pan-African recently caught up with the multi-talented Nigerian storyteller Iquo DianaAbasi. The focus of the conversation was her recent collaborative project with the British Council and, of course, È̥fó̥ Rírò & Other Stories.
Lola: You have a distinguished, exceptional CV: Nigerian storyteller, scriptwriter, performance poet, editor. Symphony of Becoming, a collection of poems, was longlisted for the NLNG Nigeria Literature Prize and shortlisted for the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature and Association of Nigerian Authors Poetry Prize. Out of all of these fields, which one gives you the most joy?
Iquo: This is not an easy question, lol. I am tempted to say Poetry. But then I realise that what gives me joy is being able to affect lives positively with my storytelling – whether it is through poetry, fiction, radio drama or screenplay. I feel the most joy when a piece I wrote has a positive, uplifting influence on people.
Lola: Like many people, I was very moved by your poem, Nwa m no Amerịka – A Mother’s Prayer for her American son, which I understand was a digital collaboration project with the British Council. How did the collaboration start, and what led to the poem?
The British Council Collaboration Project started as a response to the effect COVID-19 had and continues to have on the art and entertainment industry. The idea was to bring together artists in the UK and Nigeria to collaborate across borders, and share their experiences through varied artistic expressions. As part of this project, I was asked to write and perform a poem around police brutality in America. In 2020, in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic, the world was torn apart as we watched the inhumane treatment and murder of George Floyd, as recorded by a bystander. The incident led to several #BlackLivesMatter protests across America and beyond. Suddenly, I realised that when I thought of America and police brutality, my heart would be in palpitations. Thus, I set out to write a poem from the perspective of a mother who is worried about her son’s life in America, and the result was Nwa m no Amerika – A Mother’s Prayer for her American son.
Lola: What struck you about the response to the poem?
Iquo: When the video was released in March 2021, it was a pleasure to learn that people – male and female alike – were emotional when they watched the piece. I also feel a sense of fulfilment to realise that what I wrote and performed was not just a poem but the collective voice of women of colour who have sons, brothers, and black male relatives in general in America. This piece of art is resonating deeply with people, and I am quite humbled to have been the receptacle for it.
Lola: Your debut collection of 19 short stories is È̥fó̥ Rírò & Other Stories. Tell our readers how and why you came up with the fantastic title of the book.
Iquo: The title is named for a delicacy that is popular in South-Western Nigeria. The stew È̥fó̥ Rírò is made as a mix of vegetables, spices as well as fish and more. The book is thus È̥fó̥ Rírò because the stories in the collection represent a salad of tales about people in different contexts, from different backgrounds and with different things at stake, per time. È̥fó̥ Rírò is also the title of one of the stories in the book.
Lola: Which of the stories did you enjoy writing about the most, and why?
Iquo: È̥fó̥ Rírò (I loved writing the main character, his voice is so unique and fun!); Yellow Slipper (It was the quickest story to draft; one hour thirty minutes); Broken Goods (I enjoyed the adventure and thrill in this story).
Lola: Who would you say your audience is, predominantly, and why?
Iquo: When I write I do not think first of the audience, as I’m more inclined to tell a story that is gripping, real and true to the characters and their situations. I like to think that anyone anywhere would be moved by a good story.
Lola: Which Nigerian writers have influenced you the most, and why?
Iquo: I loved reading Buchi Emecheta, Flora Nwapa, Akachi Ezeigbo, for the feminist views succinctly captured in their books, with their strong female characters. I grew up enjoying the poetry of J.P. Clark, Niyi Osundare, Wole Soyinka (whose autobiographical books I also enjoy). My greatest influences, however, are Maya Angelou (for her evocative poetry, and her honesty in capturing the reality of her characters) and Toni Morrison (for her deeply engaging narrative style, and her strong female characters).
Lola: Where can our readers get hold of your book?
Iquo: È̥fó̥ Rírò & Other Stories is available on Amazon (paperback and kindle) and Okada books. It is also available in bookshops across Nigeria and available from my publisher’s website – pagebookstore.com. My poetry is available on lulu.com and on Amazon. Print is also available in bookshops.
Lola: What can we expect from you in the future?
Iquo: It will most likely be Poetry next. Video, Audio… be on the lookout!
Lola: What do you love most about being a Nigerian?
Iquo: I love, love our resilience! No matter how tough the terrain, we keep pushing. See how dysfunctional many of our structures/systems are, yet Nigerians never give up (We die here!). I think this attitude is what makes a lot of Nigerians excel so well outside our shores. Our resilience and our intelligence (Naija no dey carry last!).
Lola: We agree!
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About Iquo DIanaAbasi
Iquo DianaAbasi writes prose, poetry and scripts for radio and screen. Her book È̥fó̥ Rírò & Other Stories was released in January 2020.
An avid student of human nature, Iquo’s writing explores social themes, pain, love, womanhood and trials of the griots of this age.
Iquo is known to perform her poems with a touch of Ibibio folklore. Stages she has graced include the following: Lagos International Poetry Festival, Ake Arts and Book Festival, The Big60 Cultural Exchange, Wole Soyinka @80, Lagos Black Heritage Festival, The Macmillan Literary night, PLAY Poetry Festival, Word slam and The Lagos Poetry Festival.
Iquo resides in Lagos, Nigeria.
