Okey ndibe biography of william

We spoke to Okey Ndibe about journalism, art and the relationship between silence and power.

Interviewed by Zulaikhah Agoro.

ZA: I like to start these conversations with the origin story.

Okey ndibe biography of william

How did you become a writer? When, and where, did your journey begin?

ON: It’s a terribly long story, but I’ll do my best to give a short version. In a funny sort of way—funny now, but not so much when I was a kid—my beloved mother “punished” me into falling in love with stories and books.

My mother, a strict schoolteacher, was worried sick that I dawdled away my time. To cure me of that bad habit, she often ordered me to read something—a book, magazine, or newspaper—before I was allowed to go play with my friends.

Okey ndibe biography of william hurt

At first, reading felt like punishment. It was something one was compelled to do to earn permission to go waste time with my friends doing nothing—and occasionally getting into some trouble. Slowly, however, I began to relish the enchanting stories and ideas I e