“Amina the Virgin” was a product of an inspiration on Virginity - Amina Babatunde I.O.

Author of the newly recommended play, Amina the Virgin, for the students of the Junior Secondary School in Kwara State, Nigeria, Babatunde Aminat Idowu Omolola (Mrs) in this interview with Abdulhafeez T. Oyewole shared among other things are thoughts on virginity, early girl-child marriage and why her muse chose virginity as a perfect contemporary dramatic object and subject of her play. Here is the conversation.

My name is Babatunde Amina I. O.  I am from Osun State precisely from Ilesa. I  grew up in Lagos with my big mummy. I am the only child  of my parents. I  am born Christian but converted to Islam by marriage. My childhood  was fantastic though strictly brought up as a Christian. We were always indoor, thus, till now I'm not used to  going around.

I started writing  at a very tender  age. Like I  said  earlier, we were always indoor  so I  read a lot of story books. I'm not  even used to watching TV,  thus, I  spend more time reading stories  and that  was what geared  me up into writing.

I get my inspirations over night and anytime  I get, I  pick up my pen and drop it in my note book  which is always beside me as I lay in my bed.

My maiden  work Aminat The Virgin  had been in the oven for the past  3 or 4 years. I  got the inspiration  over night  on Virginity. I  was to write  to inspire  teenage girls on the importance  of keeping their  virginity. Also as a teacher, I  usually  counsel  my female students  to wait till they get married  so as to gain much respect  and love from their men.

Likewise, I came across  a woman who always keep watch and helped her daughter to drive away boys when she is indoor with the girl  who later died. This prompted  me to write  to educate mothers  on the proper upbringing  of their children.

I'm presently  working  on The Last Passenger  and  The Philology  of Literature  which I hope both will be out this year by the grace of God.

Why the choice of a front cover with a royalty kid, instead of an adolescent which might have depict the chastity the title of your book spelt out?

I used the picture of my daughter which has always been in my dream that I'll use her pic. Moreover,  I  told  her  she's a  known figure  now so she must abide by the theme of the book.

I've said earlier that our society is porous and needs sanitization. You see underage  girls  of 12, 13, 14 (years) getting  pregnant. Even most of our girls do not see anything bad in having sex outside marriage, thus, the  need to educate them.

Another major theme of the book is, the non challant attitude of some mothers, over pampering of children by some mothers, lack of respect for husband by some wives which their daughter tend to emulate.

In your book, the star character in the play, Amina, was married off after completing her secondary school (in Act 6: Scene2). This brings up the question: what's your view about early marriage of a girl child?

Yes, the child was married off after secondary school at a tender age because Islam as a religion preaches that after the 2nd menstruation, a girl can be married off so as to keep her chastity at least  that does not stop her education. 

More so,  I've witnessed those who did it (i.e. married early) and already have their Masters now.

Congratulations on the inclusion of your book into the Kwara State Junior Secondary School English Curriculum. How important and relevant is your book to the students of that level of learning?

Thank you sir. The relevance is to catch them young. Do you know that as soon as our children of now a days get to secondary school, they feel on top of the world? They attain puberty at 13 years upwards, so the need to train them on the importance of keeping their virginity.

My role model is mainly Chimamanda, who is a feminist writer. Then, Poet laureate Soyinka, and late Achebe.

One does not disturb the other.  I play my role as a mother and perform my official duty. God has really made it easy for me.

How has your professional associations such as Association of Nigerian Authors  (ANA) been of help to you, especially your writings?

My advice is that you should follow your dreams, do not relent even when it is cloudy. Just believe in God and put in all your effort. Writing is not easy as some people think but all you need is courage and determination and help from above as well as divine inspiration. You use your vicinity for your creativity so as to write something meaningful and beneficial to the society. Look at the societal decadence to arouse your readers.

When I'm not teaching or writing, I read books to learn and pick from and play the scrabble with my children.

To be interviewed, kindly contact Abdulhafeez Oyewole via Email OR DM via Twitter or Instagram.