‘Why I rewrote my play into a novel’

Bookshelf: You are a well-known writer who has written many books. What inspired this remarkable achievement?  Dillibe Onyeama: Well, I was inspired in the mid-1960s by a novel I read titled ‘Palm Wine Drinkard’ by Amos Tutuola. I was really impressed that someone living and breathing at that level of English education could be able […]

Bookshelf: You are a well-known writer who has written many books. What inspired this remarkable achievement?  
Dillibe Onyeama: Well, I was inspired in the mid-1960s by a novel I read titled ‘Palm Wine Drinkard’ by Amos Tutuola. I was really impressed that someone living and breathing at that level of English education could be able to write something that could be published by a leading English publisher. When I heard about how it all happened that this gentleman sat and scribbled a tall story of folklore, put it in an envelope, and sent it to Faber and Faber, the leading English publishing firm in those days, I was impressed.  And within two weeks, Faber and Faber sent him a cheque for 200 pounds and the book became a classic, selling thousands of copies and enjoying reprints galore. He was one of the biggest selling first generation novelists.  But while I was inspired, my father was not impressed. At that time, he was a Judge at the International Court at The Hague. He wasn’t impressed that I should be admiring the likes of Tutuola. He was thinking in terms of Bernard Shaw, William Shakespeare, not Amos Tutuola who wrote in what he considered pidgin English. All the same I remained inspired by Tutuola, and that was when I started writing my own idea of pidgin English literature, somewhat in the tradition of Tutuola. I wrote it in longhand as a drama and later wrote a letter of enquiry to Faber and Faber. A reply came back from an editor called Sarah Gleadell, saying that as a rule they don’t publish drama, unless it has first had a successful London West End stage production. But she said that if I still had a copy of the one written in pidgin English, they would very much like to see it. So I sent it and for months, I didn’t hear from them. But then, they wrote back, saying well, we’ve gone through this book, and were impressed with much in the story. As earlier explained to you, drama is very difficult to sell in England, unless it has first had a successful West End. So they could not make me an offer for publication and sent it back. I was a bit dispirited. I decided to write the book again as a novel, and titled it ‘Juju.’ The drama version was called ‘Yes, Black Man Business.’  The novel ‘Juju’ was a success and was sold to several countries. It was the biggest selling book I have written. There’s a British edition, an American edition, a Spanish translation edition, and a Nigerian edition sold to Olaiya Fagbamigbe’s Eagle Romance series. And that was the book I sent to Faber and Faber as a work of Drama. That was how my career started.  But before then I had written a few other works like my first book, ‘Nigger at Eton’ about how I fared at Eton College. That was the first. Then subsequently I wrote a novel about being stranded during the Nigerian civil war, ‘Sex Is a Nigger’s Game,’ involving bedroom frolics as a gigolo to make money to survive. That book sold many copies as well.  
Bookshelf: So, it was actually Amos Tutuola who inspired you?  
Onyeama: Yes. I was inspired by the fact that one did not have to write good Queen’s English to get published. That’s how it all started.  
Bookshelf: Your book ‘Juju,’ assuming it is re-created now, what would be its message for this generation?  
Onyeama: It will be ‘Juju, African occultism.’ It was published about the same time as the world classic ‘Roots’ by Alex Haley focused on re-discovering African roots. So I think ‘Juju’ fell into that general interest in African affairs, and it sold well in the West. But now when one gets enmeshed in Christian dogma and everything else, one comes to see the futility of these occult practices. But if I should re-publish ‘Juju’ again, it would still be in demand because occultism is very big in Africa. The highest people in office – the police, military – all go to shrines and do the most outlandish occult things in praise of the devil to get power and protection. But even though my earlier successful novels, including ‘Secret Society,’ ‘The Revenge of the Medicine Man,’ ‘Godfathers of Voodoo’ and ‘Night Demon,’ dealt with African occultism, they were generally popular down-market fiction and I would not like to go down that path again. I am more interested in serious contemporary fiction, studying the forces of good and evil under the genre of Divinity.  

I have a new novel coming out later this year, about 500 to 600 pages, titled ‘The Flaming Sword,’ which I have been writing for 40 years. A leading English publisher called Mark Barty-King expressed great enthusiasm over the plot when I submitted a five-page synopsis, but he wanted to be sure that I could perfect a solid story-telling type of writing rather than the racy down-market works of mine that he had read.  He was keen to get such an ambitious project off the ground but wanted to see some specimen chapters before he would commit his company to commissioning the work. But I did not want a situation where I would collect about 5000 pounds as commission and then turn out unsatisfactory work. So I elected to write the whole book and submit it. But unfortunately the man died about five years ago. Another publisher will bring it out. It is an in-depth study of good and evil, more serious and contemporary than just mere sensation.  
Bookshelf: In all, can you recall how many books you have written?
Onyeama: I have written 26 books, some of them published in four different countries.  
Bookshelf: Including biographies?  
Onyeama: Yes, I have written biographies. I wrote about my grandfather, Paramount Chief Onyeama, and the book was called ‘The Story of an African God.’ I wrote one on Francis Arthur Nzeribe, Jim Nwobodo and former governor Sam Egwu of Ebonyi State. And they all sold out.  
Bookshelf: Of all your books, which do you cherish most and why?
Onyeama: Well, of all the works I have done – in terms of biographical studies – apart from my grandfather’s, I think my favourite was that on Francis Arthur Nzeribe. It was a study of an exceptional character. In fact, I think it would be difficult to find a person quite like him again. That man was outstanding, sharp, and very smart. I can’t think of any business magnet in Nigeria or anywhere else that can even begin to compare with Arthur Nzeribe. He has an incredible brain, always moving one step ahead of his competitors, always unpredictable, a master of surprise. Never take him for granted. He never leaves anything to chance.  If he lands somewhere in his private jet, before he leaves that aircraft, he will insist that the plane be refueled and everything checked before he now gets down. That was a survival strategy that always worked for him. During the coup that terminated the second republic, that was how he was able to fly out of Nigeria.
He gave generous patronage to those in the corridors of power. In the military, the police, judiciary – he had them all pocketed; all of them. In return, he was always kept well informed. When the soldiers were about to strike, he was duly notified in good time, and flew out in his private jet. Not long after they left, the pilot said, Chief, they have just closed all the borders. That was very clever and could never be caught. But I’m sorry he went into politics because his political career did not do justice to the magic of Nzeribe the business guru.  
Bookshelf: Are you impressed when you recall the role he played in the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election?  
Onyeama: No. No. That’s why I said that when he got into politics, he messed up. If I am to revise the book I would make scant reference to his political career. When you are dealing with him, you will know that this is not a man you will double-cross and go free unless the person disappears entirely. You can tell that you are dealing with a hard, ruthless human being. Indeed, he does hide it. When you are talking to him, he looks charming, he takes pains even to smile, but you have to keep a distance. And if you double cross him, you just make sure that you run faster. He’s an interesting man and it’s sad he ended the way he did. He was very clever.