Dr. Ngozi Obi is an American author of Igbo descent, whose most recent book, ‘Land of the Rising Sun: A fictional Tribute to Biafra,’ is set to be formally presented in Nigeria. A pharmacist by training, Obi speaks with Gboyega Alaka on the forthcoming presentation, Biafra and her other books.
You are an American of Nigerian Igbo descent born after the war, yet you authored ‘Land of the Rising Sun: A fictional tribute to Biafra.’ What inspired you?
I’ve always wanted to write a book about Biafra because I grew up hearing both my parents, who were in the war, talk about what they went through. I was really motivated to write the book in 2017 at the fiftieth anniversary of the war, as I started to hear that there was a renewed agitation for Biafra and all the negative things that were being said about Igbos. I wanted to remind the world of what happened to the Igbos during the war and still happens today that makes them feel marginalised enough to seek their own country. I also wanted to make sure the Igbos really knew what they were asking for and if they were willing to sacrifice for it by reminding them of what their predecessors went through during the war. This is more than carrying placards, walking around and shouting “Give us Biafra.”
Your book replays the sting and stigma of a wartime experiences. Do you think this will add to the agitation or serve as a warning to war mongers?
I would hope that my book will serve as a warning to make sure Nigerians avoid fighting another civil war. I’m not agitating for or against Biafra by writing this book. I’m simply trying to highlight the issues that plagued Nigeria and led to the civil war in the sixties. Igbos shouldn’t have to live as second-class citizens in their own nation. I believe it was Wole Soyinka who said if Barak Obama was an Igbo man in Nigeria, he could never aspire to be the president of his nation. What a sad statement! And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Ensure things are equal enough for them to feel like they belong in their own country. If things can’t be worked out and Biafra is to become a nation, then let them go peacefully.
Is your father also carrying emotional scars of the war like the characters in the book?
Absolutely. Everyone who was alive during the war bemoans it till today. These people went through hell and lived to tell it. A lot of Igbos left the country because of the shame that resulted from the loss of the war. The Biafran war was to Igbos what the Vietnam war was to Americans. American soldiers came home to great ridicule after the Vietnam war. Now imagine that same ridicule from the very people you fought to separate from.
What do you think the government should do to heal the wounds of the past and put to rest the agitations for Biafra?
The government should first of all acknowledge that the Biafran War actually occurred instead of merely sweeping it under the rug. I can’t tell you how many Nigerians, particularly those born after the war, that have no idea of how brutal it was. They don’t teach it as history in schools, just as the subject of slavery is a difficult subject in American history. You can’t heal what you don’t acknowledge. The next step is to engage the Igbos in dialogue and really hear what their issues are and device a plan to fix them instead of dismissing them as mere thugs.
How did you feel writing the book?
Writing Land of the Rising Sun brought out a lot of emotions for me, particularly with having lost my mom years before the book was written. The stories used to craft the fictional portion of the book are actual narrations of her Biafran wartime experience as a young impressionable nurse. I wish she was here to read it so yeah, writing the book was quite emotional for me.
As a way forward, what would be your advice to Nigerians?
Nigerians should change their value system and become their brother’s keeper. Part of what plagues Nigeria is the failure to see beyond themselves. It is also responsible for the culture of corruption in the country.
You are planning a formal presentation of the book in Nigeria; why not the United States?
I’ve actually done quite a few presentations of my books in the United States but the subject of Biafra is a Nigerian issue. My hopes is that doing a presentation of this book will start a healing process for the Igbos in Nigeria and go a long way to restoring dignity to them, especially as the upcoming elections loom.
You have three other novels to your credit, namely: Love’s Destiny, When Dreams and Visions collide and Love’s Legacy; in addition to The women of purpose anthology co-authored by you and thirty other women. How has writing affected your life?
I believe words have power and I’ve always been fascinated by books. From the curious George series of books as a tot, to Charlotte’s web, the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books and required reading like Pride and Prejudice, as I got older. The natural progression would be to become a writer even though it wasn’t my initial profession because as a good daughter to African parents, becoming a doctor of some sort took precedence. Writing has allowed me to forge into territories that would otherwise be unknown to me. Saving lives, one word at a time is our brand motto and that’s exactly what writing has allowed me to do.
Why does the theme of virginity run in your books, particularly the love series?
Sex is a beautiful part of love when done in the proper environment. God actually created it to be the glue in marriage. Unfortunately, our sex-craze society has told us that it’s okay to give your body to anyone who wants it. I wanted this theme to be a light in what has become the societal norm. It’s alright to wait and only give yourself to the person you marry. You don’t have to give into societal pressures just because everyone else is doing it. Dare to be different and reap the physical and emotional benefits.
You are a pharmacist by training, what made you decide to become a writer?
My journey as a writer began in response to my search for a genre of books with an inspirational message that seamlessly tackle the complexity of life’s concepts with ease. I also found that delving into writing served as an escape and a way to deal with my late mother’s illness and subsequent passing, by allowing me to tap into my vivid imagination and create tangible characters that most people can easily relate to.
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