Umaisha tops Nigeria again (interview)

This interview was conducted by Odoh Diego Okenyodo, literary page editor of Trust newspaper and appeared in the weekend edition of the paper, 10/11/07.

Bookshelf: How did you feel when your name was announced as the winner of the Literary Journalist of the Year Award?

Sumaila Isah Umaisha: My first feeling was that of surprise. Having won the maiden edition of the prize in 2004 I didn?t expect to win it again so soon. I only entered the competition with the hope that I would at least make the shortlist. I?ve always been nominated since the prize was instituted. So as the shortlisted entrants were being announced and I didn?t hear the judge mention my name among the first three, I thought I?ve failed to make the shortlist this time. But before I got to the end of my thought, my name was announced as the fourth on the shortlist. And before I say "wow!", the judge added: "Ladies and gentlemen, this year?s winner of the prize is Sumaila Umaisha". It was quite a surprise.

But I wasn?t too surprised because, after all, the ultimate aim of entering a competition is to win. I made sure my entries were selected from my best works published in my column. I also ensured the selection covered all areas of literary journalism. One of the criteria set by the judges is that the Literary Journalist of the Year must be an all-rounder in the different genres and not just a specialist in one or very few areas. So I submitted variety of materials, including essays, short stories, reports, book reviews, interviews and features. According to the comment by the judges, among the twelve entrants I was the only one that submitted essay. So you can see that in my attempt to make the shortlist, I propelled myself so hard that I landed in the centre of it all. I?m happy and I give glory to the Almighty God for His favour.

Bookshelf: This is your second time in the four editions of the prize. You must be exceptionally good. What do you think accounts for this?

Umaisha: Many factors accounted for this success. The first factor, of course, is the fact that God has ordained it to happen this way. So He provided me with the enabling condition in form of creative talent and the zeal to excel in the literary journalism profession. I get tremendous satisfaction from this job that I can?t but do my best. I can?t say I?m exceptionally good as you have put it, but I?m trying my best because of the satisfaction I get from it. Apart from the job satisfaction, the attitude of my bosses towards my little contribution to the development of the company is quite encouraging. Many times the Managing Director and editors have told me I?m doing my job well. So I go the extra mile to justify the confidence reposed in me. I do this by making sacrifices like travelling out to source for stories without asking for allowances. In fact, for my recent interview with Labo Yari, the first Northerner to write a novel in English, I had to travel to Katsina on my own expenses. That interview is among the entries that won this prize. As part of the sacrifice I also do almost all the tasks involved in the production of my three literary pages, ?The Write Stuff? which comes out every Saturday. I source for the news, write them, type them and do the page layout, apart from editing and proofreading.

Bookshelf: Don?t you feel overworked at times?

Umaisha: I do them with pleasure. So I?m grateful to my bosses, the entire New Nigerian management and the staff for their encouragement. I?m also indebted to my family for their support. They are always on my mind and the desire not to disappoint them has been a source of inspiration. I also thank ANA for instituting this prize because, honestly, my winning the maiden edition of the prize increased my interest in literary journalism. You know, winning a competition has a way of firing you on. When you get to the molehill you want to climb the hill, after that you want to be on the mountaintop, and then before long you are reaching for the stars! I thank ANA for providing me this space on the molehill.

Bookshelf: You are both a reporter and an editor; how do you maintain such high quality of works every week?

Umaisha: The factors I?ve just mentioned are partly responsible. In addition to these factors, I have also cultivated a kind of disciple that enables me to carry out my job without much problem. For instance, I?ve made it a point of duty to be in Arewa House Library every morning before going to the office. I?ve been doing this for the past ten years now. I would go there and do my research, do my reading and writing. So when I get to the office, all I do is to typeset my materials and browse the internet for updates on literary issues around the world. It is also the time I conduct my interviews through the internet. I would send interview questions to the respondent and he would email back his answers. Through this I?ve interviewed quite a number of writers based abroad. And I?ve got qualitative literary materials for the column. Moreover, I don?t wait for inspiration before I write; I go for it, constantly pushing my creative imagination. There was a time I created a short story sub-column where I published my short stories every week. I did this for a year and the stories I produced within the period are enough for two collections. So it is all about hard work.

Bookshelf: Why then have you not published any of your works?

Umaisha: I?m just taking my time. I don?t want to rush into publishing. I keep polishing the works from time to time to raise them to a standard where I could, like a lizard, nod my head and say ?I have done it!? I don?t want self-publishing; I want to be published in the traditional way, on royalty basis. That way the works will be well marketed and a lot of people will get to read it. Right now I have two collections of short stories, a poetry collection and I?m currently compiling my interviews with Nigerian writers into book form. Titled Nigerian Writers Talking, it is going to be the first of its kind. It will be useful to scholars and students of literature because it contains all the necessary information about the writers and their views on some literary issues, direct from the horse?s mouth. I hope the management of the New Nigerian will find it worthy of sponsoring. The Guardian newspaper compiled reviews of works of Nigerian writers which is being used now in the universities and The Sun newspaper recently undertook similar project; reviews of the works of Nigerian women writers, to which I also contributed. So if the New Nigerian supports this project it will go a long way in contributing to the literary development of Nigeria and Africa at large.

Let me quickly add that the fact that I haven?t published my works into book form does not mean I?m not being read. Apart from publishing them in my column, I have them on many sites on the internet including my blog: http://www.everythinliterature.blogspot.com. And some of them have been published in several anthologies.

Bookshelf: Do you believe literary journalism is improving in Nigeria?

Umaisha: Of course, it is improving, given the progress that has been made over the years. Pioneer Nigerian literary journalists like Al-Bishak, Benson Upah and Bello Akko have laid a strong foundation in literary journalism in Nigeria that the profession has not only come to stay but to blossom and improve with time. On this foundation the later generation of literary journalists like Ibrahim Sheme, editor of Leadership, you, Diego Okenyodo, literary page editor of Trust, Henry Akubuiro, literary page editor of The Sun and Kalu Uduma, literary page editor of The Guardian, have made a lot of progress. Sheme in particular, who was encouraged by the likes of Al-Bishak to take to writing, has been responsible for the founding of literary pages in the Northern papers. So, looking at the zeal with which the present generation of literary journalists is operating, one could say the future is bright. The focus of the pioneer literary journalists was on the development of young writers. Therefore, if we make this focus our priority also the art will continue to thrive because it is serving its purpose.

Bookshelf: Are you afraid that only few Nigerian journalists are interested in literature and your speciality faces extinction?

Umaisha: I don?t foresee that, as the few of us in the profession are committed. Literary journalism is not an all-comers? job; you have to be talented and interested in literature and literary matters. By this, I do not mean you have to read literature to be a good literary journalist. For instance, I didn?t read literature beyond secondary school level. I read Journalism at my Higher National Diploma level and Public Administration in my Post-graduate Diploma level, just like you too read Pharmacy but you are now a guru in literary journalism. So it is all about talent and interest and as long as we have interested and talented people around, however few they may be, the profession will never go extinct. In fact, with the prevailing poor publishing climate in the country and the desire of the young aspiring writers to find a publishing alternative through the pages of the newspapers, the profession will never experience a dull moment.

Bookshelf: What would you do with the prize money?

Umaisha: The prize money? [laughter]. I?m already spending it on minerals and snacks to ?wash? the award with friends, colleagues and relations. And the celebration continues this Saturday at Arewa House with fellow writers; members of the Kaduna State chapter of ANA and Kaduna Writers? League. I will use part of the remaining money to add more books to my library. Then I will spend the rest ?normally?.

Bookshelf: What is the role of ANA and the Kaduna Writers? League in literary development?

Umaisha: In specific terms, the role of the two bodies is to promote literary creativity by encouraging the habit of reading and writing among youths. And this is being achieved through various activities, like workshops and weekly reading sessions held to review the works of members. Recently an event tagged October Lecture was held to promote peace through literature. Indeed, the leadership of the bodies has been trying relentlessly to achieve the noble objectives for which the bodies are set. All they need to accelerate their effort is moral and financial support from individuals and organizations.

Bookshelf: Finally, what is your life philosophy?

Umaisha: My philosophy is to have a pure mind always; pure mind towards the Creator and all creatures. Like I always say, the mind is the man, when you mind it you become a free man.

(c) ?Bookshelf ?column in the 10/11/07 edition of Weekly Trust.

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