MUSINGS OF AN INDEPENDENT AUTHOR
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| My book published in 2020 |
Naturally, I am not afraid to stand alone in my opinion or thoughts. I love to explore and enjoy a bit of edginess in life. And the road less traveled is my favorite path.
This applies to literary works as well. I enjoy sampling the literary works of other cultures and lately, I may be getting bored with African literature.
Before you come at me swinging, hear me out, please.
Perhaps I should rephrase that; I may be getting bored with Nigerian literature. Being of Nigerian ancestry, I love to support my own but in recent times, I have had to think twice, sometimes three times before forking out hard-earned cash.
This applies to literary works as well. I enjoy sampling the literary works of other cultures and lately, I may be getting bored with African literature.
Before you come at me swinging, hear me out, please.
Perhaps I should rephrase that; I may be getting bored with Nigerian literature. Being of Nigerian ancestry, I love to support my own but in recent times, I have had to think twice, sometimes three times before forking out hard-earned cash.
Why? You ask? I am not getting enough bang for my buck!
So as I sat at the second-floor cafe of the Barnes and Noble bookstore on Union Square, New York City this past spring, starring at the portraits of authors on the wall. Many thoughts waylaid me. Portraits of authors come and gone
So as I sat at the second-floor cafe of the Barnes and Noble bookstore on Union Square, New York City this past spring, starring at the portraits of authors on the wall. Many thoughts waylaid me. Portraits of authors come and gone
Charles Dickinson, Mark Twain, Thomas Hardy, Bernard Shaw, Henry James, Oscar Wilde, and Mary Shelley. All who I never met, some whom I have only shaken hands with on the pages of their work. Others, I've merely acquainted with the search engine Google.
I thought about their African Counterparts and mused about the new generation of African writers.
The Old generation, and the Silent generation like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, JP Clarke- Bekederemo, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Kofi Awoonor, Ama Ata Aidioo, Kwesi Brew, Diop Birago, Bai T Moore to name a few laid a foundation fought hard to put African Literature on the world map.
They paved the way and laid the tar that became the tarred roads of African literature.
Are the next generation, The X and Millennials- the so-called Y generation fixing the potholes I see everywhere? Can they dare to be different and lead African literature down a new path that recognizes the old ways but asserts its right in the future and pushes the envelope away from the stereotype?
I would like to see more young writers carve a niche and not write just about what is expected or the world's perception of Africa; Poverty, Disease, Voodoo, witchcraft, Obeah, and misogyny.
I would love to see more stories that veer away from the village palm wine guzzler, the village idiot who thinks he is a gift to women, the juju, and the constant struggle with poverty.
Or maybe I am just being selfish, an educated privileged African embarrassed to see her homeland portrayed in such a light. Because it is not entirely false that poverty permeates the stratosphere of the continent.
But it is also true that there are many positives on the continent and I want to read more about them, and I want the world to see that side of Africa.
I want to lie tucked in bed on a Sunday morning engrossed in an African title I cannot put down because the story transports me to a better Africa.
Clearly, I would like to see more stories about the strides Africans are making in the world of Science, Music, Entertainment, and Medicine. Stories of ambitions, love, and sexuality.
Stories about immigrant Africans and asserting our personality on the world stage despite the odds.
Yes, I know Chimamanda Adichie and Teju Cole are writing brilliantly, and lately, Chigozie Obioma author of "The Fisherman" a book I am yet to read but Mr. Ikhide Ikheloa constantly raves. And of course, after this post was first published, I discovered Akwaeke Emezi. She writes brilliantly.
I want and ask for more, there is abundant talent in the homeland. I want to read more beautiful positive stories.
I thought about their African Counterparts and mused about the new generation of African writers.
The Old generation, and the Silent generation like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, JP Clarke- Bekederemo, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Kofi Awoonor, Ama Ata Aidioo, Kwesi Brew, Diop Birago, Bai T Moore to name a few laid a foundation fought hard to put African Literature on the world map.
They paved the way and laid the tar that became the tarred roads of African literature.
Are the next generation, The X and Millennials- the so-called Y generation fixing the potholes I see everywhere? Can they dare to be different and lead African literature down a new path that recognizes the old ways but asserts its right in the future and pushes the envelope away from the stereotype?
I would like to see more young writers carve a niche and not write just about what is expected or the world's perception of Africa; Poverty, Disease, Voodoo, witchcraft, Obeah, and misogyny.
I would love to see more stories that veer away from the village palm wine guzzler, the village idiot who thinks he is a gift to women, the juju, and the constant struggle with poverty.
Or maybe I am just being selfish, an educated privileged African embarrassed to see her homeland portrayed in such a light. Because it is not entirely false that poverty permeates the stratosphere of the continent.
But it is also true that there are many positives on the continent and I want to read more about them, and I want the world to see that side of Africa.
I want to lie tucked in bed on a Sunday morning engrossed in an African title I cannot put down because the story transports me to a better Africa.
Clearly, I would like to see more stories about the strides Africans are making in the world of Science, Music, Entertainment, and Medicine. Stories of ambitions, love, and sexuality.
Stories about immigrant Africans and asserting our personality on the world stage despite the odds.
Yes, I know Chimamanda Adichie and Teju Cole are writing brilliantly, and lately, Chigozie Obioma author of "The Fisherman" a book I am yet to read but Mr. Ikhide Ikheloa constantly raves. And of course, after this post was first published, I discovered Akwaeke Emezi. She writes brilliantly.
I want and ask for more, there is abundant talent in the homeland. I want to read more beautiful positive stories.
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| Published in 2020 |
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