‘Why I chose to write about clash of culture in my first novel’

Gloria Ogo, who describes herself as a humanist, is the author of the debut novel, While Men Slept, which focuses, among other things, on the clash between western values and Nigerian culture in the period shortly after independence. The Rivers State University of Science and Technology graduate in Business Administration tells us more about her book and her experience writing it.

You have recently published your first novel, While Men Slept. What can you tell our readers about this novel?

While Men Slept, a work of fiction that was birthed three years ago, is an expose, an insight into the dilemma which Africans in general and Nigeria precisely grovel in as a result of earlier European occupation of our land. It dredges up systematic tactics and policies buried in the belly of our ideologies to foster our dependence from Britain, despite their seeming handover. Thus, a backlash, evident in our failing structure as a nation.  It unveils that integrity had subsequently failed to be a parameter for leadership, which is rather based on ability of proposed individual to be easily used as a tool. Emphasizing the cyclical sinkhole we are immersed in.

It lends voice to the plight of girl-child discrimination and its resultant and prevalent unequal platform of womanhood in our present society. The dominance of patriarchy and the society are analyzed in a subtle non-condemning fashion, leaving it up to the reader to draw a conclusion of an obvious need for change in the status quo.

Your novel focuses on the clash of cultures between traditional African ideas and newer ideas that came with the colonialists. Why did you choose to write about this?

Everything that has an advantage, certainly, comes with a disadvantage, no matter how minute it might be. I chose to write about the clash of cultures because till date, a lot of people persist in arguments, buttressed with established facts, that the European invasion has done us more harm than good. 

I find these calls for reparation an interesting path to investigate and pursue. That is why I felt the need to contrast and compare the old and the new, an analysis into what we lost and are still losing as a people.

What were the reasons you chose to set your novel in the period immediately after independence. What drew you to that period?

Every journey of a thousand mile, certainly, began with a step. I believe the problem we are faced with today, subjugating us to the stationary wheel of third world nation began somewhere. We do not cut cassava by the stem and expect it not to sprout. The root must be dug up. Hence, my reason to trace this to the time when we officially flagged off as a nation. 

As a self-published novelist, what have been the challenges you faced since you started the process?

Since I took the path to self-publish, the major challenge I have faced is that of publicity. There is also a dearth of information about competitions, where a win in such platforms would assure a moderate landing and broaden my reach to readers.

The cover of your novel draws from the classic cover of Ama Atta Aido’s The Dilemma of a Ghost. Were you inspired by her book or was this purely coincidental?

It is an honour to hear my cover ranked with the likes of Aido’s. The concept is all an original model inspired by my imagination. It is purely coincidental, as I am yet to come across Aido’s piece.