Uche Peter Umezurike is an assistant professor at the University of Calgary in Canada. The author of there’s more, Double Wahala, Double Trouble and a host of other books, has made the shortlist of the Nigeria Prize for Literature for his children’s book, Wish Maker.
In this interview with thelagosreview’s Terh Agbedeh, he talks about the inspiration behind Wish Maker, what themes he explores in the book and what he hopes the Nigeria Prize focuses on in the future, among other issues.
What inspired you to pursue a career in English literature after initially studying public administration?
In my third year as an undergraduate at Abia State University, I realised that literature offered me the means to reflect my experiences and other people’s struggles. Moreover, I knew this was a way to articulate my vision of a more humane world.
Can you share the significance of your poetry collection there’s more being shortlisted for the 2024 Alberta Book Publishing Award?
It’s a huge honour to see my book on the shortlist and to be recognised by the literary and book publishing communities in Alberta, the province in which I live and work. It demonstrates that people find my poetry relatable and relevant. I appreciate this recognition.
How do your experiences in Nigeria influence your creative writing and academic research in Canada?
I remain grateful to Nigeria for the sense of grit it instilled in me, which I do not take for granted. Canada has also provided me with ample opportunities I dreamt about while in Nigeria. So, I cherish what both countries have provided in material and cultural terms.
What themes do you explore in your children’s novel Wish Maker, and what message do you hope to convey to young readers?
Finding kindness and empathy in our increasingly broken world is becoming more difficult, so I hope Wish Maker will emphasise the urgency of true friendship, kindness and bravery. The novel deals with overcoming one’s fears, bullying, forgiveness and the need to care for the stigmatised others.
How does your work in gender and masculinity studies shape your understanding of contemporary African literature?
African literature is vast, complex and dynamic, and masculinity studies is only one of many critical lenses we can use to examine and appreciate the complexity of human and social dynamics on the continent. Therefore, my interest in this field focuses on how men and women perform and challenge fixed notions about gender or what it means to be a man or a woman. I am working on a monograph, “Masculinities in Nigerian Fiction,” to be published by a university press. I am excited to see what kind of conversations it would generate about gender discourse in Nigerian and African literary and cultural communities.
What role does mentorship play in your career, particularly in supporting emerging African scholars?
I have benefitted from mentorship from various African and Canadian scholars and writers, and I cannot recall a time when I did not enjoy being mentored by a few people. For example, Professor Chielozona Eze has strongly supported my work since I was a graduate student at the University of Port Harcourt. Some fellow academics and writers have also continued to inspire and support me. There are many others whose names I cannot mention here, but they are on the acknowledgments page of my monograph on Nigerian masculinities. Because I benefit from mentorship, I have also explored ways to mentor younger Nigerians and Africans. In Canada, I have served as a mentor with the Writers’ Guild of Alberta and the Black Youth Leadership and Mentorship Program, run by the extraordinary Dr. Bukola Salami at the University of Calgary, Alberta.
What do you believe is the future of African literature in the global context, especially in light of your own experiences?
African literature has immense potential and has continued to surprise us with its richness. I am looking forward to reading debut poetry collections by Okwudili Nebeolisa and Olajide Salawu, and I have enjoyed the latest novel, Sons of the East, by Ifeoma Chinwuba and Irehobhude Iyioha’s debut short story collection A Place Beyond The Heart. I am currently reading The Most Secret Memory of Men by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, All Your Children by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, and I Am Still Here by Emmanuel Iduma. I plan to re-read Small Country by Gael Faye. So African literature is vibrant!
How did you develop the character of Ebele and the challenges he faces as a young boy from a single-parent household?
I have experienced hardship and adversity while growing up in Lagos and Owerri, but also love and kindness. So, I wanted to share what it feels like to have a poor parent struggling to provide for their child. Ebele was a fun character I enjoyed developing. He’s attentive, funny and brilliant, but he is also protective of his mother in ways you find endearing.
As an acclaimed writer of poetry, short stories and academic works, what drew you to write a children’s novel? How did you approach crafting a story for a younger audience?
I always remember that the story must revolve around the child protagonist, and I refrain from cramming every moral lesson or message into the narrative. Some writers tend to create children’s stories overly didactic or preachy, and I cringe when I read such writing. Children can make meaning for themselves, and it’s more fun and powerful to trust them to unearth meanings as best they can.
From my experience writing children’s books, I’ve learned that allowing the child protagonist to find and assert their voice in the narrative adds depth and authenticity to the story.
The book is described as exploring the idea that Christmas is about more than just gifts. Can you expand on this and why you felt it was an important message to share?
Like most holidays, Christmas seems to be losing its symbolic significance and resonance, so some people reduce it to simply feasting and dining. I wanted to use the spirit of Christmas to explore themes such as friendship, generosity, the power to dream and belief in oneself, and the courage to pursue one’s dream.
How did your own childhood experiences, either in Nigeria or Canada, influence the story and characters in Wish Maker?
I have a fear of drowning, and I created Ebele to share that fear, especially because his father drowns in the story. In the end, Ebele manages to deal with his fear of the river. Per the stranger, I wanted to examine why strangeness evokes fear and suspicion. Wish Maker provides me with a way to examine fear and strangeness.
What has the response been from young readers to Wish Maker since its publication? Have you received any memorable feedback?
I am grateful to have received amazing feedback from parents and children. It has been great! Since the book was published in 2021, parents have told me about how their children love the characters of Ebele and the eccentric, ever-hungry stranger. Griots Lounge Publishing, run by Bibi Ukonu, will be publishing Wish Maker in Canada for its North American readers.
What, in your opinion, is the significance of awards such as the Nigeria Prize for Literature and what do you hope to see them do more?
The Nigeria Prize for Literature has been doing tremendous work for over a decade, and I hope other corporate organisations could also begin initiatives to promote literature and the arts. However, I wish the book reading or party could be held not only in Lagos but also in the country’s other geopolitical zones. I know funding may be a challenge here, but the goal is to broaden the reception of the books and visibility of the writers in the country, so it does not seem as though all the action is happening in Lagos.
Equally important, I wish copies of the longlisted books could be donated to schools across the country or get them approved by the educational ministry as part of its curriculum. It would also be nice if a token sum of money is given to the writers who make the longlist, as some other literary prizes do in Canada and elsewhere.
