AFRICAN WRITERS TALKING. Edited by Dennis Duerden

A Timeless Classic!

This is a remarkable work, one that should be treasured by sundry scholars, readers, aficionados of African Literature; indeed it is a treasure trove that new generations should latch onto - and devour with exhilaration! 

Yes, one can not get over how young the outstanding African writers were when these interviews were done/when the book came out. Even the likes of Es'kia Mphahlele and Cyprian Ekwensi - then ‘senior citizens' re African literature were just in their 40s or early 50s. The likes of Soyinka, J.P Clark, and Chris Okigbo were around 30 or even younger. Ama Ata Aidoo was just in her early 20s - and already an established African writer! 

Incidentally, two early female icons of Ghanaian literature are interviewed in this work: Aidoo, and the remarkable Efua T Sutherland. The latter's interview shows how venerated and knowledgeable she was at the time; she has kind words for all writers, old and young, including actors who are under her own wing. She comes across as a very charming, selfless lady indeed. And modest to boot. On her own part, Aidoo is confident and competent too, already on the path of literary greatness. 

The great Achebe, then still relatively very young, was already a world renowned African novelist at the time. He explains e.g that by the time he was a kid, he could still see glimpses of how pre-colonial Africa looked like; not the whole picture, but the literary genius would complete the canvas himself in his works like Things fall apart, and Arrow of God.

Cyprian Ekwensi, another born writer, points out that he loved getting his works done with great speed, he wrote his fine works within days or a few weeks! Interestingly, this is echoed by J.P Clark too who in his own interview revealed that he wrote his classic drama, Ozidi, within a week. And how many people know that Clark used to be a journalist too many decades ago? He explains his affection for creative writing, journalism, poetry and of course drama.

Wole Soyinka, at that early stage of his magnificent career, stresses the importance of literary criticism, and how he firmly believes that there would always be people who would appreciate his drama. He also praises Dapo Adelugba, at the time already a young theatre genius, as an adaptable, "versatile actor".

Okot p’Bitek from east Africa in his interview is suave and modest, despite his strong commitment to African mores and values already evident in his trenchant poetry. Richard Rive from South Africa is polished and an academic to boot. He praises some early African literary pearls like Soyinka, J.P Clark, and his fellow South African, Es'kia Mphahlele.

Mphahlele himself in his interviews displays his world class nous, and points out how difficult Eurocentric writings can be for African students too. Of course he, and the one and only Ngugi stress the importance of studying African writers and books in their own right.

Ngugi ‘confesses’ that his first book was not really the famed Weep not child... Ngugi, like Aidoo reveals his fondness for Peter Abrahams the South African ‘coloured’ writer whose early books actually came out before Achebe, or even Ekwensi published their own books. This is an excellent, priceless early work on African literature!