Jerry Alagbaoso and Uche Peter Umez debate Satire
Jerry Alagbaoso, a graduate of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria has been a teacher, philanthropist and author. He has written over seven plays, two non-fiction books and has endowed a couple of literary prizes in Imo State under the auspices of the Assoc
Umez: It seems that you were already a public servant before you decided to be a writer. How did you start writing? What was the first literature you read that inspired you to become a writer?
Alagbaoso: It depends on one’s definition of a writer or who is a writer. From our secondary school days you could decipher a potential author through his or her writing talents and techniques. What I mean here is that although writing is an intellectual thing but I hope I may not be stimulating an unnecessary argument if I say from a layman’s point of view on creative writing, that a good writer may not necessarily be an author of well packaged books.
To that extent, I only started creating and packaging books as an author when I became or was employed as a public servant when I wrote some didactic books for students and some non-fiction books for adults, especially those inclined to paramilitary services.
The first sets of inspiring literatures I read included Julius Caesar, West African Verses (Poem), Tale of Two Cities, Things Fall Apart, English Register, Mayor of Canterbury, History of Ideas, Wretched of the Earth, The Man Died, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and some books from the African Writers’ Series. Of course, I read a lot of newspaper articles, biographies and autobiographies like My Odyssey by Zik, biographies of Ahmadu Bello and Aminu Kano and above all the Bible. While in university, I was taught Educational drama, I enjoyed and appreciated watching live drama on the stage. There were many other plays, in fact, that influenced me because I became addicted to watching live plays nearly every weekend during my university days. So I can say that a variety of literatures inspired me into “writing” or “authorship”, if you like.
Umez: How do you balance literature, business and politics, seeing as you are well engaged in all three pursuits? How do you choose your subjects? Do you keep to a strict writing schedule?
Alagbaoso: This adage “give to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God” applies to me. First and foremost, I love academics and teaching. If I hadn’t joined the public service after my postgraduate studies in the 80s, I would have been a teacher or lecturer in the University; remember I studied some teaching subjects - Education, History and with Educational drama (Theatre Arts) as a subsidiary. Furthermore, I did my Master’s in Adult Education, specialising in Industrial Relations. So you can see how I have been able to manage the intersections of literature, business and politics in my life.
The role of Education as a profession helps me to be accommodating of literature or literary studies, while History and Industrial Relations provide me with the leverage for politics and business. Environment, it’s been said, is the master of man. So I am always conscious of my environment and I choose my subjects not only out of that consciousness but also based on organised observation, association, interpersonal relationship, listening and thinking.
Given my schedule, I usually write at night and on weekends.
Umez: I know you have
Daily Trust written some non-fiction, so what made playwriting the right genre for you? How difficult is it to be a playwright, a satiric one, no less? Have you at any time considered writing fiction?
Alagbaoso: I am among those who believe that for anyone to be a playwright, they must be prepared to read, develop adequate writing skill, have and have the passion to work on a piece of work. You must learn to master some of the techniques of writing and, of course, create the time - to sit, be focused and write as well as continue to polish the work until it gets to a publishable standard. For me, a satire has to be instructive, revealing, corrective and, overall, humorous. However, the message you are hoping to pass across has to stimulate dimensional thinking without being a direct attack on issues, persons and institutions. A satire most times sends indirect messages and at the same time plays safe litigation-wise. For some time now, though, I have been thinking of exploring fiction, from the children or student’s perspective, in particular.
Umez: There is a strong humorous streak in your plays and they are all essentially satiric. What informs the use of satire in your writing? And what does it mean to you to be a satirist?
Alagbaoso: I am aware of the kegs of humour in me and these I usually transfer into my plays. Moreover, I grew up under parents, uncles and aunts who would usually send didactic and moral messages through humour and satirical proverbs, commentaries and anecdotes. Of course, satire does not hurt openly but it can hurt psychologically, if deep thinking is applied to its substance. After all, it has corrective and educational socio-political and religious underpinning which may be beneficial to the society, if decoded objectively. To be a satirist, one must be careful, creative, resourceful and lawful on how to put it to use and the limits of lampooning a particular subject or object.
Umez: Your plays are equally didactic, obviously aimed at moral rejuvenation. Sorters and Sortees exemplify the issue of sorting in tertiary institutions, the corrupt practices between lecturers and students. Signs and Wonders unravel the duplicitous practices by religious charlatans. The First Lady is very timely and telling, in that it reflects the electoral fraud and the practice of over-voting. Do you think literature can be deployed as a vehicle for social change?
Alagbaoso: This question seems to me as being overflogged. If literature is not deployed as a vehicle for social change, is it for chieftaincy title ceremonies or social parties that it will be deployed? As a matter of fact, literature makes one listen, think, feel, observe, teach, act, speak, empathize, ask, seek and knock for more and more changes in the society. Every literature can be utilised as a powerful tool for socio-political, moral and cultural change, which is why writing and reading of literature ought to be encouraged at all times and in every learning space. Usually any time I write, I not only think of the messages or teachings that my works are meant to convey but also what I hope they might elicit from the readers.
Umez: How has your being a politician changed the way you think about literature? Has it much affected your artistic vision? Can you say a little about what your passion for literature has taught you?
Alagbaoso: Venturing into real politics has not in any way affected me negatively, regarding my artistic vision. I have said it in many fora that if everybody is interested in literature it means that everybody is into sociopolitical and religious guidance and counseling, which may provide a level playing field in all our human endeavour. After all, literature not only teaches but also corrects and remains a major factor in shaping positive or negative human inclinations. Indeed, my passion for literature has modified my system of thought and appreciation of education, in matters of life and death.
Umez: Who do you write for? Do you write for yourself or with an ear for your audience? And what are you working on now?
Alagbaoso: I write for students, the civil servants, and generally, the public. I write to elicit reactions, either positive or negative, from the audience. In fact, I support audience and actors/actresses-participation, for it allows for group cohesion, collective or general feelings and impacts, than individual feelings. My writing, of course, contains one or two useful messages that may stimulate dimensional thinking. Now, I am thinking aloud on what to work on, although it actually depends on how much time I am able to squeeze out of my crowded space.