Literature
Hyacinth Obunseh, award-winning writer, publisher and Assistant General Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is preparing to vie for the position of General Secretary of the association in the forthcoming election in November at its Annual International Conference in Minna. Here he speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA about his ambition and other related matters.
NNW: Your brief biography.
Hyacinth Obunseh: I was born about 43 years ago, in Lagos. I did my primary school there, before leaving for Baptist High School, Ilaro, Ogun State, then Ibru College, Agbara Otor, Delta State and finished in Government College, Ugelli, Delta State. I attended Auchi Polytechnic, Auhi, Edo State. I read Office Management and graduated in 199. I started Hybun publications international in 1998.
How did you become a writer?
I had always liked reading and then writing. Though I was a science student in secondary school, my passion for the arts saw me change after I did not make my WAEC exams the first time. I switched to arts. Attending an old boys meeting, long after we left school, the idea of a class magazine came up, and I submitted about seven articles to the then editor, Richard Mammah (who incidentally introduced me to publishing) and the class immediately made me a member of the editorial board. I have not looked back since then, seeing that I wrote my first book, Valley of Decision, which won the ANA/Matatu Prize in 1998 and shortlisted for the West African Young Writers Prize 1999.
You are also a publisher; how did you get into this business?
I came in contact with publishing through my meeting with an old classmate, Richard Mammah, who then ran Mace Books. I was restless, and felt unfulfilled working in my late father?s firm, until that chance meeting with Richard. He employed me. His publishing company being small, then he couldn?t pay me and the other staff so much, but I felt so much fulfillment and joy from the work that when he decided to move on to other fields of endeavour, I chose to start off my own publishing outfit. Today, there is still not much money in publishing, but I derive my satisfaction from seeing the joy in my authors? faces and voices as they behold what I had done with the manuscript they give me to make into a book.
How would you describe the publishing climate in Nigeria?
Nmm? The climate here is quite harsh! Here, one man is practically everything, or almost so, if he wants to break even. Besides, there is really not much publishing going on here. It?s the memoirs of retired generals, politicians and academic texts that get published these days, because publishers want the fastest means to recoup their investments. People are not buying books to read in leisure time (assuming they still have that), nobody buys books to give out as seasons? gifts, and when the few who know the value of books do so, it is thrown back at them. The banks will not lend you money to publish a book, the writers are not well remunerated to write, the government is not interested in the industry, cost of importing paper is so high, it is killing the industry! I could spend a whole day talking about this and we would still not have touched on every aspect of the situation here.
How is your publishing outfit trying to help out in this regard?
Hybun is a very writer-friendly outfit that has continued to encourage writers to keep writing, even in the midst of the seeming gloom. We find time to spend quality time with them, talking about their experiences and their writings, reading their manuscripts for them, introducing them to cheap and good editors, reading and advising on their work, and of course giving them easy payment terms when they are ready to publish.
Your tenure as the Asst. General Secretary of ANA is ending in November. How would you assess your tenure - the challenges and achievements?
Ah! It is two years already! How time flies! It?s been a very wonderful experience working very closely with the General Secretary and president of ANA these past years. I started off my tenure as Assistant General Secretary from Lagos. There, I was far from my supervisors and found it a bit difficult getting across to them and have the needs of the national secretariat, which is still in Lagos, met. In spite of this though, it has been a very pleasant and wonderful experience, full of achievements. I can beat my chest with every sincerity and say, yes, I am proud to have been a part of the Okediran/Denja administration, which has taken ANA closer to the realisation of the dreams of ANA?s founding fathers (Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Mabel Segun, Labo Yari, etc). Today, it is with pride that writers say they belong to ANA. I am proud to have done something to bring this about.
It is being speculated that you are nursing the ambition to vie for the post of General Secretary in the coming election in November. How true is this?
Nature abhors a vacuum. Come Oct./Nov. 2009, the Okediran/Denja administration will come to an end and a new leadership will continue from where they stopped. I look forward to being a part of that new leadership. I look forward to being elected to the high and esteemed position of ANA National General Secretary.
What are your aims of vying for the position?
Of course, whatever aims I have now at the back of my mind in seeking to lead ANA will have to be fine-tuned in line with the dreams and visions of the president and national executive council I will be working with. Be that as it may, I have a vision to give ANA even more visibility. I will give ANA more visibility, secure a suitable secretariat accommodation for the association, publish more young writers, empower the branches to serve members even better and continue this out-going exco?s programme of manpower development. Depending on what the ANA land situation is when we come on board, it will certainly be worthwhile to have our names as the exco that built the much talked about Writers Village. Yes, we will work in that direction too.
What would be your major focus as the Gen. Sec. in terms of developing ANA?
My major focus? Manpower development. A good and suitable secretariat for ANA!
What is your level of preparation so far in terms of campaigns for the position?
Well, in terms of campaign, I will say I am forty percent ready for the election, just now and keep pushing on. I will continue to push until I am one hundred and twenty percent ready, by October 29th. I have continued to reach out to voters, selling my candidacy to them, on the net, by phone and elsewhere.
Why do you think you are going to win?
I do not see the election in terms of who wins or who loses. I see it rather as an assignment. A national assignment. In the end, whoever gets into the ANA secretariat will be there to serve. On my part, I have served my branch in Lagos, for about four years, in various capacities. It was a bit difficult for them releasing me to go for national assignment at the time I was leaving, but I insisted that it was time to move on to another stage, having served for so long. I served under Prof. Olu Obafemi as Natoinal Public Relations Officer, South and then under Dr. Wale Okediran as National Assistant General Secretary. I run a most viable and writer-friendly publishing outfit in the country today that has been said in several quarters to be the song of the season. I am in very close touch with the literary community which I have continued to serve, to the best of my ability. I have enjoyed a very close and cordial relationship with the General Secretary who is outgoing, at this time. I have not hesitated at any time to present myself for service to the association in all this time. All these are experiences that I will be carrying to my new office, if elected in October.
- Making The 30th Ana Convention Memorable
As the International Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, draws near, the General Secretary of the association, Mr. Hyacinth Obunseh, in this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, speaks on the prepaprations so far. He also speaks on the...
- Nigerian Literature Is Fascinating And Dynamic - Jare Ajayi
Jare Ajayi, a veteran journalist and writer is one of those aspiring to become the General Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) at the elections coming up during the association?s Convention in November. The convention, which coincides...
- I Have The Ability To Change Ana - Dzukogi
Malam BM Dzukogi, a poet, short story writer, essayist and former Financial Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is contesting for the post of National Secretary of the association in the next convention. In this interview with Sumaila...
- Ana Convention: The Fun And The Excitement!
A blow by blow account of the Annual International Conference of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, held in Minna, Niger State, from 29th to 31st October, 2009.It was fun and excitement galore as the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, held its 28th...
- Denja - 'achebe Colloquium Will Be Bigger Than Soyinka?s'
As the International Colloquium to mark the 50th Anniversary of the publication of Chinua Achebe?s Things Fall Apart draws near, the General Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, MALAM DENJA ABDULLAHI, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the preparations...
Literature
"I will give ANA more visibility" - Hyancinth
Hyacinth Obunseh, award-winning writer, publisher and Assistant General Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is preparing to vie for the position of General Secretary of the association in the forthcoming election in November at its Annual International Conference in Minna. Here he speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA about his ambition and other related matters.NNW: Your brief biography.
Hyacinth Obunseh: I was born about 43 years ago, in Lagos. I did my primary school there, before leaving for Baptist High School, Ilaro, Ogun State, then Ibru College, Agbara Otor, Delta State and finished in Government College, Ugelli, Delta State. I attended Auchi Polytechnic, Auhi, Edo State. I read Office Management and graduated in 199. I started Hybun publications international in 1998.
How did you become a writer?
I had always liked reading and then writing. Though I was a science student in secondary school, my passion for the arts saw me change after I did not make my WAEC exams the first time. I switched to arts. Attending an old boys meeting, long after we left school, the idea of a class magazine came up, and I submitted about seven articles to the then editor, Richard Mammah (who incidentally introduced me to publishing) and the class immediately made me a member of the editorial board. I have not looked back since then, seeing that I wrote my first book, Valley of Decision, which won the ANA/Matatu Prize in 1998 and shortlisted for the West African Young Writers Prize 1999.
You are also a publisher; how did you get into this business?
I came in contact with publishing through my meeting with an old classmate, Richard Mammah, who then ran Mace Books. I was restless, and felt unfulfilled working in my late father?s firm, until that chance meeting with Richard. He employed me. His publishing company being small, then he couldn?t pay me and the other staff so much, but I felt so much fulfillment and joy from the work that when he decided to move on to other fields of endeavour, I chose to start off my own publishing outfit. Today, there is still not much money in publishing, but I derive my satisfaction from seeing the joy in my authors? faces and voices as they behold what I had done with the manuscript they give me to make into a book.
How would you describe the publishing climate in Nigeria?
Nmm? The climate here is quite harsh! Here, one man is practically everything, or almost so, if he wants to break even. Besides, there is really not much publishing going on here. It?s the memoirs of retired generals, politicians and academic texts that get published these days, because publishers want the fastest means to recoup their investments. People are not buying books to read in leisure time (assuming they still have that), nobody buys books to give out as seasons? gifts, and when the few who know the value of books do so, it is thrown back at them. The banks will not lend you money to publish a book, the writers are not well remunerated to write, the government is not interested in the industry, cost of importing paper is so high, it is killing the industry! I could spend a whole day talking about this and we would still not have touched on every aspect of the situation here.
How is your publishing outfit trying to help out in this regard?
Hybun is a very writer-friendly outfit that has continued to encourage writers to keep writing, even in the midst of the seeming gloom. We find time to spend quality time with them, talking about their experiences and their writings, reading their manuscripts for them, introducing them to cheap and good editors, reading and advising on their work, and of course giving them easy payment terms when they are ready to publish.
Your tenure as the Asst. General Secretary of ANA is ending in November. How would you assess your tenure - the challenges and achievements?
Ah! It is two years already! How time flies! It?s been a very wonderful experience working very closely with the General Secretary and president of ANA these past years. I started off my tenure as Assistant General Secretary from Lagos. There, I was far from my supervisors and found it a bit difficult getting across to them and have the needs of the national secretariat, which is still in Lagos, met. In spite of this though, it has been a very pleasant and wonderful experience, full of achievements. I can beat my chest with every sincerity and say, yes, I am proud to have been a part of the Okediran/Denja administration, which has taken ANA closer to the realisation of the dreams of ANA?s founding fathers (Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Mabel Segun, Labo Yari, etc). Today, it is with pride that writers say they belong to ANA. I am proud to have done something to bring this about.
It is being speculated that you are nursing the ambition to vie for the post of General Secretary in the coming election in November. How true is this?
Nature abhors a vacuum. Come Oct./Nov. 2009, the Okediran/Denja administration will come to an end and a new leadership will continue from where they stopped. I look forward to being a part of that new leadership. I look forward to being elected to the high and esteemed position of ANA National General Secretary.
What are your aims of vying for the position?
Of course, whatever aims I have now at the back of my mind in seeking to lead ANA will have to be fine-tuned in line with the dreams and visions of the president and national executive council I will be working with. Be that as it may, I have a vision to give ANA even more visibility. I will give ANA more visibility, secure a suitable secretariat accommodation for the association, publish more young writers, empower the branches to serve members even better and continue this out-going exco?s programme of manpower development. Depending on what the ANA land situation is when we come on board, it will certainly be worthwhile to have our names as the exco that built the much talked about Writers Village. Yes, we will work in that direction too.
What would be your major focus as the Gen. Sec. in terms of developing ANA?
My major focus? Manpower development. A good and suitable secretariat for ANA!
What is your level of preparation so far in terms of campaigns for the position?
Well, in terms of campaign, I will say I am forty percent ready for the election, just now and keep pushing on. I will continue to push until I am one hundred and twenty percent ready, by October 29th. I have continued to reach out to voters, selling my candidacy to them, on the net, by phone and elsewhere.
Why do you think you are going to win?
I do not see the election in terms of who wins or who loses. I see it rather as an assignment. A national assignment. In the end, whoever gets into the ANA secretariat will be there to serve. On my part, I have served my branch in Lagos, for about four years, in various capacities. It was a bit difficult for them releasing me to go for national assignment at the time I was leaving, but I insisted that it was time to move on to another stage, having served for so long. I served under Prof. Olu Obafemi as Natoinal Public Relations Officer, South and then under Dr. Wale Okediran as National Assistant General Secretary. I run a most viable and writer-friendly publishing outfit in the country today that has been said in several quarters to be the song of the season. I am in very close touch with the literary community which I have continued to serve, to the best of my ability. I have enjoyed a very close and cordial relationship with the General Secretary who is outgoing, at this time. I have not hesitated at any time to present myself for service to the association in all this time. All these are experiences that I will be carrying to my new office, if elected in October.
(c) Interviewed by Sumaila Umaisha & published in the New Nigerian.
- Making The 30th Ana Convention Memorable
As the International Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, draws near, the General Secretary of the association, Mr. Hyacinth Obunseh, in this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, speaks on the prepaprations so far. He also speaks on the...
- Nigerian Literature Is Fascinating And Dynamic - Jare Ajayi
Jare Ajayi, a veteran journalist and writer is one of those aspiring to become the General Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) at the elections coming up during the association?s Convention in November. The convention, which coincides...
- I Have The Ability To Change Ana - Dzukogi
Malam BM Dzukogi, a poet, short story writer, essayist and former Financial Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, is contesting for the post of National Secretary of the association in the next convention. In this interview with Sumaila...
- Ana Convention: The Fun And The Excitement!
A blow by blow account of the Annual International Conference of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, held in Minna, Niger State, from 29th to 31st October, 2009.It was fun and excitement galore as the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, held its 28th...
- Denja - 'achebe Colloquium Will Be Bigger Than Soyinka?s'
As the International Colloquium to mark the 50th Anniversary of the publication of Chinua Achebe?s Things Fall Apart draws near, the General Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors, MALAM DENJA ABDULLAHI, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the preparations...