Literature
Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, a graduate of Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, is a poet, a short story writer and a committed writer of children?s literature. and his commitment is already paying off as his children?s story book, The Run Away Hero, is one of the shortlisted works for this year?s NLNG Prize for Literature, the most prestigeous literary prize in Nigeria. He speaks with Sumaila umaisha about it all.
Let?s begin with your brief biography.
I am Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, married with two children, live in Owerri, Imo State, a graduate of Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, and occasionally I do write ? occasionally, as in when PHCN attempts a two- or three-hour flash, so I can charge my laptop and type away; occasionally, when the kids are away and the home is a cocoon of tranquility; occasionally, when I am not too sapped from the day?s work and I can coax myself to do some writing. Now, I?m social, not too social, as I just can?t afford to be. I like travelling, and I like idling with a book in hand; that is, if I am not watching a good film.
Can you remember exactly when you started writing?
I have been writing since my teenage years, the usual nonsense and scribble, but I guess you are referring to serious, sensible writing, which is something I decided to take much more seriously in 2001, after seeing my poem being published in Champion newspaper. But before then I had become fascinated with literature in general and was reading poems, prose, plays with such avidity, probably because I didn?t study it in my secondary school back then. To me, it was like just discovering a pleasure, which you?d ignored all the time.
You seem to specialize in children?s literature; why?
Haba, specialise indeed! I don?t really specialise in children?s literature, it is just that I sometimes like to write fiction for children and whenever I think of children of these days, in this mindless age, I feel so saddened that they don?t have much access to books (most of the libraries in the country are in stark disrepair, you already know that) and I feel I could in some way contribute to the adequacy of children?s books, which is why I have done a lot of children?s fiction of late.
Your new children?s story book is titled The Run Away Hero; why did you choose this title?
I chose the title because the 9-year-old protagonist is not really a hero in the strictest sense of the word. He is what you might refer to as an ?accidental hero.? However, he did something heroic and the title thus naturally ensued.
Tell us about your publisher, Jalaa Writers? Collective?
JWC is not a publisher in the traditional sense of the word, it is more of a collective of writers who feel they can bring their resources together and better their lot, regardless of the prevailing economic disincentive nationwide. Jalaa doesn?t intend to fill the vacuum of any mainstream publisher; rather, it is complementary. For now, we are not accepting manuscripts from non-members, but we hope we shall take this up in the near future once we consolidate on what we set out to do.
How did you receive the news of the book being among the 2011 NLNG Prize shortlist?
Oga Sumaila, how did you feel when you got the news that you were among the last three finalists for the ANA/Anyiam-Osigwe award for best journalist some years back? I bet you were elated, even before you actually won the prize. It feels heart-warming and truth be told I?m elated to be on the list; more so, because I love children?s literature a lot, and wish the government can do more for children?s literature in Nigeria, rather than this glaring indifference and rhetoric we are confronted with almost on a daily basis.
What do you think were the qualities that made the judges select the work?
I wish I knew, but I don?t. In fact, I really don?t know what judges look out for in works of fiction and poetry, except that the work must conform to certain standards, as set out by the prize-giving body, and probably such a work should, as a matter of literary necessity, make for a pleasurable reading.
Of course, you are hopeful that you will make it; what gives you this hope?
I don?t know about that, but let me answer you this way. This is this film The Shawshank Redemption, it was originally a short story by Stephen King; and in this film there is a scene in which Tim Robbins tells Morgan Freeman that, ?hope is a beautiful thing.? So let?s keep hope alive and burning, of course, how many people live without hope? That?s virtually impossible, even the beggar is hopeful that his luck might just turn the next moment.
How do you visualize your life after winning the prize?
Ah, Sumaila. Let?s put this question aside and ask the eventual winner, say, sometime in October.
What do you expect of the present government in terms of arts and enhancement of literature in Nigeria?
I like to hope a lot, but it?s difficult to sustain hope in Nigeria. And so I expect so little from every government that comes into power. I keep wondering why it is much easier for our dear government to spend millions of dollars to put a satellite in space, and yet it can?t revamp our national libraries? I keep asking why each state government cannot refurbish its state library and why the council chairman is not interested in uplifting education at the grassroots? And yet, every one of them has mansions in various parts of the country which termites and vermin live in most of the time, line their garages with fleets of luxurious cars even Bill Gates is appalled to keep. Why is our Nigerian government this way? So you see why I have no expectations from any government, no matter how mellifluous he or she sounds ? because if we can?t salvage our educational system how then can we empower people economically?
- My Pen Is That Faceless Crusader Aiming For A Change - Salamatu Sule
SALAMATU SULE, a graduate of English and Literary Studies from the Kogi State University, Ayingba, is a multi-talented writer. She writes prose and poetry in both standard and Pidgin English. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, the imaginative writer,...
- Nlng Prize Controversy: It Was The Judges? Decision Not Ours
Professor Ben Elugbe of the Department of Linguistic and African Languages, University of Ibadan, who is the president of Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, and West African Linguistic Society, WALS, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the 2009 NLNG Prize controversy...
- I Feel At The Top Of The World!
ISAAC ATTAH OGEZI, legal practitioner, playwright, short story writer and literary essayist, based in Keffi, Nasarawa State, is a consistent literary prizes winner . In addition to his numerous prizes, his play, Waiting for Savon, has just won this year?s...
- How Chris Ngige Inspired My New Book
In this interview with Henry Akubuiro, Sumaila Umaisha, literary editor of Nigerian Newspapers and two-time winner of Literary Journalist of the Year, awarded by Association of Nigerian Authors, speaks on his new book, HOODLUMS. Excerpts: What is your...
- The Job Of A Literary Journalist Is A Nightmare
BENJAMIN UBIRI, literary editor of the Abuja-based Newspage newspaper, and winner of the 2009 edition of Literary Journalist of the Year, awarded by the Association of Nigerian Authors, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on his experience on the beat and more....
Literature
NLNG Prize: I?m elated to be on the list!
Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, a graduate of Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, is a poet, a short story writer and a committed writer of children?s literature. and his commitment is already paying off as his children?s story book, The Run Away Hero, is one of the shortlisted works for this year?s NLNG Prize for Literature, the most prestigeous literary prize in Nigeria. He speaks with Sumaila umaisha about it all.
Let?s begin with your brief biography.
I am Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, married with two children, live in Owerri, Imo State, a graduate of Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, and occasionally I do write ? occasionally, as in when PHCN attempts a two- or three-hour flash, so I can charge my laptop and type away; occasionally, when the kids are away and the home is a cocoon of tranquility; occasionally, when I am not too sapped from the day?s work and I can coax myself to do some writing. Now, I?m social, not too social, as I just can?t afford to be. I like travelling, and I like idling with a book in hand; that is, if I am not watching a good film.
Can you remember exactly when you started writing?
I have been writing since my teenage years, the usual nonsense and scribble, but I guess you are referring to serious, sensible writing, which is something I decided to take much more seriously in 2001, after seeing my poem being published in Champion newspaper. But before then I had become fascinated with literature in general and was reading poems, prose, plays with such avidity, probably because I didn?t study it in my secondary school back then. To me, it was like just discovering a pleasure, which you?d ignored all the time.
You seem to specialize in children?s literature; why?
Haba, specialise indeed! I don?t really specialise in children?s literature, it is just that I sometimes like to write fiction for children and whenever I think of children of these days, in this mindless age, I feel so saddened that they don?t have much access to books (most of the libraries in the country are in stark disrepair, you already know that) and I feel I could in some way contribute to the adequacy of children?s books, which is why I have done a lot of children?s fiction of late.
Your new children?s story book is titled The Run Away Hero; why did you choose this title?
I chose the title because the 9-year-old protagonist is not really a hero in the strictest sense of the word. He is what you might refer to as an ?accidental hero.? However, he did something heroic and the title thus naturally ensued.
Tell us about your publisher, Jalaa Writers? Collective?
JWC is not a publisher in the traditional sense of the word, it is more of a collective of writers who feel they can bring their resources together and better their lot, regardless of the prevailing economic disincentive nationwide. Jalaa doesn?t intend to fill the vacuum of any mainstream publisher; rather, it is complementary. For now, we are not accepting manuscripts from non-members, but we hope we shall take this up in the near future once we consolidate on what we set out to do.
How did you receive the news of the book being among the 2011 NLNG Prize shortlist?
Oga Sumaila, how did you feel when you got the news that you were among the last three finalists for the ANA/Anyiam-Osigwe award for best journalist some years back? I bet you were elated, even before you actually won the prize. It feels heart-warming and truth be told I?m elated to be on the list; more so, because I love children?s literature a lot, and wish the government can do more for children?s literature in Nigeria, rather than this glaring indifference and rhetoric we are confronted with almost on a daily basis.
What do you think were the qualities that made the judges select the work?
I wish I knew, but I don?t. In fact, I really don?t know what judges look out for in works of fiction and poetry, except that the work must conform to certain standards, as set out by the prize-giving body, and probably such a work should, as a matter of literary necessity, make for a pleasurable reading.
Of course, you are hopeful that you will make it; what gives you this hope?
I don?t know about that, but let me answer you this way. This is this film The Shawshank Redemption, it was originally a short story by Stephen King; and in this film there is a scene in which Tim Robbins tells Morgan Freeman that, ?hope is a beautiful thing.? So let?s keep hope alive and burning, of course, how many people live without hope? That?s virtually impossible, even the beggar is hopeful that his luck might just turn the next moment.
How do you visualize your life after winning the prize?
Ah, Sumaila. Let?s put this question aside and ask the eventual winner, say, sometime in October.
What do you expect of the present government in terms of arts and enhancement of literature in Nigeria?
I like to hope a lot, but it?s difficult to sustain hope in Nigeria. And so I expect so little from every government that comes into power. I keep wondering why it is much easier for our dear government to spend millions of dollars to put a satellite in space, and yet it can?t revamp our national libraries? I keep asking why each state government cannot refurbish its state library and why the council chairman is not interested in uplifting education at the grassroots? And yet, every one of them has mansions in various parts of the country which termites and vermin live in most of the time, line their garages with fleets of luxurious cars even Bill Gates is appalled to keep. Why is our Nigerian government this way? So you see why I have no expectations from any government, no matter how mellifluous he or she sounds ? because if we can?t salvage our educational system how then can we empower people economically?
- My Pen Is That Faceless Crusader Aiming For A Change - Salamatu Sule
SALAMATU SULE, a graduate of English and Literary Studies from the Kogi State University, Ayingba, is a multi-talented writer. She writes prose and poetry in both standard and Pidgin English. In this interview with SUMAILA UMAISHA, the imaginative writer,...
- Nlng Prize Controversy: It Was The Judges? Decision Not Ours
Professor Ben Elugbe of the Department of Linguistic and African Languages, University of Ibadan, who is the president of Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, and West African Linguistic Society, WALS, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the 2009 NLNG Prize controversy...
- I Feel At The Top Of The World!
ISAAC ATTAH OGEZI, legal practitioner, playwright, short story writer and literary essayist, based in Keffi, Nasarawa State, is a consistent literary prizes winner . In addition to his numerous prizes, his play, Waiting for Savon, has just won this year?s...
- How Chris Ngige Inspired My New Book
In this interview with Henry Akubuiro, Sumaila Umaisha, literary editor of Nigerian Newspapers and two-time winner of Literary Journalist of the Year, awarded by Association of Nigerian Authors, speaks on his new book, HOODLUMS. Excerpts: What is your...
- The Job Of A Literary Journalist Is A Nightmare
BENJAMIN UBIRI, literary editor of the Abuja-based Newspage newspaper, and winner of the 2009 edition of Literary Journalist of the Year, awarded by the Association of Nigerian Authors, speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on his experience on the beat and more....