Get ready to be inspired! WSA Literary Magazine’s March edition features an exclusive interview with the prolific playwright, Gloria Akayi Asoloko – a double winner of the African Writers Awards in the drama genre. – PP Blessing
PPBlessing: Why do you write?
Akayi: Firstly, I write because I can. I have a flair for writing, and it has become an intense passion for me. I love writing; it makes me feel alive.
Secondly, I write because it is an art, and it serves as a platform – not only for entertainment – but for development. Drama, novels, etc, are powerful tools to employ in an agitation for sociocultural, socioeconomic, or sociopolitical reforms. Hence, writing is a platform which I use to contribute to the shaping of societal standards. It is my voice.
PPBlessing: How exactly has your writing contributed to shaping societal standards?
Akayi: This would require an impact study!
Infotainment is a powerful tool used for awareness creation which will likely result in behavior change, and the messages embedded in my stories usually address given social issues. For instance, “Who Knows Amanda?” my debut play, addresses the sociocultural divide which is evident amongst Nigerians, playing out in form of tribal and religious bigotry. The play hence condemns the divide while advocating for national unity. “What Happened Before Dawn? (Dusk to Dawn)” my second play is themed around women in leadership, therefore advocating for a fair and equal representation for women in leadership matters, while cautioning women to desist from acts of oppression – where the oppressed become the oppressors.
Messages embedded in infotainment have been proven to foster behavior change, therefore this is a way through which my stories are contributing to shaping societal standards.
PPBlessing: True… So have you done any impact study?
Akayi: I have not.
PPBlessing: If you were to be a character in a book, what book and character would you be.
Akayi: Hmmm, I have never given this a thought. Well, if my life was a book, I would still be Akayi.
PPBlessing: Interesting… Why?
Akayi: I love the person I am, and I would not be anyone else.
PPBlessing: When did you start writing?
Akayi: I started writing since I was a child. My mother would attest to that.
PPBlessing: That’s beautiful. What was your first piece about?
Akayi: Honestly, I do not remember.
PPBlessing: Do any of your parents write? Or what exactly made you start writing so early?
Akayi: Oh no, none of them is a writer. It was just a flair, and I do not know where it came from. Perhaps it came from exposure to literature.
PPBlessing: Your parents were active readers?
Akayi: My sisters and me were.
PPBlessing: Oh… You had a home library?
Akayi: Of course… we had books from school, and also other literature texts, especially novels.
PPBlessing: What is your most favorite activity?
Akayi: There is a whole lot that I enjoy doing, it is difficult to single one out. I love writing, of course. I love reading, sketching and making crafts, playing piano and writing music, listening to music, cycling, cooking, baking, traveling… oh, I enjoy traveling to explore new places and cultures.
PPBlessing: That’s beautiful. Who is your favorite author and why?
Akayi: Oh wow. Honestly, I do not have a single favorite. I just love good books.
PPBlessing: Who is Gloria?
Akayi: Given that my pen name is Akayi, I would rather talk about Akayi.
I would not cover all there is about Akayi in one single response. However, Akayi is an unconventional person – she is a free spirit.
PPBlessing: Is there any distinction between Gloria and Akayi?
Akayi: It is complicated.
PPBlessing: It’s the complication we want to know about.
Akayi: Some things are better left unsaid. Because like dominoes, if you touch one, everything else will fall.
PPBlessing: How did the name Akayi come about and what does it mean.
Akayi: Akayi is my middle name. And it means to observe.
PPBlessing: Oh… An observer who writes… Beautiful. How many published works do you have?
Akayi: One and a half. A half because the other is not completely published yet. Surprisingly, I have not officially released any yet.
PPBlessing: Okay. Why haven’t you?
Akayi: Timing. The National Theatre of Nigeria has adopted my debut play for publishing. The other play is also in the process of publishing, while my collection of poetry has already been published, hence the releases will be done soon. Fingers crossed.
PPBlessing: When exactly are we looking at and would there be a book launch?
Akayi: Definitely! What is a release without a launch? There will be a launch. Hopefully this year.
PPBlessing: We’ll be looking forward to it. Are you married, single, or dating?
Akayi: Single. I am not keen about marriage.
PPBlessing: Last year was the second time you won the African Writers Award in Drama, how was it?
Akayi: It was exhilarating! A professor said that the second win validates my writing prowess. He said one award-winning play would look like luck, but two means she’s got the prowess. I have always preferred quality over quantity, so I was thrilled to have my second play validated for excellence.
PPBlessing: Have there been other validations?
Akayi: Oh yes. I am a two-time recipient of the SONTA prize for playwriting, I have been a finalist and 1st runner-up in the Beeta Playwright Competition, and I have also received an award for excellence from the National Theatre of Nigeria.
PPBlessing: Wow! So many validations. How have these impacted your writing?
Akayi: Oh yes! The validation makes me believe in my writing prowess, and thus makes me aim to be more creative in subsequent projects.
PPBlessing: In a time when most young writers throw their weight behind poetry or short stories, why did you choose writing plays instead?
Akayi: Well, I also write poetry and prose, but I am known more for plays because I am a thespian. As a writer, I do not limit myself to a particular genre.
PPBlessing: That’s beautiful… Which movies have you been in?
Akayi: I am a thespian, not a screen actor. Although I have been involved in several film productions… not as an actor though. I love behind the scenes.
PPBlessing: Oh… Thank you for clarifying… I’ve always confused the two. What’s your ideal day like?
Akayi: There is no absolute schedule. But I juggle work, school, home, and hobbies.
PPBlessing: What’s your level of education and what did you major in?
Akayi: For my first Degree, I studied Theatre Arts and I majored in Playwriting.
I studied Development Communication for my second degree (Masters) and majored in Science Communication – Particularly in Health and Environment.
I am currently running a PhD in Development Communication, and my major is still in Science Communication.
PPBlessing: Interesting. It’s my first time hearing about science communication… What is it about?
Akayi: It is about reporting science, or creating awareness on science amongst the general public. Science on its own is difficult to understand by laypersons. Hence, science communication bridges the gap and helps non-scientists understand the world in the way which science explains it by simplifying the science using non-scientific language and tools to communicate to them. Such tools include storytelling, theatre, film, participatory videos, participatory learning and action, etc.
PPBlessing: Have you used this skill practically?
Akayi: Oh, yes. I have been creating an awareness on climate change, particularly around deforestation and wood burning vis-a-vis the effects they have on the environment and human health using film and participatory learning and action as media to reach out to local communities. I have partnered with Nasarawa State Government in the past through my NGO.
I have also worked with an NGO in the Netherlands that educates and helps youths in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. We employed an array of tools to help communicate these sciences to our target communities.
PPBlessing: A video of you trended sometime in 2017 where you were speaking Hausa with a British accent… What inspired that video?
Akayi: That was me being me – playful. I was teasing a friend of mine… it was his name I mentioned in the video. I had uploaded the video just for fun and never would I have guessed that it would go viral.
PPBlessing: What would you tell writers who are skeptical about writing plays because they feel it’s not marketable?
Akayi: I would tell them to do what they have a passion for and are good at.
Plays may not have the kind of reception that novels and movies have, but there is an exhilarating feeling that comes with seeing your work coming to life on stage.
Theatre has its own audience, both in the academic setting and in the professional setting. One should not limit themselves, instead they should do what their heart beats for.
PPBlessing: Do you have mentors and/or mentees?
Akayi: Yes, I do. The likes of Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura who has played a significant role in my academic and career growth; and Prof. Barclays Ayakoroma who taught me playwriting during my first degree.
There are others too who are supportive of me… they say it takes a village to raise a child.
Yes, I do have mentees. I hope to see them grow someday.
PPBlessing: What’s the one thing that has helped you most as a writer?
Akayi: The writing competitions. Without these competitions, my books may not have seen the light of day. But these competitions provide platforms for one’s works to be read by professionals, who then applaud the work for excellence. As a result, one becomes a validated writer.
Recently, I received a call from a lady who was referred to me to get a copy of my play for study in her dissertation. I was pleased. This referral was made on the basis of my previous wins. This establishes that without these competitions, I would not be referred to as a literary laureate. Hence, I regard them as what have helped my writing career. This is not to undermine other forms of support I get from loved ones; their belief in me is what keeps driving me for the better, and I am appreciative of them.
Thank you for being with us to the end of this interview. Until next month, keep reading the Writers Space Africa (WSA)magazine.
This Interview was published in the March 2023 Edition of the WSA Magazine. Please click here to download
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