Interviewing Don for the SUN

Yah! It was the same Don I told you guys I visited in Right for Wrong? Don, a senior staff of MTN Nig is the author of the novel, Delayed Not Denied. After the interview with him, I also did a book review on his novel. They were some of the few freelance stories I did for the Sunday Sun. Published in January 11, 2009.

Now sit back, pull a cushion (not trying to steal 2Face Idibia’s flow) and relax as you read through the abridged version of the interview. Enjoy the grub! I hope you might...

The time was 3pm, Ketu the venue, and the essence of such assignation is the literary modicum that is keeping you glued to this page. A tap, perhaps two, at the door saw it ajar with my host clutching to the handle. One hand battles to keep a phone to the ear, leaving a little girl in his trail as he receives a phone call, with eye contact as greetings.

My unfussy humility re-echoing a sense of social etiquette. My snickers quickly give way to release my feet to the terrazzo floor before beating a hasty entry into the tastily furnished sitting room. But that was not before acknowledging greetings. The banters were equally good after the long walk to keep the date. No one toys with the magnanimity of a host on impromptu arrangement. Boarding a bike to the venue was a no-go area, not after the law instituting the crash helmet.

Suave, baby-faced, clean-shaven with dandified meticulousness on a well sculptured physiognomy may make for the least adjectival superlative to describe this handsome writer. Perhaps, intelligence should count too, and Amaeshi does not disappoint in that department.

Initially set out as a memoir that was never meant for publication, Amaeshi’s debut novel, “Delayed Not Denied”, may not have taken a full swing to make a must read. Nevertheless, it surely has a way of gaining its own acceptability. Even this acceptance still astounds the author who revealed that he was yet to shake off his initial scepticism in publishing the book. “But really I didn’t set out to publish. I only had that inclination to write at that point in time. I was only expressing myself at that point. It was a kind of memoir sort of. I never intended to publish it until I was advised and persuaded to.”

The book is more of a life experience. It’s a factual thing.” He dragged for emphasis, “What we have in the book are really what happened but told in different light.”

Would you want to address the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the book? The question escaped; before it could be recanted, making it sound like it did not come out right. “Well, the female genital mutilation in the book is symbolic, portraying women as the down trodden. They don’t have the same right as their male counterparts. It’s more like an ego thing, trying to damage their self esteem. So, it should be looked at as a symbolic expression, not necessary what it is in the present day situation. One has to do a kind of exposition to further explain that issue on female circumcision in my book. Really, it should be seen as symbolic.”

Asked if he believed in FGM? The black colour leather upholstery squeaked to accommodate Amaeshi’s adjustment. And then he did it again as if pricked with a needle rather than conscience before offering an explanation to douse the fact that he might have been misconstrued. “If I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t know. That’s why it’s good to do a kind of exposition on certain works. For me, it has nothing to do with my beliefs. It actually symbolises some other things, apart from what people can deduce from it on the surface level.”

As a young writer in the modern age, why did he choose to dwell on the primordial rather than tackle modern day issues? He had a quick answer. “Actually, the book was published in 2002 but I wrote it between 1995 and 1997. My inspiration was from my immediate environment then. It took me a while to get published because of my financial standing. I couldn’t publish until during my youth service in 2002. So, I think the setting has to do with where I was at that point in time, and I was at the village then.”

“For me, if you want to compare, what are you looking at?” He threw back rhetorically, suspecting a conspiracy when asked if he would want to juxtapose his work with Achebe’s. “Well, I don’t really see any reason for comparison. First, this is my first book and Achebe is a known writer. He has been there for a long time. I draw a lot of inspiration from his books as I enjoy reading them.” He offered, almost in obeisance to Achebe.

But don’t you think Achebe will not be comfortable knowing that writers dread to compete with him? The quip went in, making the youthful author to seek out a rebound on his earlier posture. “Anyway, it’s not for me to compare. I didn’t write to adopt his style. At the point I wrote the book, my only intension was to express what I felt….But if you are looking at the setting, you might discover that we both have the traditional rustic setting,” he offered, and at the same time smiled away with satisfaction.

But then, who would discuss Amaeshi’s Delayed Not Denied without picking out the male child factor in the book. Do you think it is still a problem in the modern day African society? The grilling went on. “Well, considering setting in that day and age, that was obtainable. But looking at it in this modern time, am someone who doesn’t make a fuss about things like that. Right now I have a daughter and if not for pressure, I would stop at that. And if my next child happens to be a girl I will stop at that, no matter what. So, for me I don’t think it’s an issue.”

Until the retreat from the venue, the question on whether Amaeshi who maintained the factuality of his work was the storyteller, Iheukwumere, whose destiny was delayed but not denied, was never considered witty. It does now.