Geraldine Sinyuy interviews Nigerian poet, Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebube : “To me, good stories show and do not just tell.”

Geraldine Sinyuy:  Please tell us about yourself.
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: My name is Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka, I hail from Anambra State of Nigeria. I studied Biochemistry at Anambra State University, Uli and currently work in a financial organisation.

Geraldine Sinyuy: ⁠I understand that you’re a scientist. Can you share with us what prompted you to start writing?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: Writing, for me, was inspired by a writers' seminar organised by Delta State government when I was in secondary school. Ever since, I have been drawn by Nigerian pioneer writers like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe & Co.

Geraldine Sinyuy: ⁠As a child, what did you dream to become when you grew up?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: I dreamt of becoming a writer & teacher.

Geraldine Sinyuy: What kind of books did you read in your childhood?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: General literature & Bible stories. And for literature, I specifically enjoyed poetry.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠When did you start writing?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka:  I started writing in 2012, at the age of 15.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠What was your first creative writing piece? A short story? A poem or a short play?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: It was a poem. Although I later went to scribble some short stories & plays.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠What according to you makes a good story?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: To me, good stories show and do not just tell.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠What does your typical day look like?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: As one working in a financial organisation, my typical day hugely involves meeting people who are either clients or prospects.

Geraldine Sinyuy: ⁠Describe your writing space to us.
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: Usually beside my bed, or at my writing desk. Mostly at moments of solitude.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠Where do you draw your writing inspiration from?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: From mother nature and the affairs of men. All at the moment of solitude.

Geraldine Sinyuy: ⁠What is the most difficult thing about writing?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: Finishing a project. That's for me the most difficult.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠Do you write about real life events?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: Yes, I write about real life events.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠What is the most interesting book you have ever read?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: THINGS FALL APART.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠How does social media influence your writing?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: It unravels the unthinkable part of human nature: the innate desire to communicate and be heard.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠Are there some particular African writers who have inspired you?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: Yes. The likes of Chinua Achebe & J.P Clark.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠How can you see yourself in the next five years as a writer?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: If I should take up my writing project again and try to finish them, I see myself creating a new niche of poetry & storytelling for the world to enjoy.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠At what time of the day do you find writing easiest?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: Early before dawn and at dusk.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠How do you manage your time as a writer and entrepreneur?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: Quite a difficult one for me to combat, but I create time on weekends to do so.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠What themes do you handle in your writing? What is your best genre and why?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: The fallible nature of man & the sociopolitical cultural issues. My best genre is poetry because that's where I find it easy to express myself creatively and beautifully.

Geraldine Sinyuy: Do you have any publications? If yes, what are they where can one get them?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: I have one online publication. A poetry collection. It can be found on amazon.com

Geraldine Sinyuy:  ⁠Is there anything else you’d like to share with us as far as writing is concerned?
Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka: I have a desire of making creative writing and poetry more entertaining. It's one sure way of preserving our stories and our culture. 

Onuorah Valentine Chukwuebuka is a writer from Atani, Anambra State, in Southeastern Nigeria. He holds a degree in Biochemistry from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli. His poetry collection, "Silent Songs of A Zygote," was published in 2021, and his work has been featured in various writers' journals in Nigeria and India. Currently working in the financial sector, Valentine is committed to using his writing as a platform to amplify the voices and stories of the black experience. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the digital world.