The Words Finesse

In the crowded landscape of Nigerian letters, where voices often rise and fall with seasons of acclaim, Mal. Denja Abdullahi has remained a constant, steady, principled, and uncompromising in purpose. Poet, playwright, cultural administrator, public servant, and literary foot-soldier, Abdullahi belongs to that rare lineage of writers whose influence is felt not only in books and performances, but in institutions, policies, and the quiet architecture of national memory.

For over three decades, he has walked the delicate line between creativity and governance, between the freedom of the imagination and the discipline of public service. From the folkloric cadences of Mairogo to the enduring dramatic power of Death and the King’s Grey Hair; from shaping the ideological soul of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) as erstwhile President to interrogating the politics of power, betrayal, and history on stage, his work reveals a mind deeply rooted in culture and unafraid of truth.

In this expansive and reflective conversation with AbdulHafeez T. Oyewole, Mal. Denja Abdullahi bares it all with uncommon candour. He speaks as a writer who understands the weight of voice, as a cultural worker who has seen institutions rise through sacrifice, and as a patriot still convinced of Nigeria’s salvageability. There is no posturing here: only clarity, conviction, and the measured wisdom of a man who has paid his dues in both art and service.

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Opening: The Man Behind the Public Persona

1. Many know you as a stalwart of Nigerian letters, but what is something about Mal. Denja Abdullahi that few people truly know and that you would like to place on record for posterity?

Is there really anything about me that people do not know about? I have lived a public-spirited life all my adult life. I hardly hide anything about me from the public as I have nothing to hide. 

Beyond being a writer; what people should know too is that I am a closet academic, from an ethnic minority group, a public servant of over three decades of service to Nigeria in the culture sector and a patriot who has received the highest honour for productivity and service to Nigeria (as in the National Productivity Order of Merit -NPOM ) in 2023. 

I am a team player who can work well under any circumstance as long as the objectives are noble. 

2. How did your early experiences, from growing up in Idah and being educated in English and Literature, shape your commitment to writing and cultural stewardship?

I can call myself a thorough bred writer and cultural administrator because l studied such before I ventured fully into their practices. I learned the ropes adequately and went on to play the turf. That kind of background helps as you have the training that makes you to inject competence and efficiency into whatever you do. 

3. Throughout three decades of literary engagement, what personal values have consistently guided your creative and administrative life?

I am honest, sincere and selfless. I do not allow biases, prejudices and pettiness to come into anything I do for others or for the public. I am like a soldier- I believe in achieving given good objectives and can sacrifice anything to deliver on that. 

I was thus not surprised when the editors of a festschrift on me released in 2021 typified me to be a foot-soldier.  A foot-soldier is often goal-driven and focused on the essential. Their reading of my person in line with what I have done in the literary and cultural communities was prescient. 

On His Literary Works and Inspirations

4. Your poetic volume Mairogo: A Buffoon’s Poetic Journey around Northern Nigeria bears a distinctive narrative voice. What inspired its thematic focus and folkloric style?

I was inspired in style by the undercurrent voices of the otherworldly slightly insane itinerant mendicants and jesters that roam Northern Nigeria. The themes are essential for a true assessment of life in Northern Nigeria.

5. Your play Death and the King’s Grey Hair was shortlisted for the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2018. Could you reflect on the genesis of this play- its ideas, its universality, and why it has endured on stage and in academia? 

The seed of the play was sown in me at an undergraduate Sociology class at the University of Jos decades ago. Basically, it explores a quaint myth that speaks to power and its excesses in the human community. 

The play was written in 1994, published in 2014, won the SONTA prize in 2015 and nearly got the NLNG prize in 2018. It has been staged across Nigeria on over 30 stages in the last 5 years. 

It has endured because of the universality of its theme, the language deployed and its dramatic possibilities. 

6. What is your philosophy on the role of drama and theatre in reflecting and transforming society? How do you see the relationship between politics, power, and dramatic art?

Life itself is dramatic as it is full of deceptions, posturings; conflicts and drama draws heavily from the lived environment. 

Power and politics are often not comfortable in the presence of drama as drama often disembodies, satirises and unmasks those entities. 

The dramatic (art) has a role in shaping and reshaping power and politics. 

7. Many of your works traverse tradition, politics, spirituality and survival. What inspires these recurring themes in your creative imagination?

I am a culturally grounded person and I think by the trainings I have received and the work I have done, I have what you call cultural intelligence. Therefore, my works, creative and otherwise, must have those elements seeping in.

8. Your more recent works, including Love-songs in a Pandemic, suggest experimentation with form and subject. How did the pandemic shape your approach to poetry and human relationships?

The pandemic period of the lock-down provided me with an opportunity to examine the seamy-side of marital romance. I reached out to another writer of the female species digitally and did a poetry versus prose duet with her with a focus on sexual tensions and the societal hypocrisy that were prevalent during the pandemic. 

On Writing About Mamman Vatsa and Literary Heritage

9. You have written and directed plays that intersect with historic figures such as Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsa. What compelled you to dramatise Vatsa’s life, and what message do you hope contemporary audiences take away? 

Military life can be compellingly dramatic. You find patriotism, heroism and paying the ultimate price attached to such a life. When you add all those to ambition, friendship and betrayal that were the stuff of the story of Vatsa, then you have a drama yelling to be enacted. 

Vatsa was like a tragic hero and I felt I should tell his story in a drama. Those who watched the play when it was staged at the ANA Convention in 2025 left the auditorium with all sorts of emotion: pity, exultation, catharsis, fortification, understanding of human nature and many more. 

The general takeaway can be that power always has a vicious ring to it; it knows no family or friend and should always be watched closely or else it can destroy anything in its path. 

10. What role should literature and theatre play in preserving national memory and honouring cultural benefactors like Vatsa, whose legacy includes the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village?

Memories of individuals and things are best preserved in literary materials and the theatre. Beyond mere history, most of the things we know or are etched in our minds come from the literature we have read and the plays and films we have watched. 

We, writers, should delve more into literary reflection on the life and times of historical figures and cultural personages,not merely to sing their praises, but to interrogate their actions and inactions, and in doing so, we condition the contemporary society to draw lessons therein. Enough of “that is not being done at the moment”, neither is there support from the government or the private sector to do that. 

Leadership, ANA, and Literary Administration

11. You have served ANA in nearly every executive capacity over more than two decades. How did you first meet ANA, and what kept you committed to its mission through the years?

I met ANA first through reading around in the late 80s and early 90s about Achebe and other first generation Nigerian writers. Later I established an arm of ANA in Kebbi State in 1995 even before I fully joined the Association around 1997-1998. What kept me committed to ANA throughout the years I was very active in it was that it was a platform of praxis and observatory  for the theories of literature I learned in school and through reading. When I joined the public service in 1998, literary administration was part of the mandate of where I was working, so being in ANA was just doing my day job. 

Not many people out there know that the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), where I worked for close to three decades, was the government institution that assisted in the establishment of ANA in 1981. This is a fact and you will find that in Chinua Achebe's inaugural speech at the founding of ANA in 1981. That explains my commitment to the organisation. 

12. During your tenure as ANA President, what were the pivotal decisions or initiatives that you believe reshaped the organisation’s trajectory?

I did a 5 year strategic plan on becoming the President of ANA with inputs from all strata of the Association. The document was published and circulated to all chapters of the Association. That strategic plan was the blueprint I followed strictly throughout my tenure. I had a 15 point agenda when I was campaigning for the presidency of ANA which I called "the pragmatic deliverables". I delivered on all except one - which was the upliftment of the literary prizes. 

I left legacy projects and programmes which effectively changed the Association's trajectory for the better such as: giving the Association an interactive website, moving the Association headquarters from Lagos to Abuja, doing an audio-visual documentary on its history and achievements, establishing an electronic membership database, publishing books in the Association's name and the biggest of all, ensuring the building of the writers village, thereby setting the Association on the path of respect and self- sustainability. 

There is a creeping misconception which I need to correct here. People often glibly say today that the foundation of the writers' village was laid during my presidency.  The executive under my leadership did much more than that. We laid the foundation quite all right in 2017 and ensured the building of all the main structures standing there today to about 70 percent completion by the end of my tenure. This process was well documented in written reports published in newspapers and presented to the Congress of the Association at AGMs, and there are other available facts, photos and videos. 

13. There have been strains in the past, including controversies around ANA land, and moments of internal dissent. In your view, what has sustained ANA through challenges, and what lessons might future leaders draw from those times?

As the Association gained respectability and a whiff of self-sustainability due to the doggedness of successive leadership, selfish contentions rose from some quarters. It is what looks good that people fight over; no one will jump on a sinking boat. Many of the controversies people tie on the neck of the Association are shallow and unfounded. ANA members should appreciate the resilience of its leadership to always live up to expectation. The well-meaning members should also be appreciated for their vigilance. 

What has sustained the Association all these years in spite of all its troubles and put downs by even those who have benefitted greatly from it is its democratic spirit and accountable leadership. 

Future leaders  should know that once you are accountable, altruistic and developmental in your dealings, you can weather any storm and posterity will be kind to you.  

14. What advice would you give to the current leadership of ANA, and what vision would you like to see for the association in the next decade?

The present leadership should remain accountable, transparent, democratic and innovative. 

In the decade to come, the Association should run like a system, be a hub for literary creativity and should focus on the real business of improving the lots of its members. The Association should proclaim and occupy its space in the Nigerian, African and world literary communities. 

15. What is your perspective on the proliferation of literary organisations in Nigeria? Should writers’ associations collaborate more closely, and in what ways?

ANA cannot be the only organisation in the business of literary promotion in Nigeria. The proliferation is bound to happen as the world has diversified beyond everyone's imagination. In spite of the proliferation, ANA still occupies an unassailable place. 

The proliferation you talk about can still be traceable to ANA. Many of the people at the heads of most literary organisations in Nigeria today cut their teeth in ANA. 

What we should be talking about today is collaboration and partnership to draw more attention to the funding of literary activities and the institution of enduring structures to promote literature, authors and a knowledge-based society. 

On Writers, Creativity, and the Future

16. Many emerging writers today struggle with visibility, platform, and readership. In your view, what are the crucial ingredients for a writer’s longevity and impact in the 21st century?

Developing an original voice and dwelling on novel themes delivered in unique styles will make whatever a writer writes to endure for a long time. Writers should also know that in this 21st Century, networking and being in the right places and engaging in the right causes also help in keeping people close to the writer and his or her works. 

17. As someone deeply invested in both artistry and policy analysis, how do you see the interplay between culture, governance and public policy in advancing literature and the arts in Nigeria?

Our culture is yet to be fully used to drive governance and public policy in our country and that is why there is dysfunction all over; literature and the arts inclusive. Our culture is so rich and encompassing that anytime we are fully ready to engage it to drive our polity, there is bound to be marked progress across spheres. 

18. What role should governments, private sector and international bodies play in supporting the literary arts beyond occasional benevolence? 

By instituting support structures like regular grants, endowments, capacity building, residencies and funding for literary research and publications. 

On AI, Technology, and the Writer’s Craft

19. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents both opportunities and anxieties for writers. How do you perceive the role of AI in literature- as a tool, a collaborator, or a disruptor?

I do not believe AI can disrupt real literary creativity. It can enhance creativity though, but a real writer will not cede his or her agency to a machine. A writer is known for the uniqueness of his or her own voice. AI panders towards uniformity, similarity and typicality. AI can be a good tool to fact check, set the mood and force out inspiration. It cannot even become a worthy collaborator if a writer is to be honest. 

20. In an era where AI can generate text, how can writers preserve originality, voice, and human depth in their work?

I have tried to generate texts with AI with specific prompts and the outcomes were amazing. But those outcomes were not mine and I cannot honestly lay claim to them. The only way the writer today can preserve all what you listed is to be honest. 

It is easy to detect a work generated using AI. I have recently read a couple of books which on mere glance at a few pages I knew were written fully with the help of AI. AI can never be original, cannot throw up a unique voice and clearly cannot appropriate the full depth of human emotions. 

21. What advice would you offer to writers seeking to remain both relevant and sane amidst the rapid advance of AI technologies?

Be rooted in something; evolve a personal writing ideology, be innovative and do not be averse to nascent technology that can enhance productivity. 

On Politics, Society, and Personal Aspirations

22. You navigate worlds of cultural leadership and public discourse. How do you view the current state of Nigerian politics and its impact on creative expression?

Politics has become too selfish an agenda to care about creativity and its expressions. Politicians are increasingly desperate to capture power or hold on to it because it is the pathway to the plundering of our national resources. 

Creatives are as usual left to their own devices without any tangible support from the government or the politicians. 

When politics is played largely as service to the society then we can start talking of its positive impacts on creative expression. 

23. What are your thoughts on international politics and its influence on global literary exchange?

The Unipolar world that America under Trump is building will ultimately affect global literary exchange. When travels become difficult, it is not only people that will be affected, ideas too will suffer. Tariffs may be raised to stop the flow of books across the world. Critical writers and intellectuals will be targeted and denied visas into some countries. Residencies, conferences and scholarships will be cut. All these will affect global literary exchange. 

We should by now be having a freer world but some kind of isolationism and unbridled nationalism are settling into places all over the world. We in Africa that have for long been unable to look inward to drive our world may be worse off for it. 

24. Have you ever considered pursuing elective politics in the near future, and how might your literary and administrative experience inform such a pursuit?

With the kind of political system we have now in Nigeria, someone like me cannot play obvious partisan politics. I cannot play politics without ideology or play politics of mere struggle for state resources. 

That does not mean I am giving up on how I may contribute to enthrone the right kind of politics as pure service to the people. I can at the moment lend my expertise as a technocrat to the right political movement and wait for the time I can team up with like minded people to do the politicking for the masses. 

Reflections and Legacy

25. Looking back, what would you identify as the definitive moments: personal, creative or organisational, that shaped your journey?

Personally, studying what I studied in school broadened my mind and gave me the right tools to engage with society. Creatively, my first published work "Mairogo" has so far defined my literary image. Mairogo is the existential man that understands the ephemerality of life and who does not take things too seriously. My joining the public service at the national level and in the sector I found myself made me a complete Nigerian. All these together has made me a proud Nigerian who wholeheartedly believes in the salvageability of this country. 

26. What enduring wisdom do you hope young writers will carry forward as they build the future of Nigerian literature?

They must be committed to something. They cannot be loose canons without an aim or purpose. Writing is not a thing you do just for yourself; you do it for yourself and others. You cannot also write from a void; your writing must be informed by something and will ultimately impact on some other things.

An Archival Interview Series is a series for The Words Finesse (TWF) in partnership with Factual Naija News (FNN).

Titles announce authority, but they rarely tell the whole story. In this intimate archival conversation, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), scholar, policy thinker and public intellectual, steps beyond office and ornament to speak as a man shaped by discipline, community, and an abiding faith in the moral force of words.

In a wide-ranging exchange with AbdulHafeez Oyewole, Dr. Akanbi bares the inner architecture of his life: a Spartan childhood under an incorruptible judge, the quiet strength of maternal influence, the moment writing revealed itself as both calling and instrument of change. He reflects with candour on fear and hope, on literature as witness and resistance, and on the uneasy labour of leading Nigeria’s foremost writers’ body in a time of national strain.

Moving seamlessly across literature, leadership, agriculture, public policy, civic responsibility and global power shifts, this conversation captures a thinker alert to his moment and conscious of posterity. It is less a defence of achievement than a meditation on duty- on what it means to write, to lead, and to remain humane in a world increasingly hostile to truth.

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The Man Beyond the Titles (For Posterity)

1. Before we speak of offices held and honours earned, let us return to origins. What are the aspects of Usman Oladipo Akanbi that the public rarely encounters, those inner convictions, private struggles or formative experiences, that you believe history ought to know about you?

Well, I come from a family that values education and community service. Growing up with my late Dad was quite tough. He was a strict disciplinarian who brought us up in a Spartan way.

We lived on whatever meagre income accrued to him; being an incorruptible judge meant that he lived within his means, And what's more? He bullied his family to conform to his standard, and none dared confront him for whatever reason.

But then, he taught us some invaluable lessons that have endured with us till date; particularly regarding me, I learnt to be content with whatever Allah bestows upon me.

As a family man, my dad was deeply rooted in his community, and I believe that also helped shape my perspective on the importance of social responsibility, hence impacted on the various roles I later played in life too.

However, I must not fail to mention that my greatest influence in all my accomplishments in life remains my late mother.

2. Looking back across your journey, from the classroom to public discourse, from the literary space to national leadership, which moment most profoundly altered the trajectory of your life, and why?

For me, it was when I realised the power of writing to inspire change. I was involved in various rural/community development projects, and way back I faced resistance from some quarters. But through sheer determination, I engaged with the community, and was able to shift the narrative and bring about positive change.

No doubt, those experiences stayed with me and shaped my approach to writing and public discourse.

3. Every serious thinker has a silent fear and a stubborn hope. What is the greatest fear that has shadowed your intellectual journey, and what hope has refused to die?

My greatest fear is the erosion of critical thinking and the rise of misinformation, particularly, in a world where social media can amplify falsehoods. I worry about the impact on our collective future.

But my hope is that, we can build a more informed, empathetic, and just society, where writers and thinkers can contribute to positive change.

4. If your younger self were seated across from you today, what hard truth would you insist he accepts, even if it unsettles him?

I would tell him to be more patient, to listen more, and to prioritise relationships over achievements.

I think we often get caught up in the rat race and forget what's truly important.

I would advise him to take time to reflect, to nurture his relationships, and to stay true to himself.

Literature as Calling, Weapon and Witness

5. Literature in Nigeria has often been both a mirror and a machete, reflecting society while cutting through falsehood. How do you personally conceive the moral responsibility of the Nigerian writer in this era?

As writers, we have a moral responsibility to speak truth to power, challenge injustices, and amplify marginalised voices.

We must use our platforms to promote empathy, understanding, and social justice.

That's what literature is all about – using the power of words to shape our world.

6. Your body of work straddles creative writing, social commentary and policy analysis. Do you see yourself first as a writer who analyses policy, or a policy thinker who writes creatively, or is that distinction false?

For me, writing is a way to analyse and address societal issues. I don't see myself as just a writer or a policy thinker – I am a writer who uses various forms to engage with the world. The boundaries between genres are blurred, and I think that's where the most interesting conversations happen.

It is interesting that my primary calling- agriculture, and my passion- literature, both play significant roles in shaping my perspectives. I teach project planning and implementation and of course, policy and development under agriculture in the university.

Having an inclination towards the literary sphere offers me the platform to aerate my views to a broader public.

7. Which of your literary works best captures your philosophical essence, and which one do you believe remains most misunderstood?

That's a tough one! But I think my works in this regard are these two: "Midlife memoirs: Connecting with my past", prose and "Verdant Verses", a poetry collection.

They both capture my concerns about social justice, inequality, and the human condition.

But I guess some readers might misinterpret my intentions. That's the risk we take as writers!

8. Nigerian literature has produced giants whose pens unsettled empires and governments. Do you believe contemporary Nigerian writers have lost some of that radical courage, or has resistance merely changed form?

I don't think contemporary writers have lost courage; I think they have adapted their resistance strategies, particularly, when those they currently face were at a time their fellow comrades who are now active in the political realm.

We are facing different challenges now, and writers are finding new ways to engage, challenge, and subvert. The pen is still mighty, and I still aver that Nigerian writers are using it to shape our world.

Academia, Agriculture and Public Policy

9. As a lecturer in Agriculture, a field often perceived as distant from literature, how has your academic discipline shaped your worldview as a writer and public intellectual?

Like I earlier mentioned, my background in Agriculture has given me a unique perspective on various aspects of human endeavour like food security, climate change, and rural development - many thanks to my mentor in this regard: Professor Abayomi Omotesho, former Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic at the University of Ilorin. As a writer, I have been able to explore these issues in a way that's accessible to a broader audience. It's a fascinating intersection of disciplines!

It was while I was the Relationship Manager Agriculture and Food, in charge of Kwara, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with the First Bank of Nigeria PLC, that I began to pen down my experiences on the field, thereby adopting the story telling strategy to express my thoughts.

Good enough, a close acquaintance introduced me to the Association of Nigerian Authors, Niger State chapter around 1998, and indeed, that affiliation has been quite rewarding.

My coordination activities activities while I presided at the Kwara State Fadama Development Project was also helpful in providing insights that influenced my writings too!

10. Nigeria’s food security crisis, climate pressures and rural poverty are deepening. From your professional standpoint, where has policy failed most tragically, and what is the cost of that failure?

We have, without doubt, had stories of policy successes, but more conspicuous are policy failures, arising from oft-repeated policy summersaults, particularly in supporting small-scale farmers. We do, however, require sustainable solutions that prioritise the most vulnerable and promote agricultural development. The cost of failure is too high – we must get this right.

The incessant insecurity is the greatest threat today. What's more, we have a burgeoning class of uneducated individuals, itinerant with their begging bowls, who are readily recruited to subvert security. 

Hence, we continue to import foodstuffs that ought to have been produced domestically, owing to an inability to contain the scourge of kidnapping, banditry, and other manifestations of insurgency, variously fomented by religious zealots and ethnic jingoists.

11. Do you worry that intellectuals in Nigeria are increasingly confined to classrooms and conferences, rather than shaping real policy outcomes?

Of course, I worry that we are often marginalised or co-opted. But I believe intellectuals have a critical role to play in shaping national discourse. We must stay engaged, challenge power, and promote critical thinking.

The ANA Presidency and the Question of Leadership

12. Your re-election as President of the Association of Nigerian Authors was widely interpreted as a vote of confidence. How did that process unfold, and what do you believe made your leadership worthy of renewal?

I am humbled by the trust members have placed in me. I believe my leadership has been about promoting reconciliation after a long drawn battle among ANA members post 2015 and 2019 Association's elections.

Gradually, we improved upon relationships, initiated programmes that promoted literary excellence and social engagement like the ANA book party and literary bootcamp camps; we also strengthened existing programmes like Mbari quarterly discourse event, the Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign and the annual convention programmes.

We also collaborated with the Pan African Writers Association through the indefatigable Secretary General Dr. Wale Okediran and of course, the collaboration with President of the World Organization Of Writers (WOW) Ms Margarita Almukhametova. The collaboration effort was further boosted with Abuja being declared UNESCO's city of literature for 2026. All these wouldn't have been possible but for the support of the generality of ANA members.

I am particularly indebted in this regard to Emeritus Professor Femi Osofisan, Chairman ANA Board of Trustees; Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi, Chairman College of Fellows, and of course the appointed Developer for the Mamman Vatsa Writers Village, Col. K. K. Shaw. On the list of influencers are also past presidents of the association upon whose legacies, I have been building upon. I am certainly committed to continuing this work that has been assigned to me on trust!

13. Leadership often reveals more critics than admirers. What were the most difficult moments of your first tenure, and how did they test your convictions?

There have been challenging moments, particularly navigating conflicting opinions within ANA. There are however some persons who tried to undermine me during my first tenure of office but thanks to the unflinching support of my executive council members, I was able to overcome them. More importantly, I tried to stay true to my values and prioritise the needs of our members.

14. In clear terms, what is your vision for ANA in the next phase- institutionally, creatively and globally?

I envision ANA as a vibrant, inclusive community that promotes literary excellence, advocates for writers' rights, and engages with the broader society. We must be a voice for social justice and a champion of Nigerian literature.

15. How do you intend to protect the welfare, dignity and economic survival of writers, particularly younger and emerging voices?

Our first task on assumption of office was to stabilise ANA, coming after a long period of altercations, here and there. So far, we have succeeded, in exception of a former presidential aspirant of the association, who took us to court and is requesting for a settlement of five hundred million naira! Notwithstanding this, I am working on initiatives to improve writers' lot, as best as we can, particularly, in areas of writers' works visibility and advocacy for better royalties. We must recognise the value of creative work and support our writers.

16. ANA has historically been a moral compass in Nigeria’s cultural life. How do you intend to ensure it remains relevant, fearless and financially sustainable?

We will continue to be a voice for social justice, promoting critical thinking and challenging injustices. Thankfully the land bestowed on us by late Mamman Vatsa has metamorphosed into an elaborate facility that will no doubt continue to aid the association's financial stability and its sustainability.

Writers, Survival and Nigeria’s Tax Reforms

17. Nigeria’s evolving tax reforms have generated intense debate. From your policy lens, what do these reforms mean for ordinary Nigerians, particularly those in the creative and intellectual economy?

We are certainly concerned about the impact on not just creative professionals but Nigerians as a whole. We have made a public advocacy through press releases in this regard. We however need more nuanced policies that recognise the unique realities of creative labour too.

18. Writers often earn irregular incomes, royalties and freelance payments. Do current tax frameworks recognise the peculiar realities of creative labour, or do they inadvertently punish it?

Exactly! Current tax frameworks often overlook the peculiarities of creative work. We need fairness and flexibility.

19. Should writers and creative professionals be granted special tax considerations, and if so, how can this be ethically justified within national revenue needs?

Yes, considering the societal value of creative work, I think special considerations are justified. We must balance national revenue needs with the need to support creative labour.

20. Has ANA engaged government on fiscal policy as it affects writers, and what outcomes should members realistically expect?

We are still struggling to get government attention, for they hardly give us audience, on like in the past. I believe two things must have been responsible for this: our recent internal squabbles; and secondly, the politicians these days often behave arrogantly towards or is it loathes writers, a contrast to what is obtainable in other serious climes that I have visited, where writers are given a pride of place.

Of course, the politicians acknowledges a few writers who they seek to befriend for ulterior motives. What we expect from any reasonable government wishing to promote its arts and culture enterprise is concrete outcomes that support creatives.

The association of Nigerian Authors, the foremost and biggest writer body on the African continent is a veritable body they should be engaged with to achieve this objective!

Nigeria, Governance and the Burden of the Moment

21. Nigeria stands at a crossroads of economic hardship, democratic anxiety and social distrust. In your assessment, what is the single most dangerous illusion Nigeria is currently living under?

Poverty is a growing menace in Nigeria, thereby engendering a concomitant proliferation of insecurity. Unfortunately, we are living with the illusion of quick fixes.

We therefore need long-term, inclusive development strategies that prioritise the most vulnerable in the society.

22. Do you believe Nigerian intellectuals have failed the nation by retreating into silence or caution, and how can that trend be reversed?

No, but we can do more. Intellectuals have a critical role in shaping national discourse. We must be more courageous, more engaged, and more committed to social justice.

23. What role should writers play in rebuilding civic trust in an era of disinformation, propaganda and shrinking civic space?

Writers should challenge disinformation, promote empathy, and contribute to informed public debate. We must use our platforms to shape our world.

Global Politics, Power Shifts and the World Order

24. The global economy is witnessing renewed protectionism, populism and ideological rivalry. What do the Trump–Venezuela dynamics reveal about power, sanctions and moral consistency in global politics?

We are seeing a shift in global politics, and Africa must adapt. We need equitable international relations, regional cooperation, and strategic engagement. Unfortunately, Mr. Trump is creating a world in which international rules and etiquettes are seriously being undermined!

25. Are we witnessing the unravelling of the post-World War II global order, or merely its mutation?

Of course! The global order is evolving, and Africa must assert its interests. We need a more just and equitable world order. Like earlier noted, Trump under America isn't helping with his new theatrics that keeps befuddling the world. When Professor Wole Soyinka warned about his monstrousness during the November 2025 Association of Nigerian Authors' convention, I was somewhat bemused but within space of a month, I became alarmed. Obviously, Prof. knew more than what we thought - America under Trump has become something else!

26. How should African nations, and African intellectuals, navigate a world increasingly shaped by economic coercion, geopolitical hypocrisy and transactional diplomacy?

We must prioritise regional cooperation, economic diversification, and strategic engagement. We must also promote African voices and perspectives.

27. What lessons should Nigeria learn from Venezuela’s economic experience, particularly in managing resources, sanctions and governance?

We must diversify our economy, strengthen institutions, and prioritise transparency. The dangers of over-reliance on oil are clear.

We must stop treating insecurity issues with kids gloves; otherwise, we will be far from the curve of changing for the better!

The Writer as Citizen of the World

28. In a globalised yet fragmented world, how does the African writer remain rooted without being provincial, and global without being alienated?

It's a delicate balance, but I think African writers must stay connected to their communities and cultures while engaging with global themes and audiences.

We must be aware of our unique perspectives and experiences, and use them to contribute to global conversations.

At the same time, we must avoid being parochial or isolated, and instead, seek to understand and engage with the world around us.

29. What responsibility do Nigerian writers in the diaspora and at home owe each other in shaping a coherent national narrative?

I think Nigerian writers, regardless of where they are in the world, have a shared responsibility to promote our literature and tell our stories.

We must support and collaborate with each other as well as one another, and work together to showcase the richness and diversity of Nigerian literature.

Whether at home or abroad, we must stay connected to our roots and contribute to the development of our national narrative.

Legacy, Memory and the Future

30. When history finally writes its verdict, how would you like to be remembered: as an administrator, a thinker, a writer, or something else entirely?

I would like to be remembered as someone who used his talents and platforms to make a positive impact on his community and society.

I would want to be remembered for my contribution to the literary environment through ANA and of course, my pet project, the Imodoye Writers Enclave (IWE), a writers residency and resort.

If I am remembered as a writer, thinker, and advocate for social justice, I will consider that a great honour!

31. What institutional legacy do you hope your leadership will leave within ANA long after you are gone?

I harbour the aspiration to contribute meaningfully to the endeavour of cultivating robust and resilient future generations of writers and leaders. 

It is my ardent wish that, long after my tenure has concluded, the Association of Nigerian Authors will persist as a bastion of social justice and a stalwart advocate for Nigerian literature.

32. If Nigerian writers fifty years from now study this era, what warning and what wisdom would you want them to extract from it?

I would want them to learn from our mistakes and successes.

I would want them to know that many of us, preceding them, stayed true to our values and used our platforms to promote positive change.

And I would want them to remember that literature has the power to shape our world, and that they have a responsibility to use that power wisely.

33. Finally, what question do you wish journalists would ask you more often; but rarely do?

I would love to be asked about my vision for Nigerian literature, and how I think writers can contribute to national development. I think we have a critical role to play in shaping our national narrative and promoting social justice. Let's have that conversation! 

An Archival Interview Series is a series for The Words Finesse (TWF) in partnership with Factual Naija News (FNN).