Mcphilips Nwachukwu
21 December 2008
interview
Barrister Pat Anyadabalu, lawyer, social commentator and education activist, is also a writer. In this interview, the Umunnachi, Dunukofia, Anambra State born multi-talented figure shares his views on his recently published work; Topical Issues in Nigerian Politics. He also talked on other issues of writing and copyright.
WHAT kind of things do you write?
Well, I can describe myself without sounding immodest as a public affairs commentator. Since my youth service in 1996, I have engaged myself in commenting on national issues.
Right now, I've been able to compile most of the articles published in various print medium into a book entitled "Topical issues in Nigerian Politics: 1996-2006" which I intend to present to the public on December 28. I also write fictions. I have a novel published in 2004 titled "Behind the Campus". I'm also an education columnist with Daily Independent newspaper, which is published every Monday.
Tell us more about the book you want to present on December 28.
The book is a compendium of articles on topical political issues in Nigeria. Those articles earlier published by the various news media in Nigeria. They touches on a wide range of critical political issues like third term, Zik, Obasanjo, Mbadinuju, Wabara, Jerry Ugokwe, late Dr.Chuba Okadigbo, Ngige, Uba and the Anambra saga. Other issues touched upon are: state police, MASOB, Biafra, Confederation and so many other issues.
It also contains my rejoinders to the views expressed by Rev. Father Hassan Kukah, Onyema Ugochukwu on deregulation of petroleum and Arthur Nzeribe on issue of declaration of state of emergency in Anambra State.
What do you want to achieve by coming up with this book of essays, since they are already published in newspapers as opinion articles?
It is true that they have been published before by various print media, but I can tell you that it is not everybody that can lay hands on those articles. Now that I have compiled them into a book form, people can easily get the articles for historical documentation, and I believe that those who are interested in the history of this country will always find the book handy.
The researchers, historians, political scientists and practitioners will also find it handy because it is necessary for us to know what happened in the past to enable the knowledge of handling the future.
Can you share your experiences about publishing this book with us?
In this country, it is no longer an issue that the reading culture is very low, but I still insist that people should not, because of the poor reading culture, shy away from publishing or writing. We must always write and leave the rest for posterity.
It has not been easy. Though I've been able to finance the publication ,the marketing has not been easy but I can tell you that we have been able to finish our first print. Right now, we intend to go into the printing of the book.
Maybe because of the nature of the book; talking about the other book, Behind the Campus, which chronicles the story of life in campus, most of the students intending to go to the university find it very interesting as they will like to know what exactly happens in the campus.
Even some parents, most of whom have left the schools many years ago, would like to know the trend in order to be in a better position to advice their children who are or intend to enter into the university.
Interestingly, you are a lawyer and also a writer. May be you can shade more light for us. Who owns the copyright of a published book and how is this contract defined between a writer and his publisher?
Well, it is based on an agreement. One can write a book but not have the money to finance the publication of the book. The person may decide to sell the copyright of the book to a publisher. In that case, the copyright goes to whoever is the publisher. The writer may have agreed to be paid a lump sum and so loses the copyright to the publisher. In another way, there may be an agreement that the writer will be paid royalty based on the sales of the book and in that case, the copyright remains with the writer.
What if the writer finances the book?
If the writer finances the book, like I did, then the copyright remains with him. It is only if I want to market the book that I will discuss with the relevant bodies or persons on the marketing of the book. And then, we make other agreements probably about sales return or any other.
Tell us more about the novel, Behind the Campus?
Well, it is quite interesting that the novel, without sounding immodest, turns out to be prophetic because, when it was written in 1996, the phenomenon of godfatherism, which the novel explores, had not become popular. You find out that when the issue of godfatherism came up in Anambra, it appeared as if I had Anambra State in mind when I was writing the book, but I wrote the book even before the present day democratic dispensation.
The novel tells the story of a young chap who grew up in a typical Igbo villlage and wanted to pursue his education but his parents wanted him to trade because, according to them, trading will earn him quicker wealth than education, but with the boy's persistence and the help of his uncle who is based in Lagos, the boy went to Lagos and completed his education.
After his university education, he was faced with employment problem, which most graduates today are facing. So, he got in touch with someone who introduced him to her husband.
The husband is one of the nouveau riches in the town and a godfather who wanted to sponsor someone in the local government elections but he gave a condition which was not acceptable to him because of his morality and his belief that governance should be for the good of the people. Eventually, he contested in the elections and lost.
The rich man was able to sponsor somebody who won the election but, because of the conditions given to the man, he could not perform. The people rioted and chased the chairman out of the office and eventually, another election was organized and he was the sole candidate and won the election.
So, what inspired that story?
I come from Anambra State where we have been having this problem of male drop out from schools and where every young chap is more interested in trading because they believe it guarantees quicker wealth. So, I was trying to tell people that there is still another avenue one can earn money and that education is one of them.
But also I did not lose track of the fact that what was happening in my state at that time, because we had a situation where every local government was literarily annexed by certain group of people that determine who will become the chairman of the local governments and how they will share the allocations of the local governments and nothing goes down to the people.
Political nature
So, I wanted to point out the anomalies that were happening in those local government systems and also deliver a message that the power should lie with the people, that the people should be able to rise up against bad governance.
Don't you think you are calling for revolution?
Well, if you say so. I still insist that why we are having the type of bad administration we have in this country is because of the political nature of the masses. Probably because we didn't fight for independence, because we got it on a platter of gold unlike some of our southern African brothers that had to carry arms and fight and some died; we seem not to understand the serious predicament that faces us as a people.
If the people appreciate that we have the power, then the kind of mal-administration and impunity we are having from some of our leaders should not be.
To what extent do you think that your message is playing out?
You know one thing is to deliver a message, another thing is for you to know that you are able to get to the mind of the people. Unfortunately, in this country, we have not advanced to the level where you can easily get public opinion. But I think I have delivered the message.
What programmes do you have for the book presentation?
I'm glad to say that I have many of the political giants in my state that have accepted to honour the launching of the book. We have the governor of the state, Gov. Peter Obi. I've been in touch with him through is Press Secretary and he has accepted to honour the event.
We have also Dr. Chris Ngige, who has also given his consent, Dr. Nwodo, the former governor of Enugu State who wrote the forward to the book, Dr. Chude , the former Deputy governor of Anambra State, among many other dignitaries.
Where is the event?
The event is in my home town Umunnachi on December 28, 2008.
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