I was born a Nigerian in a typical African village setup to very
humble and poor parents. At the tender age of ten my elder brother took me with
him to the Cameroon. He was the one who virtually raised me and the root of what I
have become today.
After my high school education I could not continue immediately to
the university due to lack of finance. I gained an employment as a Physics,
Chemistry and Mathematics teacher with the Catholic education authority in Cameroon.
After many years of teaching, I decided to continue with my education to earn a
university degree. I studied Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nigeria-Nsukka,
where I graduated with a first class honours degree. I came back to the Cameroon afterwards
and taught for few years before moving to Europe.
I still teach, though on free lance basis but a good deal of my time is
dedicated to my writing. I am happily married with three wonderful children.
What do you do when you
are not writing?
When I am writing, I work as a support staff to the fire fighting
services, I spend quality time with family, I do a lot of reading, and I watch
movies especially religious and Nigerian movies.
Do you have a
"day job" as well?
Sometimes I work at night as a support staff to the fire fighting
services.
When did you first start
writing and when did you finish your first book?
I started writing at about the age of fourteen, though at
that time it was nothing other than scratching some stories on pieces of
papers. I have no collection of those stories but memories of them have never
left me and they form the basis of my novel.
My very first writing in print was a Chemistry pamphlet (though
unpublished). It was followed by the first volume of my Physics book. All these
were written before the year 2000.
How did you choose the
genre you write in?
I just like to tell stories especially folklore. It seems I
have a preference to the ways of living in the village setup. I equally enjoy
quality debates on matters of religion.
Where do you get your
ideas?
Most of my ideas are inspirational. I imagine most of the things I
write. I also borrowed from my own life experience, especially from the many
years I worked as a teacher. My students and colleagues unknowingly provided
the wonderful background to some of my stories. I remain indebted to them.
Do you ever experience
writer's block?
Yes, many times of course
Do you work with an
outline, or just write?
I just write as I get inspired.
Is there any particular
author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
I enjoyed the writings of Prof. Chinua Achebe. No
Longer at Ease and Things Fall Apart were my favourite novels.
Can you tell us about
your challenges in getting your first book published?
As a new author I knew nothing about publishing. It was difficult
getting into the world of publishers.
If you had to go back
and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
For now I cannot tell. I think there are rooms for improvement. I
will wait patiently for the comments and criticisms of those who have read the
novel. There always will be something to improve about a book.
What inspired you on
this book?
The urge
to tell a story that have lived long in me.
What was the hardest
part of creating this book?
The hardest part was trying to select from the many stories I had within
me and presenting the stories in ways that would be interesting to the would-be
readers.
What do you hope
people gain from reading it?
People
will understand better the traditional African way of life. Africa is
unique with her unique set of traditions, culture, lifestyle and beliefs.
Africa had a rich and proud past and only Africans can tell the true and
complete story of Africa. People should after reading the novel see Africa more
in a positive light.
What is your advice to
people who are not excited about reading?
There
are lots of pleasure to be derived from reading. It is often said that when
a man stops reading, it stops growing. Reading makes a man. Treasures are hidden within the pages of books.
Why should we buy your
book?
My
book offers a good outlook of the African way of life. It gives a true picture
and insight into the rich and diverse nature of the African culture. It tells
the African story in a unique way. Sales of the book will motivate my writing
and will help to finance a charity project I envisage setting up in the near
future.
Where can I get a copy of your book?
Visit www.ChasedIntoHisDestiny1.com for a copy.
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