How has growing up in Nigeria influenced your writing?

This is always an interesting question, one I get a lot, and one I’m not always sure how to answer. I suppose Nigeria has influenced my writing in that the cultural language and worldview of the country helped shape me, and those ideas and ideologies have obviously bled into my writing. At the same time, I am a citizen of the world, as well as a writer, and I am always paying attention to the myriad ways people in all corners of the globe react to a universal human experience from their own specific cultural point of view. In short, I grew up in Nigeria, and Nigerian elements are always present in my fiction, but my artisitic sensibility is not limited to a Nigerian perspective.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Now that’s a good question. I am really artistic, and if I’m not expressing my creativity through writing, then I express it through music. I cannot stress enough how much I love to make music and often spend hours on end playing the piano, learning some new chord movements or reharmonizing (“jazzing up”, as I like to call it) pop songs. Otherwise, you can catch me painting, although it’s been a while since I last painted anything …

Other pastime activities include reading, watching a favourite show, or playing video games.

Where can I get your books?

You can get my books via all available physical and online retailers. I always encourage readers to support their local bookstores, as they are the lifeblood of this industry, so buy my books from your local bookstore if you can, and if the bookstores don’t carry my books, encourage them to do so! I also understand that books can be pricey, and people may not always have the means to purchase them. The good news is that libraries remain a good source of free books! So please request from your local library. This benefits the library, benefits you, and benefits me. A win all around!

What inspired “The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library”?

I wanted to take an idea that is familiar to us all (forgetting to return a library book, losing a library book) and explore it through an absurdist lens.

When will your books be available in my language?

As soon as there are interested publishers. Currently, all foreign language translation rights to Jackal, Jackal are available. For the Guardian of the Gods duology, all but the Spanish translation rights are available. If you are an interested publisher, please reach out to my agent.

Will you come to my city?

Yes. Please reach out to my publicists on my contact page about scheduling a visit. Include as many details as possible concerning the event.