Wole Adedoyin interviews Atungwu Allan Di'eldra: The Key to any Form of Art is Simplicity

WA: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR WRITING BACKGROUND- WHAT YOU’VE WRITTEN, WHAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY WRITING?
ATUNGWU: I have been writing as long as I can remember. As a primary 2 pupil my essay, MY MOTHER'S KITCHEN, stimulated my teachers senses. I have been writing since then. I write a lot of things, especially poetry and plays. I have been a poet lately .

WA: WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT A PIECE OF WRITING?
ATUNGWU: The picture value of the writing. How the words. Simple words fit to paint a picture. It is like a bricklayer. He knows the right bricks .

WA: WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS AND WHY?
ATUNGWU: Chinua Achebe. William Sassine of Konakri Guinea.  The one a simple writer, infact my model. The other is his mathematical approach to literature, to me a Kumuyi of literature.

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW WRITER STARTING OUT?
ATUNGWU:  The key to any form of art is simplicity. And of course, great writers read.

WA: WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
ATUNGWU: People. People. People.

WA: DO YOU HAVE A WRITING ROUTINE? A PLACE THAT’S SPECIAL?
ATUNGWU: No. I write anytime and anywhere. I write all the time. I am writing now. There Is nothing for me to write. I do not know how many poems I have written.

WA: HOW, WHEN AND WHY DID YOU FIRST START WRITING?
ATUNGWU: I just started writing. I started writing when I was in primary school, that was when I started writing.

WA:  WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE YOU EVER HAD PUBLISHED?
ATUNGWU: MARRIAGE SMELLS SWEET IN NIGERIA.

WA: DO YOU ADDRESS PARTICULAR THEMES OR ISSUES IN YOUR WRITING?
ATUNGWU: I address everything. But I am a feminist.  Several times I have been addressed as 'Ma' on Facebook.

WA: HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SENDING YOUR WRITING OUT INTO THE WORLD?
ATUNGWU: It feels good. The voice spoke and the ears heard. That is how you will feel. Some out there will read the words is enough thrill to the author.

WA: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FROM?
ATUNGWU:  People. You see, my late mother is a librarian. I have only written with my mother's tongue. Her conversations are plied with images, helping the listener to grasp. Let the words paint the picture. And not picture painting the words, explaining the words.

WA: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR PUBLISHER?
ATUNGWU: I have always favoured my works published after my passing. That is why I am constantly writing.

WA: TELL US WHAT KIND OF RESPONSES YOU GET FROM AUDIENCES\RS.
ATUNGWU: Titles. God of Words, Word Lord, The king, King of Words, etcetera.

WA: HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU?
ATUNGWU: On Facebook: Mahogany Souls, Atungwu Allan, Sr.

WA: TIPS, TRICKS, THINGS TO PASS ON TO DEDICATED WRITE?
ATUNGWU: Observe. Observe. Observe.

WA: ANY TYPICAL/COMMON MISTAKES THAT NEW WRITERS TEND TO MAKE?
ATUNGWU: Trying to replace picture with sound. Literature is picture not sound.

WA: WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS WERE THE MOST ENJOYABLE TO WRITE?
ATUNGWU: All my works give me gleeful pleasure. I read my works very well.

WA: TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK? WHAT WAS THE JOURNEY LIKE?
ATUNGWU: I have not really published a book. I attempted one. It went down south.

WA:  What is the key theme and/or message in the book?
ATUNGWU: There was no book

WA:  WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?
ATUNGWU: On whatsapp +234 9031143202. Or on facebook messenger, Atungwu Allan, Sr. My online accounts were recently hacked.

Atungwu Allan Di'eldra is an artist, with a Higher Diploma in Industrial Arts from School of Arts and Designs, Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Benue State and Post Graduate Diploma in Education from University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.