How my first book got me a second-hand car –Toni Akuneme
By SAM ANOKAM
Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Born in 1968 in Umuahia during the civil war to a civil service commissioner, father and a mother who was a nurse, Tony Wakiki Akuneme, Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Immigration Service, Akwa Ibom State, attended St. Mary's Primary School, Awo-Omamma and later Shell Camp Primary School, Owerri. Akuneme also attended Government College Owerri and Government College Eziachi-Orlu.

He studied Philosophy and Religion in the University of Port harcourt in 1991, obtained his Masters Degree in International Law in the University of Lagos 2002 and Post Graduate Diploma at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism in 2006.

Having joined the Nigeria Immigration in 1993, he was appointed Assistant PRO, Zone A, Lagos (1999); Deputy PRO Ikeja Passport Office (2003); Acting PRO Zone A, Lagos (2004) and Command PRO Akwa Ibom State Command (2005 till Date).

Akuneme was also the pioneer editor of the in-house journal "The Migrant" which was launched in Lagos by the late Comptroller General, Lady Nwizu in 2000. He also edited the Passport Newsletter, Passport Office, Ikeja, Lagos in 2003, as well as Secretary, Passport Office Management Committee from 2003-2004.

Coming into writing
As a Kid, I watched my father wrote day and night. He used to wake up around 4 am everyday to monitor the BBC and VOA and would start writing in his bedroom till 7a.m. Then he would switch on to Radio Nigeria for Network news. He would even take his 'old school' radio to the bathroom and toilet for the early morning rituals. Once he returned from office and observed his siesta, he would go through the day's newspapers and continued writing till 9p.m when he would return to monitor Network news on NTA. After that, he would go back to writing.

As I grew up, I realized that my dad had published over a dozen journals and books even though he was science inclined as a Pharmacist and Pharmacologist. He had actually taken time off as a Pharmacy Student in Leeds, England, in the 1950s, to obtain a diploma trom the famous Fleet Street School of Journalism in London.

I was naturally attracted to the literary writings as an ardent follower of my father's footsteps.

Style of writing
I didn't undergo any formal training as a writer, except that I loved literature in my school days and the fact that I studied the Humanities. I wrote free prose. I attended Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 2005 to obtain a professional Certificate as people always queried my status as a professional.

Published works
In 1997 I co-authored a book on Who is Who in Igboland. with a schoolmate of mine (Uche Nwakudu). The book, which was entitled Ahamefula attracted moral and material contributions from prominent Igbo sons and daughters like Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, Rear Admiral Ebitu Ukiwe (retd), Late Prof. Eme Awa Prof. Helen Chukwuma, Prof Ben Obumselu, my dad, who also wrote the introduction), Dr. Arthur Nwankwo (who contributed a chapter) and Late Chief Sam Mbakwe, who wrote the foreword), amongst many others.

I make bold to say that while most of my colleagues in the immigration service complained about poor wages and slow promotion, I was able to buy my first tokunbo car from the proceeds of the book-launch. In 2002, I also co-authored the biography of Nigeria's first graduate of Pharmacist/Pharmacologist (incidentally my father).

I have so far published three research essays, viz: The profundities of African Religion (First Degree); The role of the UN Security Council in World Peace and Security (Master's Degree) and The Role of Culture in Mass Communication (Post Graduate Diploma-Print Journalism)

Audience
I write for everybody I hope to use my modest experience and exposures both locally and internationally to continue to advance the empowerment of my fellow youths, using the pen. Education and information remain the only road to genuine, long lasting empowerment and human development.

Time of writing
I write even in the toilet. I make sure my toilet and bathroom is decent enough because I could stay there for over one hour. Even if there is soap in my eyes and an idea flows into my head, I quickly clean my face, grab my pen and paper to put down the thoughts. It could be very painful to wait until you finish taking your bath only for the idea to disappear from your head. Sometimes, I am very critical to the point that I offend my superiors on the job, a kind of revolutionary writing.

Limitations
The reading culture is poor and it discourages writer’s from turning out works. It is frustrating to think that our leaders hardly listen to the critiques offered through the arts media. But the struggle continues.