IHRAM WRITIVISM Laureate Mbizo Chirasha speaks to vibrant upcoming Writer Miracle W. Bolous
MC: Who is Miracle W. Bolous and how long have you been writing?
Miracle W. Bolous: I am a nobody, with no time to notice the brightness of the Sun. That was taken from chapter one of the book Lord of the Mysteries 2. Answering the question, I'm a twenty-year-old Nigerian, who’s been writing for the past five years already. I have over six hundred thousand words under my belt but uh… Nigeria, that's all I can say. Haha. I'm from Bayelsa state, and come from a polygamous family with at least ten official siblings. I mostly grew up in Abuja for the first half of my life, but at eleven I began oscillating between Abuja and Bayelsa, as my mom (the first wife) resided in the former and my dad (a politician—a former honourable) mostly resided in the latter. Currently, for the past four years, I've been residing in Rivers State, chasing a degree in Computer Engineering alongside a writing career.
MC: How many books or stories have you published so far and how are they received in your country?
Miracle W. Bolous: I've published five books under a pseudonym on webnovel.com, and most of my works have failed due to financial strains, mental health issues, inconsistency in daily updates, and environmental pressures. Writing is quite the draining profession that requires sacrifices, sacrifices that a sixteen to nineteen-year-old mind finds hard to accept, especially when writing in a government university setting. All around you, you'll see your peers doing things you can't allow yourself to, and all you'll do is ask yourself if you should be doing those things instead of writing. Now I know if given the chance to take things back, I won't choose any other path. Sadly, my country doesn't offer much for writers in general, let alone young writers.
MC: What are your literary thematic areas?
Miracle W. Bolous: I won't say I can pinpoint my literacy thematic areas, but what I can't pinpoint, however, is my hatred. I have harbored a lot of hatred since the beginning of my teenage years, hatred for the circumstances that put me in a position where I know I have what it takes to grow but just can't due to my country’s situation. In Yenagoa, if you look up at the sky long enough, you will see a dome of stagnation and despair. I noted this fact down when I was fourteen. No matter how hard you work, unless you steal from foreigners or locals, or sell your body, there is no other way to survive. When you look around and all you see are broken people constantly breaking each other, one can only view their home as a battlefield. So, to answer, my literary thematic areas are Hatred, Anger, and great Grief. I have drafts spanning movie scripts, young adult fiction, web novels, and even comics. Forgive me if my answer isn't straightforward or satisfactory, I'm just being honest.
MC: Are you a multi-genre writer or do you only write short stories?
Miracle W. Bolous: Multi-genre, as explained above. In fact, writing a short story was what I tried for the first time because of the contest.
MC: How is the book industry in your country?
Miracle W. Bolous: I don't really have a proper estimate on that. I want to say Nigerians aren't generally the type to spend money to buy books, but I have no factual basis for that, so that'll be a lie. Haha.
MC: Do you write anything on racial equity, social justice, gender rights, and other human rights?
Miracle W. Bolous: Not really, since most of my writing years haven't been in the traditional space. My books consisted mostly of power fantasy and magical realism.
MC: How are writers and artists appreciated or treated in your country?
Miracle W. Bolous: They're not given any special treatment or accolades until you “blow”. Prior to that, it's generally seen that you're wasting your life.
MC: Do you have spaces that promote creativity, literary arts, books, and writing in your country?
Miracle W. Bolous: None that I'm part of. Most of my writing career has been me navigating the dark forest alone.
MC: Have you ever attended literature festivals, fellowship programmes and bookfairs, how has been your experience?
Miracle W. Bolous: No, I haven't.
MC: How many awards / accolades have you received since you began literary arts activism and writing?
Miracle W. Bolous: Unfortunately, I haven't achieved anything so far. I must say though, that I'm extremely grateful for how far I've gotten here, even. Just having someone finally listen and understand me, no longer drowning in endless thoughts and stories, is honestly comforting. For this alone, I feel I have already gotten what most Nigerians, and Africans in general, never had.
Miracle W. Bolous is a novelist with over four years of experience in the writing industry, mainly focusing on fictional web serials. He enjoys playing chess, journaling, and listening to music. His works encapsulate deeper ideas and questions about life, brought forth with witty twists and turns. Hailing from Bayelsa State, Nigeria, he is a twenty-year-old engineering student. Having grown up in a polygamous home with numerous brothers rather than sisters, he was subjected to more varying ideas of masculinity, life, history, and the future, picking up a level of tolerance when engaging individuals of opposite beliefs. His literary views are mainly shaped by experiences from his childhood and young adulthood. He draws inspiration from all aspects of creativity and believes in free expression of ideas. His core beliefs center around honesty, humility, and loving kindness, with his role models consisting of only two historical figures: Malcolm X and Jesus Christ of Nazareth. His biggest dream is simply being seen as someone of those two’s caliber, living and dying for the great change necessary to shape an ideal future where there is less suffering and evil in the world.
