‘How sex workers inspired my novel’

Bookshelf: You started writing ‘Udukh: The Surrogate Daughter’ ten years ago. Why did you embark on the book project? Lois Otse Adams: In 2011 attended a conference in Abuja organised by Nationa Agency for the Control of Aids. I was working with Inside Africa magazine back then and was reporting about NAPTIP. I was amazed […]

Bookshelf: You started writing ‘Udukh: The Surrogate Daughter’ ten years ago. Why did you embark on the book project?

Lois Otse Adams: In 2011 attended a conference in Abuja organised by Nationa Agency for the Control of Aids. I was working with Inside Africa magazine back then and was reporting about NAPTIP. I was amazed at how passionately sex workers advocated for what they did. They tried to convince the government, through NAPTIP, that sex work should be legalised in Nigeria. The theme I didn’t see anything good in the way the girls looked and wondered why they would be advocating for sex work, instead of looking for ways to embrace a better lifestyle. That was what spurred me to write ‘Udukh’, the desire to find out why.

Bookshelf: How did you begin your research?

Lois: I interviewed some of the girls after the conference and that was how, along with some of the materials I got at the event, I started developing my work. The event was meant to enable NAPTIP and the sex workers dialogue and come to an agreement. But NAPTIP didn’t compromise and told the girls to say no to prostitution and embrace rehabilitation. 

Bookshelf: What major challenges did you face writing about human trafficking?

Lois: I remember the first person who looked at my manuscript made some discouraging statements. Some people asked me if it’s my story. I was meeting with the sex workers frequently. I tried to show love to some of them and preached to them, but the more I did that, the more they became hostile. They don’t see anything good in themselves and change wasn’t in their agenda. I went through a lot and had financial challenges because I travelled abroad. I set up two NGO advocacy branches in two countries and some student prostitutes in tertiary institutions embraced my ideas. There were Nigerians I met in Malaysia who travelled with the hope of pursuing their education. But when they got there their story changed. Some were in school but were also involved in prostitution. They thought when they got there things would be better. Nigerians did a lot of nasty things, so much the head of a school sent a message through me that I should go back to my country and educate parents and tell them not to support their children to come to Malaysia. 

Bookshelf: Why were the students not deported?

Lois: Some were deported. The first day I met some of these students, they attacked me and told me to go back. They said Nigeria had a bad government. I encouraged them and said they could still add value as women. I used myself as an example and explained that I was doing well. 

Bookshelf: Why did you feel the need to fictionalise these stories?

Lois: I love stories. In fact, the first draft was written as a play before I rewrote it. Edo State has the highest number of traffickers and trafficked persons, and we went to a village called Ewoyimi, where former governor, Adams Oshomole’s wife comes from. I changed the real names from that region. The book captures the present trend of human trafficking happening in the world today.  It’s like a prediction of what is taking place today. I rounded off the book about four years ago. 

Bookshelf: Did you foresee the spate of human trafficking today?

Lois: It has been there. Human trafficking didn’t start today. People have been dying, enslaved and maltreated before. That was what got my attention. Most of the girls in the conference that inspired me to write the book were from Edo State. Who knows if those women are still alive?

Bookshelf: How tasking was it turning your research work into an engaging story?

Lois: Turning the story into prose was tough. This is why it took so long. I put it in a story form because I didn’t want to mention actual names. Initially I didn’t even want Nigeria to be mentioned.