…speaks on how government can support the creative industry

Ufuoma Emerhor-Ashogbon, alias Ufuomaee, is a Christian author and business consultant. With 28 titles to her name, she has written extensively on marriage and relationships from a Christian perspective.

In this interview, we examine how being a faith-based author impacts how her books are received and her take on cultivating a reading culture among young people, among other issues.

Excerpts:

Congratulations on a successful book launch. What has the reception been like for both the Naïve Wife Trilogy and The Marriage ABCs?

It’s been great, thanks. Lots of good feedback and reviews.

A lot of people profess one faith or another, but that doesn’t always reflect in their works and creative expressions. How and why did you decide that the genre for you was Christian literature?

I’ve always been passionate about my faith, and I constantly seek avenues to talk about it, preach about it, and learn about it. It was why I started blogging, and it was only natural that it would take centre stage when I began to write stories.

Do you think that your books being faith-based negatively impacts acceptance? Are your stories targeted at Christians alone?

Though my stories are not targeted to Christians alone, the fact that they are guided by a Christian worldview does limit acceptance from people who do not subscribe to my religious views. I try to write in a way that anyone would find appealing and enjoyable, because I’m not really trying to preach to the choir. But unless the book is recommended, it might be passed by, with the assumption that it isn’t relatable, which is not the case. My stories are very realistic and address a lot of common issues, often causing believers to critic their own assumptions and prejudices. I also write stories specifically targeting unbelievers. A couple are Broken and The Atheist.

A lot of young people find religious doctrine regarding relationships somewhat impracticable, particularly when you consider such things as faith-sanctioned gender roles in an increasingly feminist world. What’s your take on this?

I think religion and culture are like two tectonic plates, whose movements are gradual but impactful over time. They are not static, and they are also responsive to each other. We can see that there is a lot more understanding in religious circles due to changes in the cultural domain. These two things guide us. They also limit us. They have powerful roles to play in keeping us grounded, peaceful, and functioning at our optimum.

Though many may feel religion is holding cultural advancement back, religion is a stabilising factor as the world progressively develops, so that we are not tossed about by every cultural whim. Feminism has certainly had an impact in how religion is practiced, even though the Christian still believes the man is the head of the home. In regard to relationships, my latest book series brings some religious beliefs into question in light of cultural realities, and begs the question – should children of God abide by ‘till death do us part’ in abusive marriages?  I think it is a trilogy that will enlighten both the religious and the irreligious.

You have written 28 titles so far; which has been your favourite to write and why?

I think ‘A Small World Season Three – A Few Good Men’ has been my favourite to write. It is jam packed with action, drama, scandal, romance, and powerful teaching on marriage too. It stretched me as a writer. I had to do a lot of research, and it took me a while to write it. It was scary too, because with each new season of A Small World, the world gets bigger, the stories get deeper, and joggling my characters requires a lot more skill. I’m gearing up to write Season Four, as it’s been more than two years since I published Season Three.

What informed the need to write The Marriage ABCs?

I started writing The Marriage ABCs for fun in 2016. It was also a way to counsel myself. I completed it in 2017, by the grace of God. It was simply an idea I took advantage of, and God used it to His glory. As I posted chapters on my blog, people commented that it should be made into a book. Five years later, it happened!

In what ways do you think government can help stimulate the growth of the creative industry, especially as it pertains to literature?

I think one of the first steps might be revamping NTA and bringing it up to speed with the times. The government can sponsor shows and films that will be shown on NTA, or they can partner with privately owned stations. From that, the need for creatives, such as script writers, will be evident, and opportunity should be taken to encourage and train future generations via competitions and scholarships. Investment should also be made in building and maintaining public libraries.

What is the best thing that you hope readers will take away from the trilogy?

It’s your life. You choose. God is not forcing you to do one thing or the other; don’t let anyone force you or put pressure on you. Again, it’s your life. You will give account for it. You will bear the consequences of your decisions. Take the time to discover who you are and to understand your liberty in Christ, whether to marry or not to marry, and choose wisely. Most of all, learn to be content in God.

There have been numerous suggestions that social media use is negatively associated with book-reading. Do you agree? And what comments do you have about reading habits in the country, particularly amongst the upwardly mobile?

I think Nigerian youths read. They read a lot on social media, even if they are just short tweets. If you post an interesting story and it’s free, they will read and comment and read ALL the comments!  The parameters for them to read are that it is easily accessible (and affordable – preferably free) and it’s interesting. When we discover how to do these two things, we will be able to share important messages to the youths in a way they will readily assimilate.

Reading is no longer bound to printed books. We have e-books and audio books, and people are now doing short video stories, not even films. We just need to diversify and be creative in how we present the materials. We shouldn’t fight technology but learn how to manipulate it for our cause.