Interview with M. Chidi Okorie

​M. Chidi Okorie was born in Lagos, Nigeria. A contemporary Nigerian poet and writer, her works are often on themes of love. "The Men That Couldn't Love Me" is her first published book.
She holds a degree in English & Literary Studies.
M. Chidi Okorie lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.

KNOWING THE WRITER

Why do you write?
To escape. Writing is a safe place where I can express my very exact thoughts, no edits. They can be cryptic; they can be plain. It is my escape.

What do you love most about being a writer?
First the ability to create art. Then, being able to create a world; realistic or not, where people can journey with me and see art, from my own eyes.

Is writing personal to you and what does it mean to say writing is personal?
Yes. Very personal. All the literature that stood out for me is personal and authentic. I mean, they were often inspired by very real-life events, so I have always wanted my art to be very authentic and decided to allow myself be vulnerable with my writing.
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What personal qualities do you possess that contributes to being an excellent writer and particularly, a poet?
One of my lecturers in the university; Prof. Jasper Onuekwusi, gave a very apt definition of poetry in class one day. He said that poetry is prose but in a few words.  
The ability to take an idea and spread it out into a novel or prose and at the same time, sum it up in rhymes and lines and still be able to pass the same message is one of the personal qualities I own.
 
What causes are you passionate about? If any.
Love.
Female sensuality. Are these causes? Lol.
 
Just for fun: Cat, Dog or Rabbit?
Cat and Dog.
 
Do you care about distinguishing yourself with your writing and if yes, how are you doing so? What about your writing do you think stands out?
Not anymore but, before now, yes. 
 
What career field do you work in or are you studying in if you are still a student and how do you manage to combine your other demands with your writing?
I’m in Brands & Marketing Communications with a preference for Digital Marketing Strategy.
Writing will always be with me. I stopped trying to combine the two or my other demands. 
I just set a goal as regards writing, and I do my best to achieve it. If I am not able to meet the goal’s deadline, I am not hard on myself. I have concluded that writing comes to me when it wants to and so, I let it. 
 
Who are your favorite Nigerian writers? (Mention up to 5)

1. Wole Soyinka- (The best).
2. M. Chidi Okorie
3. Flora Nwapa
4. Seffi Atta
5. Wole Soyinka again

 
What are your favorite Nigerian books? (Mention up to 5)

1. A Play of Giants by Wole Soyinka
2. The Beatification of Area Boy by Wole Soyinka
3. The virtuous woman by Zaynab Alkali
4. The Last Duty by Isidore Okpewho
5. The Only Son by John Munonye

 
Which top writers have been most influential to your writing? (Mention up to 5)

1. Christopher Marlowe
2. Leopard Seghor
3. Wole Soyinka
4. Robert Frost
5. Andrew Marvel

THE CREATIVE ENERGY, GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION 

 If you were not a writer, how else would you have unleashed your creative energy?
Through dance.
 
The earliest poetry I found on your Instagram account (published March 23, 2015) reads:
“Fair Skin,
Soft lips.
I swear by the gods,
Her lips taste better than yours.”
 
…between when that poem was written and when your debut anthology was published, what grew or changed in your writings? What significantly changed or remained the same in your mindset and who you are?

1. What changed was the acceptance of vulnerability; allowing myself to be vulnerable to my readers. I allowed myself to be vulnerable and deliberate with my writings.
2. What remained the same however is deliberating being cryptic.

 
How did you develop your writing? Who or what contributed to your development as a writer?

1. Developing my writing for me was knowing to write the moment I sense my mind is ready. I listen to my inner mind. And rather than pushing the thought away, I write as it comes to me. There was however a problem with this. Thoughts would come to me in the most random places at random times and most of the time; it would be inappropriate to pick up a pen or my phone to write. So, I learned to save these thoughts in my head or look for the consistent word that keeps popping up and save it for when I was ready. Being able to do this helped me to handle being able to create at any given time.
2. I’d say my literature teacher in secondary of blessed Memory, Mr. Lucky Obaokpolor ignited the hunger for more expressive writing. I think it was the way he let us tear down works of literature to analyze and try to understand the mind and intent of the writer or to create an entirely new theory from a literary work- this would help me later in life as I had no intention of studying English or literature but wanted to study Law.

There’s Wole Soyinka- do I need to explain why? Lol.
Again, Life in general. I think one thing I have learned and has helped me to develop as a writer was to pay attention to every moment in life, significant or not, to help me carefully create an amazing piece.
 
What challenges have you faced as a writer?
Acceptance and fear.
I think every writer hopes that their works find acceptance, and this ignites fear. First, you wonder if people will appreciate your works and when they do if they will spare you judgment. Eventually, I learned just to create amazing pieces and not bother about these.
 
How have you challenged yourself as a writer?
To let myself write without boundaries and fear. This has been my greatest challenge; to write everything that I want to- I mean everything; taboos, sex, sensuality to mention a few.
 
How has the internet limited or contributed to your success as a writer?
It has created an awareness and exposure for my works. It has also allowed me to connect and relate with other brilliant and talented writers globally.

THE MEN THAT COULDN'T LOVE ME

Is your maiden collection, The Men That Couldn’t Love Me a poetic memoir and primarily influenced by personal experiences?
Yes.
 
If you had a reader or friend who found themselves in the predicament of the character in The Men That Couldn’t Love Me, what suggestions would you give them?
To find love first; for you, with you. 
Then, if it so pleases your heart, to let the love of another share space with yours. 
Until you feel what it is to be loved by yourself, you will be at the mercy of lovers loved and lost.
 
At what point do you decide to write or collate The Men That Couldn’t Love Me and what was the book assembling process like?
Sometime in August or September 2017. It was traumatic and beautiful all together. It was intense.
 
How did you know or decide where to end The Men That Couldn’t Love Me?
I separated some of my poems into sub-themes and book titles. Each poem went into the title that was most appropriate for it. I stopped when there were no more poems to add to this collection.
 
What challenges and breakthroughs did you have while writing The Men That Couldn’t Love Me?
I wrote these poems long before I decided I’d make it into a collection- Any challenge encountered would be when I was writing it, and that would be substituting stronger, harsher and intense words for softer words. While it is important that I expressed the exact emotion I felt, I didn’t want it to steer the reader from whatever message I was passing.
The breakthrough would be realizing the truth or message in each poem that I wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t write it.
 
A distinguishing literary device you used in your book The Men That Couldn’t Love Me is repetition. Besides emphasizing the character’s feelings, loss of love and heartbreak, what other intentions did you have while using this style? Was your use of this style a reflection of how you perceive life?
Emphasis. I needed to draw attention or highlight that line or stanza. It’s up to the reader to figure out why. Lol.
Partly yes, partly no.
 
What did The Men That Couldn’t Love Me make you learn about yourself?
Patience.
                                                                                      
What is your favorite poem from the book: The Men That Couldn’t Love Me?
That’s hard o! I have a lot. I think Poem16.
 
What are your top three beliefs/advice about love and were they replicated or challenged in your book The Men That Couldn’t Love Me?
Love is a deliberate action.
Love is never enough.
Until you learn to love yourself, any other love will never be enough. 
 
I think these beliefs were both replicated and challenged too…lol.
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THE FUTURE

What plans do you have in the future with your writings and what impact do you hope that your works make?
The plan is to become a recognized and studied poet/writer globally. 
I hope that with every work, an awareness or self-realization of some sort is discovered.
 
Do you think that you will continue writing books following this same theme and patterns or should we expect something different from you?
It’s a mix of both worlds for me. 
 
What is the best advice that you have gotten as a writer?
Don’t be afraid to write exactly how you feel. There will be people who will judge you, and there will be those who do not care. Don’t bother about any of them. Create impactful and beautiful art.
 
What advice would you give to writers that read this interview?
The greatest gift you have is the power of your imagination. Make magic with it!