‘Why Nigerian police are heroes in my book’

Bookshelf: You authored ‘Amanda’s Crime’, a crime novel where the Nigeria Police Force appeared to solve every crime with stunning efficiency. Why did you choose to write such a story? Anthony Onugba: My dad retired as a police officer. During his time with the police force, I admired his smartness at work and the way […]

Bookshelf: You authored ‘Amanda’s Crime’, a crime novel where the Nigeria Police Force appeared to solve every crime with stunning efficiency. Why did you choose to write such a story?
Anthony Onugba: My dad retired as a police officer. During his time with the police force, I admired his smartness at work and the way the police operated. Years later, the story is different. The Nigerian police are looked at with scorn. I thought that the best way to solve this and make the police more appreciated was to write a crime novel, but make it a little futuristic, so as to achieve two goals; instil in the citizens a positive image of the police and challenge the police to be better and more professional, especially with respect to crime fighting and relations with civilians and accused people.

Bookshelf: Is there a particular reason why the protagonist is a policewoman?
Onugba: Yes. Since we are in a male dominated society, it would have been ordinary to have a male character as the protagonist. I wanted a character that would inspire females to be the best they can be and also to teach some basic morals. Most ladies are able to associate their domestic problems with Amanda’s and I was elated when someone sent me a message saying she had read ‘Amanda’s Crime’ in tears and wished she had read it earlier in her youth so as to avoid some mistakes she made.

Bookshelf: The police detectives were made up of strong characters with high morals and every chapter was like an episode in a series. Do you foresee it becoming a major TV series?
Onugba: Yes. The plan is to adapt ‘Amanda’s Crime’ as a TV series. In fact, plans are already underway for that. We have had two auditions already in Abuja. We are still in the process of concluding with our financiers as well as those interested in product placement. One of the things we are working towards in the TV series is to promote made-in-Nigeria goods. Amanda’s official car in the series, for example, would be made and assembled in Nigeria, same with phones, computers and so on.

Bookshelf: At what point did you decide you wanted to make a TV series out of the book?
Onugba: I decided to make a TV series even before writing the book. I had thought first of writing it for TV, but due to lack of support and funding, I adapted it as a weekly web series and then decided to publish it as a trilogy.

Bookshelf: You took a film directing course in Jos. Will you describe yourself as a writer or a director?
Onugba: As both, actually.

Bookshelf: You have an online forum, a community for writers known as Writers’ Space. What do you hope to achieve with it?
Onugba: There is a lot that needs to be done to support the Nigerian Literary society. There are authors who are struggling with recognition for their work and others are looking for an avenue to learn more and connect with other writers. Writers’ Space serves as an avenue to connect writers all over the country to opportunities, as well as enhance their skills. We will soon commence free online courses for writers.
Writers’ Space also has a forum for writers, readers and critics. Writers are invited to upload their work for other writers to comment along with constructive criticism. To do this, the writer would have to visit the site and register. Also, we offer a package which enables writers own a website at N1, 000 per month.

Bookshelf: Some writers are of the opinion, writing is in-born and requires more of reading to hone ones skill, than training. What is your opinion?
Onugba: I think that it requires both. You need to read to expand your horizon and you need training as well since no man is an island. There are writers who have it in born as well but talent must be developed and refined.

Bookshelf: You have published two collections of poetry, ‘Mixed Emotions’ and ‘Reflections’. How do you view the development of poetry in Nigeria today?
Onugba: Appreciation for poetry in Nigeria is still in its infancy. There are those who studied poems only to pass exams. I think more needed to be done by both writers and readers to make the society appreciate poetry more.

Bookshelf: When did you decide you were going to be a writer and how has the journey been so far?
Onugba: I decided to be a writer right from when I was in primary school. In fact, my first book was printed by my father, using a typewriter, when I was in Primary Four. He had it bound for me and it was read before all my classmates. I wrote another one in Primary Five and then when I was in secondary school. But I didn’t publish until my university days. It has been tough. My first collection of poetry, ‘Mixed Emotions’, was sold for N100, yet there were people who were still asking for the price to be reduced.
To augment, most writers take up day jobs. But I look forward to when writers would be taken seriously and more national competitions organised. Let me add that I feel sad when music stars are used as brand ambassadors. We need to include writers as well.
That way, the society could indirectly uphold literary figures as their models, including younger writers, and this might lead to a literary revolution.

Bookshelf: There are more opportunities for writers in Nigeria today with the emergence of publishing houses like Farafina, Cassava Republic, Parressia and so on. Do you see writing becoming more of a career in Nigeria in the future and less of a part-time job or hobby?
Onugba: Unfortunately, most publishing houses do not offer traditional publishing service whereby the author is paid to write and the publishing house will take care of the editing, marketing, among others and then royalty shared. What you have now is that the writer pays in advance for copies to be published.
It can become a career if we have more traditional publishing and this will be possible once there is a literary revolution, which can be achieved via a combination of factors including private sector and government intervention, among others.

Bookshelf: What books and authors had tremendous effect on your development as a writer?
Onugba: Most of what I read was Nigerian literature. Some of them include: ‘Without a Silver Spoon’ by Eddie Iroh, ‘The gods are not to Blame’ by Ola Rotimi, ‘Eze Goes to School’ by Onuora Nzekwu and Michael Crowder, ‘The Passport of Mallam Ilia’ by Cyprian Ekwensi, as well as the Pacesetter series. Some foreign books that aided my development include, ‘Shall We Tell the President’ by Jeffery Archer and the ‘Famous Five’ books by Enid Blyton.

Bookshelf: Writers write for different reasons. Why do you write?
Onugba: I love to write. I love to create my idea of a society and characters which would inspire the readers to be better as well as inculcate societal and personal values and morals.