Lola Shoneyin: On Writing, Identity and Family

Nigerian writer and author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, Lola Shoneyin speaks with Sam Umukoro on writing, identity and family. Read an excerpt below

SU: First, what influenced your decision to become a writer?

LOLA SHONEYIN: I didn’t set out to be a writer, but I was exposed to words, books, writing and creativity from a very early age. I used to start novels when I was young and poetry was very useful for me. My childhood was pretty chaotic, so being able to write things down in verses centred me. I frequently wrote poems about my juvenile anguish and stuff like that. It was when I got to university that I understood that it was of value to the consumer. I wrote a series of poems and my lecturers praised my work very highly. That was when I started taking my writing seriously.

SU: When you started writing, did you face any opposition from your parents of people that didn’t want you to go into the profession?

LOLA SHONEYIN: My dad wanted me to be a doctor, so he expected me to choose science subjects at the end of Form 3. But unbeknownst to him, I chose pure Arts subjects - Literature, Bible Knowledge, you know, and a couple of subjects from the social sciences. Although I was pretty good at the sciences, I had no interest in them. Then, my dad wanted me to study law at university. But I wrote ‘English’ when filling my JAMB forms. At my book launch in 2002, my dad told this story himself. That was when I realised how closely he had been watching me, and how my decision made him feel. He had high hopes and dreams for me, but I just took my own path. He constantly says, ‘This Lola does exactly what she wants to do.’ He’s very proud of me. He’s a supportive dad.

SU: You’re involved in children’s literature and poetry, write and direct plays, and also sing. How do you combine these with your roles as a mother and wife?

LOLA SHONEYIN: Let me address this singing thing: I don’t sing anymore. And this is not me being self-deprecating. When I hear other people sing, I shut my mouth, quickly. Bringing up kids and writing mean you marry skills that are from two different worlds. Bringing up kids involves nurturing and constant interaction. On the other hand, writing is like being in solitary confinement. I negotiate with my children and also with my work. We reach an agreement that involves a lot of give and take. When you’re in the heat of a project like writing a book, you find that you’re giving more than you ought to be giving, and taking from the kids. But I’m lucky to have kids who have come to understand what I do. Yes, I have been known to write plays, but I haven’t produced one in about twelve years.

SU: Was it a deliberate decision not to use the Soyinka name, given that you are married to Professor Wole Soyinka’s son, or is it that you didn’t want to be seen in the shadow of the great man?

LOLA SHONEYIN: Well, most significantly, I think changing your name confuses the reading public if you’re an author. In any case, why should female authors have to change their names because their circumstances change? I find it absurd. My life has been so much simpler because I chose to stick with my original name.

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