals that should be closely guided or they go astray. What are you implying by this characterisation?
A child who is old enough to read a story book or to listen to a story, ask questions based on the story and correctly decode the message in the story is a complete human being with a well developed mind. Guidance only facilitates the consistent manifestation of desirable or socially acceptable behaviour on one hand, and the suppression of unacceptable behaviour on the other. A child of about five years (and above) already has a mind that can think and draw conclusions from issues and events around him or her. This is why some parents spend time and money educating a child in such fields as Medicine, Law or Engineering and the child upon graduation becomes not a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer, but a musician, a fashion designer or cobbler and so on. Listening ears and watchful eyes are the basic requirements in understanding the strength in every child. It is only by understanding their strength that we can guide them aright.
Your usage of language is so well controlled that the diction is quite appropriate to the target readers. Does this moderation in language require special training or skill?
The appropriate use of language is very important in children?s literature since it is a medium that can be used in formal and informal settings to entertain and educate children, especially on the use of appropriate words. In studying English at the university, one is exposed to all kinds of literature, some of which teach the use of language while others teach the techniques in different types of writing. Yet, not everything is taught in the classroom; but whatever is not taught in the classroom may be acquired from research and practice. I learn a lot from watching children when they are playing and when they are at a task. Sometimes I deliberately expose my manuscript to my first child who is within the target age. I make her read aloud and I note the words that she had problem pronouncing. Sometimes I change such words and sometimes I include them in the list of difficult words. Basically, writing for children requires sharing their world by listening to their stories, playing with them, allowing them to play around you and by sharing in their joys and sorrows. In doing this, you can learn more about children than you can ever learn in the classroom.
Is it every writer that can write children?s stories?
Any writer that draws inspiration from violence or from the use of obscenities cannot and should not write for children. I feel strongly, though it may not always be the case, that the source of inspiration often determines the type of story and language in which it is written. Violence will beget violence, and obscenity will beget obscenity, even in the use of language. These are social vices that should not be encouraged in any form, especially in children?s literature.
What?s your assessment of Nigeria?s literary scene as regards children?s literature?
It is still in a developing stage, but it is not doing badly considering the variety of home-made and interesting story books available in bookshops all over the country; considering also that the storybook writer has to compete with foreign authors whose works flood our bookshops. Last year, at Abuja, I walked into a bookshop to get some storybooks for my children and I had a big problem deciding what books to take. First, I was surprised by the vast array of Nigerian authors in the children?s section of the bookshop. In my growing-up years, we had very few storybooks by Nigerian authors. The contemporary Nigerian child has a great variety of very good books by Nigerian authors in particular and African authors in general. I have also come across a couple of children?s books written in very bad language. Sometimes, such books find their way into the curriculum of some States. Parents and all stake holders in children?s education should never choose children?s literature in a hurry or on sentiments. Generally, the literary scene can be described as encouraging.
Nigerian parents seem to prefer foreign reading materials for their children, why?
I guess it is different strokes for different folks. I assume that by foreign reading material, you are referring to books from the UK and the US. When I was growing up I read a lot of foreign books probably because my father didn?t have easy access to storybooks by Nigerian authors. Parents who insist on maintaining a foreign literature base for their children often say that they are more colourful and have better paper quality; this is not always true. There is also the general belief that books from the UK and the US are written in flawless English. This is also not always true. What about content in terms of lessons to be learnt? What about relevance to the child?s environment? What about relevance to the education curriculum. These should all be considered in the choice of literature for any child. It is not wrong to expose children to a variety of reading materials from any part of the world but parents must choose wisely.
Is children?s literature being given the required attention in Nigeria?
I don?t think so. Although the planners of education in Nigeria prescribe themes for children?s literature to enable it fit into the education curriculum, publishers would only invest on books that have been approved for school curriculum and therefore have a big and ready market. The rising cost of production may also be discouraging many good writers from venturing into children?s literature. Something has to be done about the rising cost of paper, non-toxic ink, and other vital printing materials. Other wise, the price of books will continue to rise and authors and publishers will continue to scramble for government approval as the only way to reach a greater number of the target audience. Meanwhile, parents should regularly visit bookshops for supplementary literature to enhance the development of good reading habits in their children.
Why do you prefer writing children?s literature?
Hmm! This is one question I have had to answer at virtually every social event at which someone identifies me as the author of The golden pack, or Nwamba, or any of my storybooks that he or she has read. My answer remains the same. I prefer writing for children because it helps me relax. There is peace and relaxation in the world of children. Writing for children is also a very good and pleasant way through which I contribute to the social development of the Nigerian child. This is in addition to carrying out my responsibility as a classroom teacher which I also enjoy very much. Through my stories, I reach out to children who may not have access to me as a teacher, a mother, or a friend.
How are you being rewarded for your efforts in contributing to children?s literature?
My greatest reward comes from the joy I see on the faces of children who have read my books, and from parents and teachers who keep requesting for more stories. The excitement with which children and adults greet me when I?m recognized in public also gives me a great sense of fulfillment. But if you?re talking about money, I am presently spending much more than I?m getting from the books.
What is the future of Nigeria?s literature vis-à-vis children?s literature?
The future is bright because we have more people who are interested in writing for children and who are doing very good works in that direction, but the cost of production is getting higher every year; and publishers keep complaining about the rising cost of paper and other printing materials. This situation is rather discouraging. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, encourages Nigerian authors to write books, especially in core subjects like Mathematics, English and the sciences. This encouragement will facilitate the production of children?s literature if books in this area are published at NERDC subsidized rates.
Should we expect any works from you soon?
Yes, two novels designed for young adults. One of them, The survivor, is ready for the press. The other, The care taker, is on the verge of completion. I?m not going to talk about them now. You?ll need to read them to know who?s surviving what, and who?s taking care of who or what. There is also a popular demand by teachers and parents, for a collection of the stories in the children?s series in one or two volumes so that children can read just for pleasure. I?m already compiling the collection of works. You?ll definitely get free copies as soon as these books are out.
(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in New Nigerian.
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Literature
Violence inspired writer shouldn?t write for children
Dr Chinyere Agabi is a lecturer in the department of Education Foundations and Management at the Rivers State University of Education, and the author of numerous children's literary books. In this interview, she speaks about her books and children's literature generally. Excerpts:
Your books are directed at teaching moral lessons. Does this imply that every children?s literature must have this didactic aspect to qualify as children?s literature?
Dr. Chinyere Agabi: Children?s literature should be designed to first capture the interest of a child and in sustaining that interest, carefully lead the child to learn one or more lessons. The child should be entertained in the course of learning. Every good literature for children must have these two aspects. The entertainment aspect must be within the lesson content; and the lessons may be moral, academic or purely social.
Your characters are quite striking, full of determination. This is not a general view about children, who are often seen as helpless individuals that should be closely guided or they go astray. What are you implying by this characterisation?
A child who is old enough to read a story book or to listen to a story, ask questions based on the story and correctly decode the message in the story is a complete human being with a well developed mind. Guidance only facilitates the consistent manifestation of desirable or socially acceptable behaviour on one hand, and the suppression of unacceptable behaviour on the other. A child of about five years (and above) already has a mind that can think and draw conclusions from issues and events around him or her. This is why some parents spend time and money educating a child in such fields as Medicine, Law or Engineering and the child upon graduation becomes not a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer, but a musician, a fashion designer or cobbler and so on. Listening ears and watchful eyes are the basic requirements in understanding the strength in every child. It is only by understanding their strength that we can guide them aright.
Your usage of language is so well controlled that the diction is quite appropriate to the target readers. Does this moderation in language require special training or skill?
The appropriate use of language is very important in children?s literature since it is a medium that can be used in formal and informal settings to entertain and educate children, especially on the use of appropriate words. In studying English at the university, one is exposed to all kinds of literature, some of which teach the use of language while others teach the techniques in different types of writing. Yet, not everything is taught in the classroom; but whatever is not taught in the classroom may be acquired from research and practice. I learn a lot from watching children when they are playing and when they are at a task. Sometimes I deliberately expose my manuscript to my first child who is within the target age. I make her read aloud and I note the words that she had problem pronouncing. Sometimes I change such words and sometimes I include them in the list of difficult words. Basically, writing for children requires sharing their world by listening to their stories, playing with them, allowing them to play around you and by sharing in their joys and sorrows. In doing this, you can learn more about children than you can ever learn in the classroom.
Is it every writer that can write children?s stories?
Any writer that draws inspiration from violence or from the use of obscenities cannot and should not write for children. I feel strongly, though it may not always be the case, that the source of inspiration often determines the type of story and language in which it is written. Violence will beget violence, and obscenity will beget obscenity, even in the use of language. These are social vices that should not be encouraged in any form, especially in children?s literature.
What?s your assessment of Nigeria?s literary scene as regards children?s literature?
It is still in a developing stage, but it is not doing badly considering the variety of home-made and interesting story books available in bookshops all over the country; considering also that the storybook writer has to compete with foreign authors whose works flood our bookshops. Last year, at Abuja, I walked into a bookshop to get some storybooks for my children and I had a big problem deciding what books to take. First, I was surprised by the vast array of Nigerian authors in the children?s section of the bookshop. In my growing-up years, we had very few storybooks by Nigerian authors. The contemporary Nigerian child has a great variety of very good books by Nigerian authors in particular and African authors in general. I have also come across a couple of children?s books written in very bad language. Sometimes, such books find their way into the curriculum of some States. Parents and all stake holders in children?s education should never choose children?s literature in a hurry or on sentiments. Generally, the literary scene can be described as encouraging.
Nigerian parents seem to prefer foreign reading materials for their children, why?
I guess it is different strokes for different folks. I assume that by foreign reading material, you are referring to books from the UK and the US. When I was growing up I read a lot of foreign books probably because my father didn?t have easy access to storybooks by Nigerian authors. Parents who insist on maintaining a foreign literature base for their children often say that they are more colourful and have better paper quality; this is not always true. There is also the general belief that books from the UK and the US are written in flawless English. This is also not always true. What about content in terms of lessons to be learnt? What about relevance to the child?s environment? What about relevance to the education curriculum. These should all be considered in the choice of literature for any child. It is not wrong to expose children to a variety of reading materials from any part of the world but parents must choose wisely.
Is children?s literature being given the required attention in Nigeria?
I don?t think so. Although the planners of education in Nigeria prescribe themes for children?s literature to enable it fit into the education curriculum, publishers would only invest on books that have been approved for school curriculum and therefore have a big and ready market. The rising cost of production may also be discouraging many good writers from venturing into children?s literature. Something has to be done about the rising cost of paper, non-toxic ink, and other vital printing materials. Other wise, the price of books will continue to rise and authors and publishers will continue to scramble for government approval as the only way to reach a greater number of the target audience. Meanwhile, parents should regularly visit bookshops for supplementary literature to enhance the development of good reading habits in their children.
Why do you prefer writing children?s literature?
Hmm! This is one question I have had to answer at virtually every social event at which someone identifies me as the author of The golden pack, or Nwamba, or any of my storybooks that he or she has read. My answer remains the same. I prefer writing for children because it helps me relax. There is peace and relaxation in the world of children. Writing for children is also a very good and pleasant way through which I contribute to the social development of the Nigerian child. This is in addition to carrying out my responsibility as a classroom teacher which I also enjoy very much. Through my stories, I reach out to children who may not have access to me as a teacher, a mother, or a friend.
How are you being rewarded for your efforts in contributing to children?s literature?
My greatest reward comes from the joy I see on the faces of children who have read my books, and from parents and teachers who keep requesting for more stories. The excitement with which children and adults greet me when I?m recognized in public also gives me a great sense of fulfillment. But if you?re talking about money, I am presently spending much more than I?m getting from the books.
What is the future of Nigeria?s literature vis-à-vis children?s literature?
The future is bright because we have more people who are interested in writing for children and who are doing very good works in that direction, but the cost of production is getting higher every year; and publishers keep complaining about the rising cost of paper and other printing materials. This situation is rather discouraging. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, encourages Nigerian authors to write books, especially in core subjects like Mathematics, English and the sciences. This encouragement will facilitate the production of children?s literature if books in this area are published at NERDC subsidized rates.
Should we expect any works from you soon?
Yes, two novels designed for young adults. One of them, The survivor, is ready for the press. The other, The care taker, is on the verge of completion. I?m not going to talk about them now. You?ll need to read them to know who?s surviving what, and who?s taking care of who or what. There is also a popular demand by teachers and parents, for a collection of the stories in the children?s series in one or two volumes so that children can read just for pleasure. I?m already compiling the collection of works. You?ll definitely get free copies as soon as these books are out.
(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha and published in New Nigerian.
- Would You Agree That Promises Made To The Poor Children Are Rarely Kept? Why Do You Think This Happens In The Incidents Narrated In The Text? - Lost Spring By Anees Jung
Promises made to the poor children of this world are astonishingly a lot but they are rarely kept.Governments Charities and at even international levels can't keep their promises. They promise to provide healthy lives, education, protection...
- Summary Of My Parents By Stephen Spender
Stephen Spender (1909-1995) mixed with a number of left wing poets while at oxford including W.H Auden, and joined the fight against Fran coin the Spanish Civil war. Always interested in human and social concerns, he questioned how poetry could address...
- Nlng Prize Shortlist: I Feel Ecstatic! - Obi-obasi
The fact that Chinyere Obi-Obasi, a graduate of English Language/Literature and Law, is a writer of no mean repute has just been confirmed by her book, The Great Fall, being shortlisted for the 2011 Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, NLNG, Prize for Literature....
- Ana, Atiku Promote Children Literature
It is a common knowledge that Children?s Literature is the least patronised literary genre in Nigeria. Nigerian writers tend to shy away from producing the genre while parents and teachers seem to care less. And those who care simply resort to foreign...
- Redefining The Place Of The Girl-child (review)
Since the 1995 Beijing conference in which women from all over the world assembled to discuss gender related matters, the place of the girl-child in the scheme of things has been underscored by various writers. While some writers choose to fictionalise...