Humphrey Ogu is a Port-Harcourt based poet, author and culture administrator. He once made the longlist of NLNG Nigeria Literature Prize in poetry. In this interaction with Edozie Udeze he states how he benefited from the late Elechi Amadi as a writer and that being a writer has opened many doors for him
What inspires you to write?
My personal experiences and observations of happenings in society often inspires me to write. I’m concerned about human living conditions. Injustice, poverty, corruption, bad governance are some of the malaises that could also inspire me to write. I see writing or literature not only as a veritable tool with which to better the living condition of humans, but also as a weapon with which to fight social ills, lies injustice, corruption, racial discrimination, bad governance, sociopolitical and marginalisation and so on. African-American poets such as Langston Hughes, Claude Mckay and others use their wiring to fight racial discrimination in the 18th century and afterwards, while South African writers, including Dennis Brutus use theirs to fight Apartheid. Similarly, pre-independence African writers also used their writing to fight for independence, while the post-independence Nigerian writers used their works to fight the corruption that followed the nation’s independence. I believe in the power of words, writing or literature to improve human living conditions and change society for the better. Humanity, society and environment inspire me to write. Love, joy and loss also inspire some of my works.
In what genre of literature do you express yourself most and why?
I express myself the most through the poetic genre, although I write short fiction and plays. Poetry affords me the liberty to express myself better than the other genres. I see poetry as a medley of music, drama and storytelling. It encapsulates music, as well as the storytelling and the dramatic genres. This makes it quite apt to convey a very important message while also entertaining the reader or the audience. In my poem, entitled “Twinkling, Twinkling NEPA”, which is a parody of Jane Taylor’s “Twinkling, Twinkling Little Star” I satirise the poor power supply in Nigeria. NEPA is an acronym for National Electric Power Authority, the agency responsible for power generation and distribution in Nigeria until recently. This poem appeals to people of all ages—kids and adults alike. It’s musical, entertaining and passes a very strong message about the epileptic nature of electric power supply in Nigeria. The poem attracts a lot of applause, whenever and where it’s recited or performed. What’s more, it’s performance involves an audience participation. In my own view, poetry is the best genre to express this very crucial message because it affords me the opportunity to say so much with a few words. This explains my choice of the poetic genre.
When you read a book what are the essential ingredients you look out for most and why?
Whenever I pick up a book to read, I look out for something new: new ideas, new knowledge, new experience, new insight and in some cases new skills, especially if it’s a non-literary text. I believe that books should add value to human life, even if it only entertains. Despite my love for poetry, I don’t enjoy esoteric poems. I love simple diction. I believe that a good poem should communicate and communication only takes place when there is shared meaning. This is best achieved through simple diction. Wrong spelling, use of words or tenses is likely to discourage me from reading further, no matter how beautiful the design of a book is. I look for the right words in the right place and if it is prose, I look out for an interesting story, good plot, characterisation and good finishing. No matter how interesting a story is and intriguing the plot is, poor finishing could become the fly in the ointment….
At what point in your life did you realise you would be a writer? What book in particular did it for you?
Well, I had the privilege of reading the LadyBirds books very early in life. I was able to read at home before I started school. As a kid I enjoyed writing letters; I never enjoyed verbal communication as such. In fact, I preferred communicating through writing and would rather write to my dad than talk to him in person. For instance, while in Primary Three in a school in my hometown, I remember writing my dad a letter, pleading with him to change my school. I was tired of schooling in the village and wanted to relocate to Port Harcourt then. At that point, he was in Port Harcourt and only came home at weekends and returned to Port Harcourt on Mondays, while my mum and my younger siblings were in the village. Not getting any response from him, I wrote another letter to one of his very close friends to prevail on him. Again, my best moment in class at that time was when we had reading and the recommended text then was the Macmillan English Series. I became friends with the characters in the books, such as Edet in Primary Three, Agbo in Primary Four, Obi and Nneka in Primary Six. I think I was too immature to realise that my love for reading and writing was all the motivation I needed to become a writer. Based on hindsight, I later realised that my choice of becoming a science student in my senior secondary with the hope of studying Pharmacy, Pharmacology, Dentistry or Optometry/Ophthalmology in the university was borne out of ignorance. It’s a faux pas. It was only when I failed my core science subjects of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology that it dawned on me that I was on the wrong flight and I quickly retraced my step. After my secondary education I became a voracious reader to the extent that I got addicted to reading James Hadley Chase as well as the Mills and Boons Series. I only got to appreciate African authors when I made up my mind to become a student of literature and other arts subjects.
I can’t really point at a particular book, but I can say that different books did their bits. However, Gabriel Okara’s An Adventure to Juju Island played a major role.
Of all the books you have read, which character struck you most and how?
This is a very tricky one because each time I read a book and really I enjoyed it a character will strike me in a way that it would seem I had known him or her for a very long time. And such feelings will continue to stick with me until I encounter another striking character in a new book. However, one character(s) that struck me so much were Otokolo and Worlu in Gabriel Okara’s An Adventure to Juju Island. This is because I read the book when I was about their age. Hence, I saw their kidnappers as my own enemies and was very excited when they regained their freedom at the end of the book. It was as if I was with them in captivity.
Where and when do you like to read or write and why?
For now, I can read anywhere and anytime so far as there is tranquility. This is because I can’t read in a noisy environment. So, I prefer a clean and noiseless environment. However, I can read while on a long journey in a good bus, taxi or aboard a plane.
Who are your favourite authors in Nigeria and across the globe?
It depends on the genre of writing. My favourite Nigerian poets include Gabriel Okara, Niyi Osundare, Tanure Ojaide, Ibiwari Ikiriko, G Ebinyo Ogbowei, Obari Gomba and Kudo Eresia-Eke. I enjoy poetry by Langston Hughes, Claude Mckay, Lemn Sissay and Benjamin Zephaniah also. In prose fiction, I love the writings of Chinua Achebe, Elechi Amadi, Ken Saro-Wiwa and Chimamanda Adichie. In non-fiction, I like the writings of Okey Ndibe, especially his memoir: Do Not Look at an American in the Eye. For the dramatic genre, Wole Soyinka.
If you meet any of your favourite authors what will be the first question you will ask him or her?
I’ve met most of my favourite authors. For those I’m yet to meet, I would simply request them to share what they consider the secret of success in writing in the world today. Such a discussion is likely to yield different responses depending on the people involved. The outcome would deepen my knowledge and enrich my own experience.
How has writing shaped your life?
Writing afforded me the opportunity to wash my hands quite early in life and as such enabled me to dine with elders. It shaped my life in several ways. One, it has made it possible for me to meet leading African writers such as Elechi Amadi in whose workshop—Elechi Amadi School of Creative Writing, I served as an apprentice. I also met Gabriel Okara and who later became my mentor and a very senior friend. Two, writing has taken me to different parts of states in Nigeria through the annual international convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). Three, as a writer I had had the rare privilege of serving as the Acting Secretary of the Rivers State branch of ANA in as far back as 2002, while Elechi Amadi was Chairman. I was unanimously elected as Acting Secretary of the branch following the demise of the Secretary, who was my poetry lecturer at the IJMB Programme of Ahmadu Bello University at the defunct Rivers State College of Arts and Science (now Elechi Amadi Polytechnics) and English Language lecturer at Elechi Amadi School of Creative Writing. Four, writing comes with prestige and so, through it, I have been able to meet many great men and women—readers, critics and fellow writers from Nigeria and beyond. For instance, when my second collection of poems, Echoes of Neglect was nominated for the NLNG-Sponsored Nigerian Prize for Literature in 2017, it afforded me the privilege of sharing a breakfast table with such distinguished poets and fellow nominees as Tanure Ojaide, Obari Gomba and Ikeogu Oke, who won the prestigious prize. Five, writing has brought me recognition and fulfilment, especially when I receive applause each time I’m introduced as a writer/poet or each time I perform my poems. Six, writing has taught me different ways of looking at life. Seven, writing has enriched my experience and widened my perceptions of people, cultural diversity, humanity and life in general. Eight, it shaped my career choice. I was first, a writer before I became a journalist and also delved into editing and public relations at a professional level. Nine, writing has given me hope, insight and foresight. Ten, writing has given me identity.
Are you a rereader, how often and why?
I’m a re-reader if I find a work very interesting. If I’m bored and have access to a book I’d really enjoyed in the past, I’d quickly go for it. This is so irrespective of the genre. This means that it could either be a literary text or a book on public relations, journalism, or personal development. There’s no limit to the number of times I reread a book. Sometimes, I reread a book to ascertain information, I also reread for entertainment. At other times, I may reread a book I’m writing a critical essay or academic paper on. I have reread Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, G Ebinyo Ogbowei’s Songs of Dying River and Marsh Boy and Other Poems to mention but a few several times.
What book did you read last and what lessons did you learn from it?
The book I read last wasn’t a literary text, it was a book on writing entitled: How to set up a Freelance Writing Business by Jason Deign. It was like a rereading for me. The book touches on some of the fundamentals of journalism, PR, copywriting and so on. The Covid-19 pandemic came with physical, emotional, social, political and economic challenges. These call for deep thinking on how to do things and live life differently. It brought what its now known as the new normal. I thought I should consider other ways of making money through writing.
What book do you want to read next and why?
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. I find the title interesting. I’d also like to read some poems from my favourite poets. We’re gradually returning to work and so I do not have the leisure of time as was the case at the onset of Covid-19 lockdown. I should add that I’m working on a collection of poems at the moment.
How do you arrange your library at home and in the office?
Literary works-Poetry, Prose fiction, plays, nonfiction, including how-to books on writing. This is followed by media and communication texts —Journalism, PR, and so on.
What books do you think have had the greatest impact on you in a decade?
Funny enough, it is An Adventure to Juju Island. It initiated and deepened my love for reading and writing at a very early age and the feeling has remained with me till today.
All over again would you like to be a writer?
Sure! Being a writer has opened doors for me and I would like to be a writer again and again.
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