- UNN graduate, Ms Chinwe Okenyi reveals why she wrote the book “A COUNTRY IN TEARS”
- She also gives reasons for increasing incidents of insecurity, food crisis, moral decay in the country
- Ms advises Nigerian youths to be positive-minded and believe in the country
For Ms Mary Chinwe Okenyi, a graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, literary world is indeed full of hurdles. As a graduate of English and Educational Management, she has published some thought-provoking books both online and hard copy.
Expectedly, this attracted some friends and foes alike. One of her popular book, “A country in tears” has indeed attracted a lot of yet to be answered questions.
WITHIN NIGERIA reporter caught up with her in the university town, Nsukka where he had a hearty chat with her.
Briefly tell us about yourself.
My name is Okenyi Mary Chinwe. I am from Nsukka in Enugu State, Nigeria. I graduated with a degree in English and Educational Management.
You recently published a book entitled A COUNTRY IN TEARS? What actually motivated you to write the novel?
What motivated me to write “A country in tears” is that I was born in a country where decadence is prominent; Corruption and terrorism in form of Boko-Haram and Fulani herdsmen are daily claiming innocent lives and these barbaric acts have instilled fear and unsettlement into the hearts of the citizens who in order to survive devised means which, in conformity with the country’s skeletal glory, sink the nation more into the bottom of the sea
The families of the victims of malicious activities of Terrorists, irresponsibility of those on top to alleviate the hardship and sufferings of the subjects, the slacken and nonchalant attitude of the leaders towards the country’s deteriorating image and economic mismanagement have marred the citizens thinking with the resignation that there is no hope for Nigeria.
Often we hear people say “This is Naija for you” meaning that you should wake up from your dream of the betterment of Naija and face the real Naija which cannot be better.
This notion playing in our subconscious level has infected our attitude towards life, towards people, towards ourselves and our dreams.
A student no longer studies to gain sufficient knowledge and wisdom that will help mankind but just to acquire a certificate, and different means are employed to achieve this goal. We see graduates that cannot defend their certificates.
Jalade in this novel represent children who witnessed domestic violence in their various home and those who lost their loved ones to Boko-Haram terrorism and Fulani herdsmen incessant killings and this loss left a footprint in their subconsciousness which without their awareness has led to negative perception and attitude towards life and men in general. Like Jalade said to the victim writhing in pain:
“My mother died and my brother died. Will your survival prevent more deaths from occurring? You’re not the first to die and won’t be the last.”
And so she failed to help the dying man who may not have been one of the Terrorists that caused the loss of her family.
As a child who witnessed family violence and wife battering in the hands of her father, she developed the notion that all men are bad and should be treated as vilians, just as we growing up in a country where manpower is manipulated and the so called privileged feed on our honey leaving us only the dried honeycomb.
This unquenchable hunger, longing and desperation build up in our mind the idea that Nigeria is a decay and should be treated so. And we indeed treat her so. We engage in all sorts of malpractice and harmful activities in order to survive.
Family violence is becoming rampart and this is where a child first cultivates his thoughts and behaviour. But when the foundation is destroyed what can a righteous do?
You have written many books as an undergraduate of UNN. Where and how have you been sourcing the fund for the publication?
Most of my book publication is online. On Amazon. Self publication. Once I published a few copies of A Country In Tears but I haven’t got enough money to publish more.
As a Nigerian writer, how has your audience been like?
They like my stories and some are eager to read my next write up, though some express their concern for the themes of my books. The stories that I received such feedbacks on are A Country In Tears, Trial of Nnamdi Kanu and Clash. But as a writer, sometimes I can’t control the flow of the stories without getting lost or drained of what to write next. But when I let the stories flow on their own, I have a smooth sail in my writing world. Sometimes, I don’t even know what the next scene is going to be like. They just unfold on their own, guiding me on what to write. And my audiences are mostly youths and family people like husband, wife and children.
Some people are of the view that Nigerians don’t read books. How true is this?
Some don’t read but some do. So, I think it’s wrong to generalize. For instance, I’m a Nigerian but I love reading more than watching movies. Not because I am a writer but this is how I have been since my childhood. I read Things Fall Apart when I was in primary 6. The Joys of Motherhood in JSS 1. The Beautiful Ones Are Not yet Born in JSS 2 and many others including Igbo Novels like Isi Akwụ Dara n’Ala, Ihe Onye Metera, etc.
That some don’t read books, doesn’t mean that everyone doesn’t read.
How is it like being a novelist I Nigeria where many youths are not interested in reading novels but are mostly on Facebook and other social media?
Frankly speaking, it’s not easy. Not just because the youths are not interested in reading but also the condition of the country.
There is what they call in economics ‘Opportunity Cost’, where you have to choose the priority and let go some. Reading takes many things. It’s a mental work which many youths are not willing to embark on. So they prefer the easy way which is watching movies and social networking.
So, as a writer, it’s not encouraging but when you have passion for writing, you just can’t help continuing to write, whether anyone reads it or not.
Among all your books, which one do you love more and why?
Hmmm. This question makes me pause to think hard. I think the one I like most is the ‘The President’s Daughter is Dead but Alive’.
Tell us why.
The reason is because I love the storyline and it’s packed with actions and strong female characters being on the lead.
The protagonist is a female, the girlfriend of the leader of the rebels who want to kill the president for his incompetent leadership. But first they have to kill the wife of the Army General who poses more threat to them than the commander or the president himself.
Just as they are about to execute their long term plan, Jalal receives a call from a stranger who tells her not the kill the President and the Wife of the Commander as they’re her biological parents. Now Jalal doesn’t know her parents as she grew up in the orphanage. And the President didn’t know that his one time mistress had a child for him.
The Commander’s wife, then a single lady, gave birth to Jalal, left her in the orphanage and fled the country to escape death from the President’s wife. She returned later to join the army and marry the Commander, forgetting about Jalal.
Years later, they meet as enemies, Jalal trying with her group to kill President and the Commander’s wife protecting the President as part of her job as a soldier.
As Jalal learns who her biological parents are, tension starts growing between her and her group, especially her boyfriend who leads the group. They start making plans without involving her, this mistrust later leads to desintegration and internal battle among the rebels, Jalal leading a separate group and her boyfriend leading his own group against her.
Later, Jalal sought help from her mother, who sought help from the President to protect Jalal.
As Jalal was a wanted person, and since the President found out she is his daughter, he sent her on exile to another country while broadcasting on the news that she had been caught and executed.
Jalal reads news of her own death as she is sitting in a plane flying to a far away country and how the citizens are praising the President for capturing and executing the rebels.
Only few people knew the President’s daughter is still alive and not dead.
How profitable is writing books in Nigeria?
Not so profitable unless you have the right connection. If not, it’s a big struggle. A great struggle.
At what age did you start writing?
I was about 11 years old. I just finished primary six when I began to put my thoughts into writing. Initially, I used to make up stories in my head. But after my primary school, I began to write them down.
Presently what more of your works are we looking out for?
For sometimes now, I have concentrated more in writing movie scripts. I may write more novels in future, but presently I am into script writing.
Nigerian youths are currently not interested in self-development. What could be attributed to this?
The condition of the country contributes to that. In a situation you have skills and many qualifications and you are still struggling to survive. This frustration makes many youths to seek easy ways to survive. And the young ones seeing the average state of living of those who are supposed to be in a higher level in life, still in lower condition, it discourages them to follow in the same footsteps of self development, when those who have gone through that have very little to show of it in terms of money and good living.
Do you think literary writing can still correct the ills of the society as far as Nigeria is concerned?
I don’t think so but may be it could. Nothing is impossible. But Nigeria has gone beyond amendment. Achebe in his book ‘Man of the People’ said that Nigeria can never be better again. Despite all his writings and the writings of others, Nigeria is becoming worse than it was during the time they were writing their works.
In the next ten years, where will you like to see your literary works and profession?
In the next ten years, I want my books published worldwide and in different countries and languages, with people reading and loving my books. My books wining awards and noble prices and approved for Waec and Jamb or other academic uses.
What is your advice to Nigerian youths who have lost hope in Nigeria?
My advice is that they should not concentrate on what their country should do for them, rather they should do something meaningful for themselves. Making Nigeria better is not solely the responsibility of the government, we the citizens should live by example, revealing through our behavior and lifestyles the kind of Nigeria we dream of. Our problem is that we focus much on what the government should do or should have done and fail to recognize our own failings and contributions to the corruption of the country.
For instance, when there was an announcement of increment in the price of fuel, many started selling fuel at high cost even before the increment officially take place. The same applies to the price of other things. Before inflation officially take place, sellers have already started implementing it and at higher price than the official price. At the end, you hear them say ‘na bad government cause am’.
You are making high profits at your shop at the expense of the buyers and you are blaming the government. Is it the government that enjoys the profits you are making? People should stop putting all the blames on the government and remove the spec in their own eyes, if not, things will never improve because we contribute a lot to the corruption by the way we live and make use of bad situations to suck people dry
How does one access your books?
My two books ‘A Country In Tears and Fading Heart’ are on Boldscholar, a Nigerian book selling platform.
What are your hobbies?
Singing and dancing. That’s my hobby.
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