INTERVIEW: AN AFTERNOON WITH DR. ALEX ROY-OMONI

 By Prosper Ifeanyi

Dr. Alex ROY-OMONI, lecturer, Department of English and Literary Studies. was a former Chairman of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Delta State Chapter and former Treasurer, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Delta State Chapter. He is an award winning playwright and a film producer.

Interview hosted by Prosper Ifeanyi in affiliation with the Creative Writers Workshop in Delta State University, Abraka.

Good afternoon, sir. We are glad to have you here today.

Thank you.

Sir, when writing your novel The Ugly Ones, how were you able to toggle the quotidian responsibilities of creative  and academic writing?

Let me first of all say that, I started writing many years ago when I was in the secondary school; and because of the innate talent, I would spend some times in the night, especially, while some people were busy going for nocturnal meetings, Ogboni, witches and wizards, I was busy writing. Of course, I wrote The Ugly Ones in the year 2000 or 2001, then, I was lecturing here, but I had the time, I was able to write; but before then, there was Morontonu, I had written Morontonu even  before then, and Morontonu is an award winning play. I had enough time, even as a student, you have to create your time. In most cases I was always awake by 12 midnight to 5 a.m. everyday. I was not sleeping. That was how I was able to come out with some of my works, and correction, they are plays, not novels. You haven't seen my novels before, neither have you seen my collection of poems the ones you have seen here are plays. The Ugly Ones is a play; Morontonu is a play.

Do you intend writing another work anytime soon and what has always been your muse?

Okay, two parts to that question. Do I intend writing another one soon? Let me quickly tell you that there are three to be published before the end of this year (clapping from audience). My muse. Let me refer you to Ola Rotimi. Some time ago Ola Rotimi was interviewed. He was asked: what is your muse? What is that thing that gives you inspiration to write or how do you write? What time do you write?  And he said that his muse was always night and he must perform the ritual of being naked while writing. So anytime he was naked, inspiration came. So Ola Rotimi's muse was nakedness at night, that was when inspiration would come. Coming back to me, my muse has also been night. I like the night. Once night approaches, you see me becoming happy. Happy to create, not happy to attend meetings. So, even till tomorrow, 12 midnight I would be awake, till 5 a.m I don't write during day time, I go for lectures and all that—apart from the three texts that are coming; a novel, a collection of short stories and then a play. This one I am putting together is a collection of poems. About fifty poems, it's muse, it's the night. Once I remember anyone or anything, I put it down; how my students interact in class prompts me to write down some lines. So that is my muse.

Thank you, sir. Sir, for the third question, we are aware of the fact that you were once a student in the four walls of this university (Delta State University), how can you describe the workshop traditions during your era, and how can you compare the workshop traditions to what we have now? 

During my time, we had a very active Creative Writers Workshop. Now we don't have. We only have people who are just, either pretending to be creative artists, or those who are being forced. Let me explain further. In my time when I was in school, yes, I graduated from here, some years ago, and that was 1996, even though I graduated as the best student in the department, graduated as the best student in the faculty. Then, literary creativity was booming! We created a very big notice board, where you could write any story—what ever you could write, and paste it there. We had our editorial manager, Editor-in-Chief, editors, before you could paste anyway, it must have gone through this people. People come there. People were always reading. And again we produced books, one example is Abraka Voices: A Journal of Creative Writers Workshop. Then, we called it Afflatus. We were producing, people were writing, there were competitions. You must have heard of Ebi Yeibo? Ebi Yeibo was my classmate. He is into poetry. He teaches in Niger Delta University, Wilberforce, in Bayelsa. That is where he is, Dr. Ebi Yeibo. We were classmates and you know, it was booming, seriously. You must have also heard of Peter Omoko? Peter Omoko was our student, who was a member of Creative Writers Workshop. It was a competition. Now, Peter Omoko has written five plays, he was our past student. Same applies for Stephen Kekeghe. It was the way we encouraged them. Then, I was in charge of Creative Writers Workshop, but I wouldn't say after I left for three years before I came back, I wouldn't say that was why the "fire" went down. I am not saying that. I am saying that, it was not like in the days of old. Nowadays—I was here on this platform last year, during the time of Daniel Ojomi, I came once or twice and we weren't able to do anything. Last year we were supposed to hold a literary competition; Professor Hope Eghagha endowed a drama prize, of fifty thousand naira. Dr. Ebi Yeibo endowed a poetry prize; and then, Benson Omonode, for a novel. And then we were to have a program and we invited creative writers for participation and rehearsals, the people we saw were not up to five, six, seven. It was becoming something else, and I said to myself: what kind of creativity do we have now? If you want us to compare, I am saying that, now, the fire has gone down; but we can do something about it. That is what I can say. There is a line of acknowledgement in my copy of the Creative Writers Workshop journal; during the time of Jonathan Obaro Eddington (set of creatives from 2012) which reads and I quote "...we must also be grateful to J.P Clark Bekederemo...were we got our inspiration, without his financial support Creative Writers Workshop would be no where—we took our creatives to Kiagbodo to meet J.P Clark in his house. We went to see Wole Soyinka, we went many places—and again, the best lecturer friend of Creative Writers Workshop, Alex Roy-Omoni, cannot be forgotten in a hurry, he has always been a mentor to us." When it comes to creativity, I always encourage them. But now, as I said, it's waning. 

Thank you, sir. Sir, for the fourth question: did the Creative Writers Workshop or any avenue close to what the workshop offers today, groom the likes of AY and Alibaba?

Well, if you talk about AY. Yes, AY, when he was here in Abraka he was a mature student. We were almost age mates; but he was a student here, we taught him. Licky Licky Mouth, is into comedy, he works in Quest FM now, he is trying to be at par with AY, I Go Dye and all of these people. So, we had the opportunity of teaching them, even Gordons. Gordons was a student of this university at a point, so we are now saying that, we should also try and do something, honestly. Look at some of the texts by Peter Omoko and some of our students. Remember that Wole Soyinka because popular, as I have often said, because of his writings; same applies to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. So, talking about AY, we had the opportunity of teaching them and they are making it today. Who tells you you cannot make it? Now, my creativity for example, is not only in writing. I have been a movie producer, I produce movies, I am a film/movie director and some years ago, I was the state chairman of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). Of course, people like Pete Edochie, Mike Ezuronye, I had directed then in movie production. There was a time I brought Mike Ezuronye and many more to this hall. I had brought Aki and Pawpaw, too. They have been here. So, we have had opportunity of working with them, who said you cannot be better than them? We are saying that apart from writing and all of that, there are other shades or areas or forms or genres of creativity that we can work on. Is it drama? acting? What ever it is. We have had cause to be with them and we are still with them. Some time ago in Delsu FM we were having series of productions, I was always taking students there, not for any other thing, but for drama. Those of them that were interested in using their voices were newscasters. Hilda Anafuwe, the secretary of the Creative Writers Workshop was part of that project. Another platform which everyone can download is Ndokwa FM Radio, it is an online application on playstore, it is an avenue when one can present his/her programs the whole world can hear your voice. I just came from there this morning. You can come share your ideas with us and we will help you as much as we can.

Thank you, sir. Sir, what role do you think prizes, accolades and fellowship play in the gravitation of aspiring writers today? 

Well, you see as far as that is concerned, literary prizes or prizes generally, can encourage and motivate, you know. When I wrote Morontonu for example, I never knew that it was going to win a prize. And that encouraged me. Infact, this made people know me. Sometimes writers are given a pass in everyday society because of they aren't acknowledged well enough. But in other climes, they honour us. So what I am trying to say is literary prizes can go a long way. Some years ago, I was short-listed for NLNG prize for literature, but eventually, Sam Ukala won it. I was listed and third throughout the federation and it has encouraged me, it encourages. It encourages when prizes are endowed, it goes a long way. So, as I said earlier, last year, prizes were endowed and people did not turn up and we had to cancel it. So if for example we endow prizes, it can stimulate you, if you are announced winner of a certain prize, no matter how small or meagre the prize may be, at least it has short you to the limelight. You can quote it anywhere, even as part as your curriculum vitae. It encourages and that is what we also want to do. We are going to endow some prizes, internally first, so that we can encourage you. I personally encouraged students of 100 and 200 level in the department of English, by awarding the best three students with the most outstanding results. And we are going to continue do that this year. 

For the last question, do you think the art of creative writing can or cannot be taught? 

The art of creative writing, or creative writing itself can be taught. Let me start with these; Messi is a footballer, but he is also under a coach, is that not? Drogba, Pele, were under a coach. You can be creative, but your creativity can be nortured. For example, I am an instrumentalist, for those of us who go to church, I started as a drummer before keyboarding and the rest. I can tell you that for many years now, I haven't touched a drum, so all my rollings then, might have disappeared. Or may not be as they were before now. So, creativity, even though you have the innate ability, still needs to be taught, but that is why you have creative writing as a course in 300 level, and of course though, elective now, in 400 level. You should be taught, you may know that you need to write a poem, but you should be taught how to write a good poem. For example maybe you want to write poems that have rhymes, you don't just put rhymes, you must know the types of rhymes. Are you writing end rhymes? Are you using internal rhymes? Are you using high rhymes? Are you using alternate rhymes? So you need to be taught all these things. There is what is called rhythm and intonation in poetry. If you write a poem and you want to be musical and melodious, you should also be taught the art and rhythm of a poem; we have what we call the iambus, trochee, we have what we call anapest, we have what we call dactyl, we have what we call iambic pentameter, iambic monometer, so all these, if you are not taught, you can just come out and write anything and then submit. Listen to me, by the time you submit all these and then go for a competition—yes, you have written a poem, but it will be kept aside that it did not follow a rule or pattern. So you need to be nortured. You need to be taught. Creativity is also taught, you don't know everything. Don't think that you know everything. Even till tomorrow, I still read. For example, if you want to write a good play, read plays, so that you will know how the plays are constructed. You want to write a novel, please read novels. Don't say "I know it," no. So, you must be taught. That's why we have Creative Writing even in the school. 

Thank you very much sir, we have come to the end of this interview session with Dr. Alex Roy-Omoni, thank you for your time, sir. We really appreciate your presence.

You are welcome.

                                                   

Prosper Ifeanyi is a writer and student of Delta State University, Abraka. He is the founder of OneBlackBoyLikeThat Review.