In Conversation: A.Igoni Barrett

Award winning writer Igoni Barrett is no stranger to the Garden City Literary Festival. In 2009, his collection of short stories From the Caves of the Rotten Teeth was chosen as book of the year at the GCLF. As a writer of the city, he is also a regular face at the festival. His latest book,  Love Is Power Or Something Like That will be released in May in the US, July in the UK, and August in Nigeria. 

He recently spoke in an interview with Literatinaija. Below is an excerpt. 

Bernard Ogedengbe: First, tell us about your background and childhood memories?
Igoni Barrett: I was born in Port Harcourt and spent most of my growing years there. I had a background not unlike that of many city-based Nigerians. My favourite pastime in those days was reading books. One childhood memory I still wonder about was a recurring wish to fly.

Bernard Ogedengbe: Your father — Lindsay Barrett — is an essayist, novelist and poet. Did this influence your decision in becoming a writer or was it something you always wanted to do?
Igoni Barrett: My father’s profession probably influenced me. I can’t tell you how though. Writing was not something I always wanted to do.

Bernard Ogedengbe: What books have had the most impact on you?
Igoni Barrett: There are too many to list. And the list is always evolving. But I have an essay published online that names several books that are important to me. It’s entitled “On Becoming a Writer: I Want to Be a Book.”

Bernard Ogedengbe: Most people dream of writing a book. It’s not surprising that fame, credibility, celebrity status and fortune are associated with authorship. How did the writing journey start for you?
Igoni Barrett: There are many easier ways of becoming a celebrity than writing books. And I’ll be surprised if I ever make a fortune off writing. I suspect my need to write started with my love of reading. But I made the decision to become a writer after I realised that I would never be fulfilled doing anything else.

Bernard Ogedengbe: Your kind of music?
Igoni Barrett: My taste in music ranges wide. Tupac, Fela, Mozart, to name a few.

Bernard Ogedengbe: Any advice for young aspiring authors?
Igoni Barrett: Write first to please yourself. And try not to be too easily pleased.

The Worst Thing That Happened: A.Igoni Barrett

Here is a short story to make your Sunday. Read. Enjoy. Have a great week!

For the fourth time in almost as many years, Ma Bille had to go in for eye surgery, this time to have her cataracts removed. She was not afraid: at sixty-eight years of age she had been in and out of the operating room so many times that the antiseptic reek of hospital walls was as familiar to her as the smell of baby poop. The thing that worried her, that made her wake up this morning with her heart hammering in her ears, was the suspicion that she was all alone in a world that had seen the best years of her life.

While she waited for sensation to return to her legs, she ran her mind over the tasks for the day. Her domestic routine, established after her husband’s death and perfected in the years since the last of her five children had left the house, was the cogwheel of her existence, the real reason to live. After the last operation she had shuffled around the house for five days with a blindfold of surgical gauze over her eyes, condemned to do nothing but eat, bathe, sit on the toilet bowl, and listen to the sounds of the street outside her window. She had emerged from that invalid’s limbo with a renewed zest for workaday duties, but since she noticed the fog creeping in again from the edges of her vision, she had begun to wonder if she was fighting fate.

At first, glaucoma—two failed operations, and one success. Now, cataracts, which, the doctors said, was a complication they had expected. Next time, God knows what else. She was tired of the hospital visits, of the countless eye tests, of the segments of her life that were stolen by anesthetics. But, especially, she was fed up with the troop of jeans-wearing surgeons who attended to her, who reassured her of complete recovery in happy-go-lucky tones, who declined to describe her ailment in comprehensible language and dismissed as inconsequential her complaints of blistering headaches, of the nausea that was triggered by the flash of bright lights, of the pain that seared her eyeballs night and day. After three operations, all that remained of the worst symptoms were the memories of how she had suffered. Now, quietly, without the theatrics of physical discomfort, her eyesight was fading.

She could feel herself slipping back into sleep, so she pulled aside the duvet and looked down at her legs. The sight of her stumpy, varicose, bunion-knuckled legs never failed to shock her, always seemed to mock her, to impose on her—at the start of each new day—an intimate image of decay. Mr. Bille used to say she had the finest legs in all of Ijoland, and sometimes, God forgive her, she thought it a good thing that he died before he could see what arthritis had done to her legs. The worst thing to happen to you, she said to herself, then dragged her legs to the side of the bed—huffing from the effort and wincing from the shocks of pain that shot through her knees—and edged them over.

When she opened her bedroom door Cardinal Rex loped over to meet her with his tail raised. He rubbed his sides against her ankles, purring and flicking his tail; then he padded after her as she went about her housecleaning, shining his yellow-fever eyes at the back of her head and resting on his haunches to lick his charcoal fur whenever she stopped too long at a spot. After she wedged open the kitchen door and swallowed her morning dose of Celecoxib tablets and cod-liver oil capsules washed down with two bottles of lukewarm spring water, she scraped the leftovers of last night’s cooking into his green plastic plate. She sat on a shortlegged stool in the center of the courtyard and with a chewing stick cleaned her strong, yellowed teeth. While the morning air washed over her naked, collapsed breasts as she waited for the water on the stove to heat up for her breakfast and bath, Cardinal Rex ate at her feet.

First published on Guernica; read more. This story is from Barrett’s short collection, Love Is Power, or Something Like That (Graywolf, May, 2013).

Doreen Baingana in Conversation with Igoni Barrett

Igoni Barrett, author of From Caves of Rotten Teeth,  introduced Doreen Baingana, two-time shortlisted author for the Caine Prize for African writing. After this, Doreen read from her collection of interlinked short stories Tropical Fish: Stories out of Entebbe. We meet a girl who through her words, transformed into a woman; she was exploring her parents' room, and at the same time, the world.

Barrett dived into the conversation, asking interesting questions, raising interesting issues, rousing some dust. How should writing--if it does--address women's issues? How does her work Tropical Fish achieve this? For Baingana, "writing should first of all, it's about entertainment, enjoying words, and language. Also, the story is about the exploration of being human, of a young girl transforming into a woman. For her, it's all a game of adolescence. It helps us understand what makes us men, what makes us women and it helps us address these issues."

The African publishing sector is undergoing changes. However, Barrett wanted to know if female writers face any particular challenges that their male counterparts do not experience when it comes to publishing? Baingana thinks the challenges that face African publishing are not gender selective however "there are challenges that we face as female writers. The challenge for me now is that I have a four-year-old child. Writing is something that takes a lot of time, mental space but raising a family also takes a lot of time."  She equally considers being a writer, being a female writer in Africa a privilege "Just to become a writer is a privilege; it has to do with the kind of education that you got, that you had access to proper health care. You don't become a writer out of the blues but it is because of how you were brought up, a sum of your experiences. There are challenges that women face when it comes to education." (Find out stats about female education in Africa). Doreen Baingana studied Law at the Makerere University, Kampala and has an MFA from the University of Maryland, after which she returned to Uganda, where she still lives. 

Baingana also talked about women writers and self-censorship. The society does not think that women writers should be sexually explicit, not in reality, definitely not in writing. She says "You may not realise how much you are self-censored. There are some of my stories that are sexually explicit however there are women who do not write such because they self-censor." 

Barrett also wanted to know if there are any such things as women issues. If there are, how does Baingana's writing address them as a female writer? In response, Baingana delves into the world of publishing and its tags for female writing "I think that publishers take female writers as writing about women issues but they take male writers as writing about human issues. So many men get published because of that and there are many women who could have gotten big but are not."

Baingana accepted that she addresses issues pertaining to women in her writing. She made a case for her choice "I think it is about being marginalised, silenced, then you have to make a bigger push to be seen. We have to portray reality. Women are a complexity of characterisations and fiction should show that. Right now, I prefer seeing through female characters. We should be free to write whatever we want."

Baingana is known for her fiction for which she has won awards. However, Barrett made the audience know that she once tried her hands on poetry. She had this to say about her poetry which she called "unpublishable" "I used to write poetry, I still do; for me, poetry is just an emotional outlet. I am still very interested in poetry, and in language though I am better with fiction. So, I sneak poetry into my fiction sometimes." 

What role does art play in the society, if it plays any? Baingana made a case for arts. "My initial belief is that art can be valued even as a beautiful thing. However art can help in social development. As writers, we learn to express ourselves about how to be in this world. Art helps us reflect on the realities in the society; look at what art did with apartheid in South Africa. Art can also help with female emancipation. There is also the catharsis too that you feel when art makes you feel better."

Baingana was asked to describe Nigeria, to a Ugandan friend; she had this to say "I fear generalisations. If you write about it, then you can be specific. The diversities her are remarkable. When you go to a different place, you see things starkly: how do you eat hot suya in really hot weather? There is a lot of energy here, a country full of energetic people. I think Nigeria should work more on its public relations because we hear more of the negativity."

The floor was opened to the audience who asked a variety of questions: what should be the impact of writing? What advice do you have for budding writers on publishing? How should women writers deal with motherhood, housework and writing?  To the last question, she responded in a funny way "then they have to stop doing housework." Then more seriously, she continued "Most women do not have a sense of self. It is very important for women to create time for themselves. There is the whole issue of work-life balance and it's in finding what's comfortable. It's about the choices that you make in your life.  It's unfortunate that people think that you are a "good woman" yet you do not have time to write. What does it mean to be a writer to you? What does it mean being a woman? If you need to write and deal with the household, then hire a maid." She concluded, the audience laughed as they clapped and proceeded to the back of the hall for Baingana's autograph. 

The Voice Diary: October 18, 2012

Today, there were three main events: the public presentation of Port Harcourt as the UNESCO World Book Capital, 2014; a "Role Model Reads to Children" event where Dame Alice Lawrence Nemi, the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Rivers State read to children;  and a book signing session. All events were open to the public. The first, that seemed to be the highlight of the day was the official presentation of Port Harcourt as the UNESCO World Book Capital City, 2014. In attendance were the Nobel Laureate for Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka; the Commissioner for Information, Rivers State, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari who represented the Governor of Rivers State, HE Governor Rotimi Amaechi; the Country Representative of UNESCO, Dr Joseph Ngo who represented Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova. Seated also were the guest writers for the Garden City Literary Festival, Doreen Baingana, Veronique Tadjo and Chibundu Onuzo. Also seated were writers from the city of Port Harcourt, Igoni Barrett, Chief Elechi Amadi, and Pa Gabriel Okara. 

The event which was co-hosted by Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host, Frank Edoho opened with music from the Rivers States Schools Orchestra. The group of young children also led the audience to sing the National Anthem, which seemed to take on a new meaning, as the second stanza ended "...Great lofty heights attain, to build a nation where peace and justice shall reign."

Throughout the event, it seemed that every speaker focused on how as a country, we can attain lofty heights by supporting the ideas that literature carries. Koko Kalango, the Festival Director gave the welcome speech; she talked about the motive behind the title of this year's festival "The broad theme is interesting because it allows examine the work of women who  are operating in the literary space- writers, publishers, book sellers, literary critics. We will also be looking at what women write about and how relevant female writing is to the modern world, also how women are portrayed in literature."

She emphasised the importance of reading to thinking, to the growth of any society. "A reading people is a thinking people. In a reading society, thinking society, when we see a broken down fuel tanker, we do not go there and take our buckets to fetch petrol to sell for a little money. A thinking person knows that this is a dangerous thing to do as a single match can set a blaze that can kill dozens of people in minutes." She ended her address by welcoming everyone to the Garden City Literary Festival. 

This was followed by the Governor's welcome address presented by Mrs. Ibim Semenitari who lauded the activities of the Rainbow Book Club, as a strategic partnership with the state government in shining the light of enlightenment on the darkness of ignorance in the state. She espoused the potentials that Port Harcourt held being the UNESCO World Book Capital City, 2014, and said that the state would support in the activities.  "Let me on that note welcome you to the beautiful city of Port Harcourt and to the city of Rivers, to a state that is full of possibilities," she said, concluding the Governor's address.

The Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova was represented by the country rep, Dr Joseph Ngu. He lauded the work of the Rainbow Book Club as being in alignment with UNESCO's work. He said "In April 2013, Port Harcourt would be the first African city to serve as the UNESCO World Book Capital City. Books are transmitters of knowledge. They promote mutual understanding and help fight ignorance. That's why UNESCO wants to help combat illiteracy. This is why UNESCO is engaged as the lead agency for the global education for all women... With Port Harcourt as world Book capital in 2012, Africa will be able to share its vision of books with the world. We can also address the many challenges encountered by the national stakeholders. The stakes are high and we know that much has to be done, to ensure its success. But rest assured that UNESCO will continue to work with all the parties concerned. Thank you for your attention." 

There was an interlude to the speeches with Pa Okara who read his poem "The Call of the River Nun."

Professor Wole Soyinka took to the podium to give his speech, which he drew largely from social realities, happenings in the world of science and poetry. It was an exercise in decoding the coded language of science and transmitting it in the language that we all understood. He commended the Rainbow Book Club's work, as a legacy, a war of the forces of light against the forces of darkness. He commented on the Aluu incident "worse of all is that it took place in front of people who watched. Silent participants...I believe quite frankly that this country is at war: between the intellects and against the forces of reprobate thinking." 

It is in fact a fight for our humanity, he says "If we surrender to these banal forces in the society, we cease to be human beings. All organisations that wage war against enlightenment wage war, not against the state, but against humanity itself. We have the responsibility to support and sustain such efforts, and that makes RBC an ally organisation. Despite the horrors that surround us, we are very much alive, very much productive. It is an internal and external message, we must continue to preach to our children if we have any hope at all and any faith in our humanity." On Port-Harcourt's selection as the World Book Capital City, he said "This is an honour, not only to the nation but to the African continent. This is recognition that something is going right in Nigeria despite negativity. "

The logo for Port-Harcourt as the World Book Capital, 2014 was was unveiled by writers of Port-Harcourt; Wole Soyinka and his wife, Mrs Folake Soyinka, Mrs Ibim Semenitari and the invited writers.  

Dr Obari Gomba reviewed the book Nigerian Literature: Coat of Many Colours. He had a lot to say, here is a summary "Mrs Kalango's book has a colourful front cover with fourteen pictures of Nigerian writers. Soyinka's photo is the biggest. Does it surprise you? There are other 36 writers on the back cover. They have all added value to the book, period. If you envy them with a bias, then run for office in the next elections. Fifty Nigerian authors are listed. There are fifteen women. This is less than the 35% affirmative action for women; it calls more women to write...The scope of the book is impressive and covers all the generations of Nigerian writers. Many young writers are represented. That is not too many to sing the success of our generation. We have people who have done two, three works and are listed here. It is good that Ms. Kalango has not fallen in the class that says that wait for us until we are grey." 

The event came to a close with the Vote of Thanks delivered by Chief Elechi Amadi.  Copies of the book were given to members of the audience, who hurried to some of the writers who were around for pictures and autographs.