Exploration of underground cities of knowledge, civilizations in Africa inspired me, says Sidi

By Editor

SOME members of the Ibadan intelligentsia gathered to grace the book reading and conversation for Navy Captain Umar Abubakar Sidi last Saturday at the RovingHeights Bookstore, Old Bodija, Ibadan. Sidi, the author of the novel, The Incredible Dreams of Garba Darkaskus, was engaged by the moderator, poet laureate and winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2013 with The Sahara Testament, Tade Ipadeola. The curator of the event, Femi Morgan, stated that Sidi was one of the few authors who place high premium on with engaging other authors and readers across Nigerian cities. He stated that despite Sidi’s regimented work life as a soldier, he has been able to produce impressive works of poetry and a novel, and has travelled across major cities to meet and have robust conversations with people about culture, literature and the arts.

Morgan stated that Sidi’s novel, The Incredible Dreams of Garba Dakaskus, was shortlisted for the NOMMO Prize for speculative fiction and the Dublin Literary Award, while his poetry have been twice shortlisted for the Association of Nigerian Authors Prize in 2018 and 2023. Acknowledging the presence of all the persons in the audience, Morgan paid special homage to Professors Mark Nwagwu and Sola Olorunyomi, and Mr. Ipadeola, for remaining an inspiration and backbone for Ibadan’s intellectual fervor.

While moderating the event, Ipadeola stated that Sidi’s work is impressive and aligns with the notion of Mikhail Baktin’s, a cultural philosopher who stressed the need for broad experimentation in storytelling because the novel is not bound by strict rules or categories. Ipadeola stressed that the book caricatures ‘political animals’ in modern society, delves into history and explores cities. He noted that the Dublin Literary Award must have regarded Sidi’s work because of its range, its narrative force and for Sidi’s development of the book as the central character. Ipadeola asked questions on his creative process, the centering of Africa in his novel in what he described as a globally contested landscape of narratives. He also engaged him on surrealism, one of the philosophies that shapes Sidi’s poetry.

Abubakar Umar Sidi (left) and Tade Ipadeola

For Ipadeola, Sidi’s novel was a book that he would love to write as the book explores tyranny, power struggle, civilizations, metaphysics, and psychological trauma. Ipadeola praised Sidi’s publisher, Masobe, for taking a chance on the novel, as many publisher would have expressed skepticism about publishing it. He stressed that Masobe has begun to change the landscape of African publishing despite the challenge of capital and systems that have plagued the publishing industry.

Sidi responded that it took him six years to complete the novel, noting that what led him to write it was that many Nigerian novels which he read had begun to have a similar, predictable, and linear storytelling outlook. For him, a writer must aspire to stretch his own imagination, explore the several possibilities of stories and voices, and broaden the mind of the reader. Sidi also stated that he had influences from Ben Okri and Italo Calvino to write a novel he would love to read. He stressed that his novel is also inspired by the exploration of Timbuktu and the several underground cities of knowledge and civilizations in Africa. For him, subtle and blatant colonisation of the African peoples dealt a blow on the knowledge and civilization of underground cities and knowledge systems found in cities like Timbuktu, Sokoto and Ife.

Responding to how he was able to balance the regimen of military life with his creative output, Sidi noted that he practised Salman Rushdie’s approach of taking a hot bath to wash away the salesman to consciously become the writer every day. He also stated that he always kept awake after work hours by drinking coffee.

While exploring the question of the publishing industry, Ipadeola broached the urgent need for federal, state and local governments to invest in libraries. However, a governance NGO expert, Mrs. Sylvia Oyinlola, stressed that individuals and NGOs can support and institutionalize libraries as part of their legacies instead of spending money on lavish parties and luncheons. She also stated the need to build respect and dignity for books, authors and the creative ecosystem to increase the value on creativity.

Other patrons who attended were governance and brand strategist, Segun Ayoade, technology strategist and Chief Operating Officer of Fairchild Media, Sogo Faloye, a forensic criminologist, Mrs. Jane Orire, poet and publisher at Noirledge, Servio Gbadamosi, lecturer and poet, Mr. Waliyulah Tunde, naval soldiers, students of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, culture enthusiasts and advocates.