A literature student
in Malaysia asked me if Umuofia actually existed and if I
can take him to Umuofia. He was disappointed when I told him
that Umuofia of Things Fall Apart is no longer the Umuofia
of today
–Tony Isoh, Nigerian in Malaysia
By HENRY AKUBUIRO(akuhen@sunnewsonline.com)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
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•Isoh
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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A parcel of books, Mugu Hunters and Black Banana, recently
landed my desk from Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia, of all places,
bearing the name Anthony Isoh. The attractive packaging of
the books was the first thing that riveted my attention. Then
the brilliance of the writer’s narratives. Anthony Isoh
may be unknown as a writer in Nigeria, but his route to fame
is only a matter of time.
Born in Ibusa, Delta State, the writer is an Associate of
the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (ACIB), and
is presently studying law in Help University, Kuala-Lumpur,
Malaysia.
He had a stint recently with Writers Bureau, Manchester, which
served as a springboard to a new writing career. Learning
the skill to weave and plot story was one factor that made
him undertook that course. “Behind it was my believe
that through writing, I will be able to voice my concern on
issues that diminish rights and equal opportunity in my country
and any society I find myself,” he tells Sunday Sun
online from Malaysia.
Prof Wole Soyinka, Gani Fawehinmi, late Dele Giwa, Fela and
Beko Kuti are his heroes, because he sees them as men who
took risk and tirelessly denounced human rights abuse, decried
rascality that permeate the political and social institutions
of Nigeria.
A banker, Isoh resigned his job in First Bank of Nigeria in
1997 to seek greener pasture abroad. “Considering the
dearth of infrastructure and political uncertainties, it was
my only option, if I were to achieve my dream,” he confesses.
His novel, Mugu Hunters, is an exposé on the advanced
free fraud syndrome called 419, with focus on a group of youths,
including Emma Ebirim, who swindles some gullible western
men. Sunday Sun asks him what motivated him to write the novel.
“In the mid 1980s and early 90s, my town, Ibusa, almost
became synonymous with 419 scam because that was what most
of the youths there indulge in. It was a huge embarrassment
and discredit to other hard-working Ibusa men like Prof Pat
Utomi, Prof Fidelix Odita, Francis Atuche, Tony Nwanze of
UNICEF and many other distinguish Ibusa men and women based
in Nigeria. I foresaw the tragic end of most of them, and
that was what inspired me to write the book,” he informs.
His second novel, Black Banana, tells the story of immigrants
in Malaysia who are exploited by their bosses. “Humiliation
and abuse of domestic workers in Malaysia inspired the writing
of Black Banana,” he says.
His two novels are set in Nigeria and foreign lands: Malaysia,
Singapore and United States. What determines his choice of
settings? Except the United, he has visited other countries
in the novel. “The rich memories of the time spent in
those places, especially Nigeria, easily come into play as
I weave the story,” he replies.
His works are published in United States and in Malaysia,
but he would like to publish his next work in Nigeria. “I
guess it will be cheaper to publish in Nigeria,” he
hopes.
Malaysian literature isn’t popular in Nigeria. The
reason for this, says Isoh, is because most of their writers
write in their local language. “A few of them write
in English. Besides, there is less emphasis on literary works
than in IT and Computer Science in Malaysia. That is why their
works are not known in Nigeria.
“Literacy level is higher in Malaysia than in Nigeria,
and with less stress than what the average Nigerian goes through
on daily basis, the reading culture here is much better. You
walk into a bookshop and find adults and children reading
and picking books.”
The writer works as a salesman in Kuala-Lumpur, so how does
he combine his job with creative writing? He responds, “I
Write mostly at night and on weekends when am not working.
Sometimes idea on what to add to my manuscript would come
up at work. I pen down the idea and later develop it into
my work.”
Some critics have accused Nigerian writers abroad who pillory
the country in their works of selling out to foreign publishers
and audience. To him, it does not hold much water. Thus the
questions, “Are the frustrations suffered daily by our
people and the decadent social and political structures portrayed
false? Is it wrong to prick the conscience of those who selfishly
pollute our society? Is it not better for foreign audience
to hear our story from ourselves than from their own biased
media? Are foreign based writers not entitled to their ideas
and opinions?”
There is another angle to the argument. “Publishers
are in business to make profit, and that is a basic consideration
in their choice of works to publish,” he offers.
Some critics say literature should not be overtly moralistic,
but, in Mugu Hunters, the author appears to use the travail
of the main character, Emma, as a moral metaphor. “I
see in literature a part of history that is easily forgotten
and a foreseeable future that is easily ignored. Mugu Hunters
is a story of some ills that bedevils our nation. I am not
a moralist,” he replies.
The picture of Malaysia and Singapore he has painted in Black
Banana is very disturbing. Are racism, crime and police brutality
big issues in these countries as he depicted?
He responds, “Malaysia and Singapore are some of the
safest and most peaceful places in the world today. Crime
rate is low; you can walk round most of their cities and feel
safe. Police brutality is not so common in the two countries.
Racism and human rights are however areas they are still grappling
to address.”
The story of Hassan, Amelina and Bobby seem too close to reality
than fiction, did he make it up, or does it have an element
of reality? “The story in Black Banana is a work of
fiction,” he offers cryptically.
As a Nigerian living in a foreign land, is the quest for identity
a strong issue, especially considering Kester and his sister’s
quest in Black Banana to discover their parents and siblings
in distance places?
“Globalization and cross border crimes have made identity
a strong issue in the world today. To many Nigerians living
abroad, our identity as Nigerians is sometime a burden due
to mischief of some of our citizens and the penchant of unfriendly
nations to demonize us as crooks.
“We sometimes find ourselves in the embarrassing situation
where we are subjected to extra scrutiny by immigration or
police officers based on our identity as Nigerians. So, many
Nigerians in advanced countries take solace in taking dual
citizenship. However, there is no place like home,”
he submits.
His novels bear vestigial witness to some Nigerian traditions
and cultural values. What informed these and what does he
intend to achieve? His reply suggests his Afrocentricism,
“Promoting our culture was one reason.
Making the setting as real as possible is what I intend to
achieve. A literature student in Malaysia asked me if Umuofia
actually existed and if I can take him to Umuofia? He was
disappointed when I told him that Umuofia of Things Fall Apart
is no longer the Umuofia of today. That is an example of how
literature promotes culture.”
The writer can’t say exactly how far his books have
gone round Malaysia and beyond because they were published
late last year. “They are presently in some bookshops
in Malaysia,” he informs. His third novel will be released
in May this year. “It is too early to judge my sales,
considering that I am new in the business and with a few letters
behind my name,” he says.
Currently, he is looking out for distributors or outlets through
which to market his works in Nigeria, and would appreciate
anybody who could assist in this regard. |
