‘I was quite fortunate to clinch a few prizes’
Most people who happened to have read some of my writings think that I was born and raised up in an academic home, but I’d like to point out that that’s a great misconception. My parents did not go to university; the civil war cut short their secondary education. After the war ended though, my […]
Most people who happened to have read some of my writings think that I was born and raised up in an academic home, but I’d like to point out that that’s a great misconception. My parents did not go to university; the civil war cut short their secondary education. After the war ended though, my dad couldn’t further his education. So he moved to Lagos , got a job with a textile company, because he was quite dexterous. But before he passed away five years ago, my dad knew the value of a good education, so he and my mum strove to make sure I got the best they both could get. At the age of three, he became my tutor, cramming my adolescent life with more books than I thought was necessary for an under-five. Ladybird series, especially, littered our sitting room. He made sure I spent more time reading than playing; and, of course, I thought him mean and didn’t find any fun in reading at all.
Interesting. Well, Mr Umez, your latest work, The Runaway Hero is now out. Can you tell us more about it?
Mr Umez? Haba! That sounds pretty odd. I think my abridged surname does not go well with Mr. So I’d rather you call me Uche or Umez. Anyway, The Runaway Hero is about Kachi, a 9-year-old orphan boy who has a hard time living in an orphanage run by a formidable woman. It offers readers a glimpse of life within the crumbly walls of an orphanage, how Kachi tries to come to terms with his being short, how he tries to defend himself and his bookworm friend Nomso from the older boys, some of whom like to tease and bully them. Although some scenes are at times bleak, The Runaway Hero is altogether a story of hope and friendship and charity.
The book explores kidnapping among other issues. Kidnapping is becoming quite a menace. To what extent do you think literature can be used against this phenomenon?
Anatole France reminds us that, “The duty of literature is to note what counts, and to light up what is suited to the light.” I think I have tried to note what counts, given the present social circumstances. When I set out to write The Runaway Hero, kidnapping was common in the South East, especially in Abia and Imo States. Thank God, kidnapping is no longer as rife as it used to be early in 2009/10. Literature is a snapshot of a country in many ways, how people think, perceive, relate with and react to their own little world within the larger world of society. I believe strongly in the power of literature, it can serve very practical purposes, but sadly for most of us in Nigeria (the youth particularly) the in-thing is to devour inspirational and motivational materials because they flood your brain with liquid ideas of success, that is, when you aren’t quickening your spirit with hardcore rap or boisterous beats.
The protagonist, Kachi, turns out to be an accidental hero of sorts. Can you tell us more about his character?
In the opening scene of the novel, Kachi tells us that he doesn’t get scared easily. So this gives us a glimpse of what kind of boy he is, even though he is just 9. Kachi is also hardy, well, a little bit hardy. Although he is rather too short for a boy of nine, he is not easily cowed. He is in fact not a puny, spineless boy. In spite of the number of times he had had a fight with The Bullfrogs, the notorious bullies in the orphanage, Kachi still remains fearless, even standing up for his best friend as well. As one of the teachers in the orphanage tells the boys, “It’s a tough, tough world”. Kachi realises that he has to look tough always if he hopes to get through the taunting and bullying. And it is this hardy part of him which helps him through later on, when he stumbles upon the hideout of the kidnappers.
You have written several children stories. Is there a particular reason for this?
I like the world of children, almost anything can happen. Their world is full of possibilities. Impossibility is not really in a child’s vocabulary. Sometimes I tell my 3-year-old daughter, ‘Don’t do that!’ And she would quickly reply, ‘No!’ As you already know, in the adult world, there is lot of restraint and reason. So, in a way, I find the children’s world particularly striking, an attraction.
Your book is published by Jalaa Writer’s Collective. How would you describe the experience of working with them to make this book a reality?
Jalaa is a group of writers based in Nigeria . Created in