1. Favourite book ever
‘The Kingdom of This World’ by Alejo Carpentier.
2. Why?
The perfect encapsulation of the Yoruba world in the Latin American novel, which I love for its preoccupation with history, especially the history of slavery in the New World. This novel of course is the foundational text of magical realism, and it’s a very good read.
3. Last book read?
‘When Lemons Grow On Orange Trees’ by Diekara Oloruntoba-Oju, a 19-year-old debut novelist who will go places.
4. Packing for a journey and allowed to take one book. What will it be?
‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
5. Why?
To live many lives and many worlds and emotions in one book – operatic tragedy, beauty, magic, poetry and savagery. It’s a wondrous masterpiece.
6. Who is your favourite author of fiction?
Salman Rushdie.
8. Do you think Nigerians read? Yes or No
Yes. It’s what they read and why that’s perhaps the issue.
