Nigerian writer and author of Water Baby, Chioma Okereke, is excited to see more Nigerian writers branching out beyond literary fiction: ‘More writers are emerging in genres like historical fiction, romance, science fiction, and beyond. It is encouraging, after so much pigeonholing, that we are finally witnessing more breakthroughs in other genres, which is hopefully inspiring new authors.’
First Draft is our interview column, featuring authors and other prominent figures on books, reading, and writing.
Our questions are italicized.
What books or kinds of books did you read growing up?
Growing up, I loved reading and being transported through stories, from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis and Enid Blyton’s Famous Five mysteries to the Sweet Valley High books, the Mills & Boons books, and the Jilly Coopers books that were doing the rounds at my boarding school in the United Kingdom. I also read the classics: Charles Dickens, George Elliot, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, the Brontë sisters.
I remember discovering the school library and coming across Mildred D. Taylor’s Let the Circle Be Unbroken and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Those books had a profound effect on me, even though they were set in the United States. I was very impacted by the fact that their protagonists resembled me more than those in the books I had previously been ingesting at the time. It led me to read many books by African American authors, including James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Zora Neale Hurston, which deepened my love of literature. Around that same time, the African Heinemann Writers Series opened my world to extraordinary African authors like Chinua Achebe, Buchi Emecheta, Wole Soyinka, Flora Nwapa, Ama Ata Aidoo, Nadine Gordimer, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and J. P. Clark.
If your life so far was a series of texts, which text (fiction or non-fiction) represents you at this moment?
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.
What’s the last thing you read that changed your mind about something?
For someone utterly uninterested in video games, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. This book made me reconsider how to push the boundaries of my own storytelling in terms of incorporating unlikely (for me) subject matters, while continuing to explore human connection.
A randomly selected food show on YouTube during the pandemic was the catalyst for Water Baby. As I watched the program, I got a mental flash of Baby in her canoe, and I knew that she would be my next protagonist.
What was your process for writing your debut novel, Bitter Leaf?
Bitter Leaf was very much a learning process for me since I never intended to write a novel. But the gauntlet was raised by someone, and somehow, I ended up doing just that, much to my surprise. I was transitioning from writing as a poet. The poem that morphs into prose in the beginning of the book is demonstrative of that phase in my life. It took many years and many drafts, but I think I still could not get the batter ‘light enough’—to use a baking analogy. But I remain proud of what I made!
How did your approach to writing change while working on your latest novel, Water Baby?
Many years had passed between my debut and Water Baby, and I had also completed other manuscripts within that period that had further improved my storytelling, so I was not particularly worried about the crafting of the story. However, I was very concerned with writing outside of my experience and ensuring that I had captured the community as authentically and responsibly as possible. I wanted to explore universal themes in a unique setting, but I also wanted to have some fun along the way.
Water Baby is a coming-of-age story set in the real settlement of Makoko, Lagos. What inspired this story?
A randomly selected food show on YouTube during the pandemic was the catalyst for Water Baby. As I watched the program, I got a mental flash of Baby in her canoe, and I knew that she would be my next protagonist. It took me a moment to recognize her voice as I was researching the community, but once I did, the words just flowed out of me.
And what’s one thing about the reactions to the book that surprised you?
I am astounded that some people seem to think I must be from Makoko because I have been very clear that it is a work of fiction. I left Nigeria at six, so I was daunted by writing a book set there, and particularly about something completely outside of my personal experience. I was mindful of the ethical considerations involved in writing about the informal settlement and was determined to approach my subjects with sensitivity, humility and respect. So, it is a relief for me that I have captured the sense of a place in a way that allows people to have that reaction to the book. Hopefully, it ignites their curiosity about the real-life community; how people live and what they can do to help, should they feel so inclined.
What is the most meaningful piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
I attended the Callaloo Writers Workshop at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A&M University) in 2004, at the invitation of Percival Everett. It was such an amazing experience, particularly for someone who did not truly see themself as much of a writer before that, despite pretending to be. At the program, Everett told me there was no such thing as writer’s block. Of course, as soon as I went back home after it ended, I became blocked for months!
It took me many years—and many more manuscripts—to truly understand what he was saying at the time. Nowadays, I don’t get blocked in the writing process. It is like trying to make conversation in a foreign language you don’t speak very well; you reach for the words you do know to try to get your point across, and the communication continues. There is always a way through. What remains important is completing that draft so that you have something to finesse.
One character that has stayed with me is Xuela Claudette Richardson, the narrator in The Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid, one of my favourite authors.
Who is the most compelling character you’ve ever encountered in a book, and what makes them memorable?
This is a seriously tough question as I have encountered so many incredible characters across four decades of reading. One character that has stayed with me is Xuela Claudette Richardson, the narrator in The Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica Kincaid, one of my favourite authors. The novel follows Xuela from childhood to old age, as she navigates a life marked by the profound loss of her mother who died during childbirth. It captures that poignant sense of longing alongside her journey of self-determination. Kincaid’s writing is equal parts lyrical and simple, but always deeply evocative. She captures the pain of abandonment masterfully, as Xuela asserts her autonomy in an unyielding world with a fierce resilience.
And what book (from Africa) do you feel has not yet received the attention it deserves?
A Girl Is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi. It is a richly layered portrait of the Ugandan society in the 1970s and 19880s, which demonstrates the strength of women across generations—from its headstrong twelve-year old protagonist, Kirabo, to spiritual healer Nsuuta who is well into her 80s.
And who are the Nigerian authors you’re most excited about today (and why?)
Speaking generally, I am excited that we are seeing more Nigerian authors outside of the purely literary fiction space. More writers are emerging in genres like historical fiction, romance, science fiction, and beyond. It is encouraging, after so much pigeonholing, that we are finally witnessing more breakthroughs in other genres, which is hopefully inspiring new authors in turn. More specifically, I recently read Lagos Will Be Hard For You by Ayotola Tehingbola. It is a phenomenal collection of short stories, and I cannot wait for it to be out in the world so that more people can enjoy her spectacular writing.
What’s one book you would recommend gifting a loved one this holiday season and why?
A Very Gidi Christmas by Tomilola Coco Adeyemo, or—because the holiday season is all about food for me—possibly Ina Garten’s Be Ready When The Luck Happens: A Memoir.
What’s on your Christmas/end of the year wish list?
Peace of mind.
What’s one word, line or quote that captures how this year has gone for you?
Testing.
What’s the best book (by an African author) you’ve read this year?
A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀.
What is your favourite topic to write or read about these days?
I don’t really have a particular topic that I write about, but I suspect that I am drawn to people or things that quite often go overlooked or whose voices are rarely heard. I always want to know their stories and bring them into the spotlight.
It is difficult to focus on one particular writer that has influenced my voice, but writers like Buchi Emecheta, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Irenosen Okojie, Chika Unigwe, and Petina Gappah inspire me to keep mining the human condition.
What are you currently working on?
The first part of what I envision as a trilogy.
Question from Tobi Eyinade: Which African writers have influenced your voice and style over the years?
I think that every book I read influences my voice and style. I am constantly gathering information from other writers—and creatives in general—that feed my brain and help me keep honing my craft. It is difficult to focus on one particular writer that has influenced my voice, but writers like Buchi Emecheta, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Irenosen Okojie, Chika Unigwe, and Petina Gappah inspire me to keep mining the human condition and challenging the stereotypes surrounding authors of African descent; breaking away from often monolithic representations of the continent.
Bonus: Please suggest a question for a future author’s First Draft
What is one change you would like to see in the publishing industry?
Who should we interview next?
Rosanna Amaka⎈
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