I Write For People Not Critics — Atta
Sefi Atta is the author of Everything Good Will Come, Swallow and News From Home. Her radio plays have been broadcast by the BBC and her first play The Engagement was staged at MUSON in 2005. She was awarded the inaugural Wole Soyinka Prize For Literature in Africa in 2006 and the final Noma Award For Publishing in Africa in 2009. The NOMA?judges commended her as "one of the most original, imaginative and gifted fiction writers in Africa, and arguably the best of her generation". In an online interview with her from her U.S. base, she told ANOTE AJELUOROU about her works and, reflected on state of Nigerian literature
Literary writing seems to have gained a momentum in recent years after your work Everything Good Will Come and those of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in the second half of the last decade. What possibly accounts for this?
I think a major factor is that we came out of a long period of silence, which I depict in Everything Good Will Come. The military regimes of the eighties and nineties in particular suppressed writers. It makes sense that we would gain momentum in a political climate that is more favourable to us. I never wanted to be a writer. I started writing out of a need to recapture what happened before, during and after the period of silence.
Also, women seem to have had greater ascendancy, too, in their literary output during this period. It would seem they have gained needed leadership and confidence from you, haven't they? What has been the impetus?
I don't know that anyone has gained anything from me. What I know is that Everything Good sparked discussions about how Lagos is depicted in literature. I've heard that women writers are ahead and that we're the future of Nigerian literature, but I'm not sure. It's too early to tell. To be honest, I'm reluctant to answer questions about women writers. We are writers, period. Gender labels, identity labels in general, are limiting.
There was worry a few years ago that Nigerian writing was coming only from diaspora authors. Now, there's local input, too. What could have brought the change, in your view? What does this promise for the nation's literary development?
There will always be concern over who gets what share of the pie. With regard to diaspora writers, there are justifiable reasons for that. Living overseas does give writers obvious advantages over writers who are based in Nigeria. For a start, we don't have to worry about electricity and other services overseas. I come home twice a year and can't even be bothered to write e-mails here because my Internet service is unreliable. But for every diaspora writer published, there are many who are not, and of the published diaspora writers, some have had an easier path than others.
Of course writers based in Nigeria have had success and they will continue to. Nigerians are talented and tenacious. We are our best resource, despite the obstacles we face. However, success in publishing is more to do with book deals, promotional campaigns and literary prizes, which are quite separate from literary development. Literary development is about creative growth, which comes from having creative freedom and taking time to develop your craft, wherever you are based.
Some critics have criticised you for your chatty manner in dragging current events into the narrative even when not needed; it succeeded in Everything... for its newness but not so in Swallow. How would you respond to that? Were you making up for your absence from home?
I have plenty to say, but only to critics who are unnecessarily derogatory. I'm by no means a pushover and if I haven't said much in the past it's because I just don't have time to respond to rudeness I would never have to contend with, but for the fact that I write.
My writing style in Swallow is conversational not chatty. There is a sexist connotation to the word chatty that offends me. I don't drag in events; I reference them. As a writer, I decide what is needed in my stories and critics are not shrinks, so I'll thank them not to make amateur inferences about my state of mind.
I live down South in the United States and Swallow was inspired by the oral nature of Southern literature, which I very much enjoy. By the way, Everything Good… was initially criticised because of the political and social events I referred to. Some Nigerian academics called it faction, whatever that means.
I write out of a need to commemorate events I've lived through, heard about and learnt about and will continue to reference them. That is my style. It may be new to Nigerian literature, but it's definitely not new to literature and not everyone has to like it. I get feedback from people who do. They say my stories remind or inform them of past and current events. They are the people I want to reach, not critics.
Actually, I'm only aware of one critic who reviewed Swallow negatively, and that was in Next. Apparently, he is a bit of a joke and his reviews barely qualify as blogs. An American friend who lives in Lagos asked why he was so spiteful. I said that's what bloggers do to get attention. They go tabloid on you. I just wondered what I'd done to Next to deserve such a debut.
Critics don't need to denigrate writers to review our works. They only expose their own flaws when they do. They can point out flaws in our works without being rude. I mean, I've heard of dissatisfied readers hurling books across rooms, but really, does reading a book you don't enjoy constitute a personal affront that justifies retaliation against the writer? It's absurd.
Also, just because a critic expresses an idea doesn't mean other critics should follow suit, especially if they have not bothered to read the work in question, which is sometimes the case in Nigeria—not to mention the fact that opinions are often influenced by ethnic biases. As a writer, I could never get away with being that lazy, unimaginative and parochial. So you see why it's taken me this long to respond to the critics you mention. Apart from not having time to pay them attention, I have a hard time taking them seriously. Most reviews of my books are respectful and positive.
One basic genre still lacking in Africa's literary writing is science fiction, whereby writers envision a new horizon for their country and countrymen to aspire beyond debilitating conditions plaguing the continent at the moment. Why is there a lack in this direction? How can writers see beyond the problems and redream the continent anew?
Everyday life in Africa is science fiction. A journey through Lekki Peninsula in Lagos is like a journey through time. Real life Dr. Who! One minute you're looking at a five star hotel, the next at a shack. The disparities in the landscape should be shocking, but they are not. They are seen as ordinary, just as Sci-Fi settings are ordinary to characters that inhabit them. I don't need to imagine a new Nigeria. It's hard enough trying to portray the real one. I'm not even sure there is any value to writers seeing beyond the problems of our continent, but I appreciate a writer like Nnedi Okarafor who writes science fiction. She brings something new to the table. We need romance and crime fiction as well.
Nigerian writers, in spite of the numerous accolades they have gained, the fame they have brought to fatherland, seem to occupy a marginal position in the nation's reckoning. What accounts for this? How can this be redressed?
Nigerian writers have done well overseas. People try to marginalise us there as well, but I don't put up with that. I'm not marginalised in Nigeria — or should I say, I enjoy privileges that most Nigerians don't. But here, money and power come first. Only in limited circles are writers considered important. We don't always get respect within our industry either. We have a few dependable publishers who are doing as well as they can against extraordinary odds. But we also have publishers who think they are doing us favours by publishing our works.
I also see too many people who identify themselves as writers without taking time to learn the craft. Not everyone will approve of your work, but it has to be competent at least. You can't become a surgeon by picking up a scalpel. You don't become a writer simply because you pick up a pen. Yet anyone can write whatever they want and end up in the arts pages in Nigeria. We can't all be lumped together. There have to be standards; otherwise, it sends a message that writing is not a serious profession. Writers can gain respect by maintaining and insisting on professionalism.
Some have argued that African, nay Nigerian, writing seems to be the bride of world literature at the moment, which is particularly being wooed by the West. Is this the case?
I think publishers in the West are more interested in writings that reinforce — rather than challenge — their views of cultures they regard as exotic. But this is not the first time Africa's resources have been up for grabs. We can learn from our past how to respond, so that we are not patronised and exploited or bamboozled and divided — for instance by the Western way of acknowledging only a handful of darlings. The mechanisms for colonization have not changed, so while we should certainly welcome attention from the West, we don't have to —excuse my expression — go ape over it.
What particularly irks you when you think about the nation's literary space? How can it be redressed?
I've already mentioned the lack of respect for writers and writing standards. I should also mention inconsistent publishing standards. After Everything Good..., I made a decision to publish my next two books, Swallow and Lawless in Nigeria first, and was very disappointed with the copy editing and production quality. One book was actually published with the wrong cover. It took months to correct them, as a result of staff carelessness. I then discovered my contract had been breached when an American reader e-mailed me to say he'd bought a copy of my book and paid in dollars. My contract clearly stated my books were only to be sold in Nigeria. I got an apology from my publisher, but no admission of guilt, and it resulted in a strained relationship that I ended in March 2009.
Swallow and Lawless were published in the United States in 2010, Lawless as News From Home. They have not yet been republished in Nigeria because it has taken me a while to find a publisher I can trust. Any sign of a lack of integrity and I'm out. But it's not just publishers who don't respect standards and intellectual property here. I've had to stop unauthorised sales of my old plays, plays I'm not proud of.
Even if what happened was due to carelessness, Nigerian writing is now international, so we can't afford to be lax. I'm not revealing this to embarrass anyone, nor am I suggesting that writers make public every problem they have in the course of business, but we're often silent about violations of our rights, which only makes us part of the problem. I don't think exposing the offending party will redress it. Nigerians have a high tolerance for bad behaviour and might even turn on the injured party if they protest too much. That said, I will speak out and take legal action when necessary. In fact, I'd be quite willing to revisit past infringements if I so much as hear any of the parties involved makes a rejoinder that rubs me up the wrong way. They have been warned.
Well, your fourth work is being awaited. When might it arrive?
I have novels-in-progress, which will be published in due course. I'm back to Lagos society in my novels, with no holds barred storytelling. I've also had some terrific collaborations recently and I'm really excited to announce that my fourth work is a play, which will be staged at Terra Kulture in March. It's a contemporary international play and is in the hands of Nick Monu, an accomplished actor and director I've known for many years. He will direct another of my plays in Germany later this year, God willing. We are actively looking for other avenues in Nigeria, so if anyone prefers an evening of drama to an evening of comedy or music, please visit www.sefiatta.com and contact me. I'd appreciate that very much.
Is that your new literary direction? What's it about? Is that what's next on the menu you're serving your fans this year? You do have faith in the stage, don't you, seeing that it has suffered greatly in the country? What hope for its resurgence?
It's not exactly a new direction. My first works were radio plays, which were broadcast by the BBC and I had a play staged at MUSON in 2005, but that got lost in the news about my debut novel. I didn't think that was enough experience to call myself a playwright, mind you, so I was very nervous about returning to plays, but I had a lot of encouragement and support. I also read a lot of plays. I'm partial to great American family dramas of the mid 1900s, such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Death of a Salesman and A Raisin in the Sun. They remind me of contemporary Nigerian family life.
I'm not in a position to talk about theatre and its resurgence in Nigeria, though. I'm interested in storytelling and form comes second. Writing plays is just part of my literary development. I'm actually terrified of the stage. I remember being sick to my stomach as a student at Queen's College, worrying that no one would show up to my plays or worrying that they might boo. I feel the same way now, so I'm shamelessly begging everyone, friends, relatives, Queen's College old girls, anyone in Lagos who is interested in theatre to come, including our governor and first lady, though I doubt they will find time in an election year. I'll worry about reactions to the play later.
You were at the launch of 'Bring Back The Book' by Mr. President on December 20, 2010. What do you make of it? What should be done to make it work? What can writers do to make a success of it?
I think it's a good idea for the government to encourage a reading culture. I would like the government to follow up on its promise by supporting organisations that are genuine advocates for literature and literacy. As writers, we can be advocates by joining forces with these organisations. I'd be delighted to. Also, I ask my Nigerian readers to please join my facebook page. It is a public page that gives me control over the information I share. People are always giving me advice about how to promote my work, but I've made up my mind about how I want to proceed. I'm 47 this month. I don't belong to the previous generation of Nigerian writers, some of whom were heroic political figures. I don't quite belong to the present generation of writers either. I'm not suited to the new celebrity culture that requires constant self-plugging. I need to get away to write. I'm not even comfortable with media attention, unless it's edifying, and would much rather follow a paradigm that involves sticking with my writing and staying productive. However, I'm always grateful for opportunities to spread news about my latest works, so thanks very much for the interview. The last one I had in Nigeria was in 2008 and clearly, I have a lot to declare.
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