A few Nigerian writers have been as consistent as Toni Kan who recently emerged ambassador for the Note 5 mobile device by Samsung. In this interview with Assistant Life Editor, TERH AGBEDEH, he talks about his new status, writing and his upcoming novel.
How did this happen?
I got a call; that was all. They called me and said they were having a campaign for Note 5, which has features that will be good for people who are creative, either writers or painters. I thought it was good that they were calling a writer because it is a break from the norm. The guy that called me is Bankole Sijuade. When he called, I said it would be nice. He said what they plan to do is to have a writer and an artiste.
You probably didn’t think that this was a scam, since this is someone you know, right?
He is my friend on Facebook, but I am not sure I would have known him if I saw him on the streets. But I know him on Facebook. When he called me, I said ‘just send me a formal letter’ and he did. I was free on that day and we did the (ceremony).
Is the device exactly what they said it would be?
I told them that the one thing about this phone that I don’t like is the fact that I had already bought an A3 before they gave me this one. That is, it has like five times everything in the A4 and A3. With the A3, you can do interviews; but this one has three different features for interview: outdoor, face-to-face. So, everything just works for people like us who do biographies. This is perfect for us because the day we had the ceremony we interviewed people in that hall and it was coming out clear. The biggest thing about it is that you can take notes on the Note 5, even when the battery is dead. You can also write with your fingers.
What does it mean to be an ambassador?
I am supposed to promote this device. For instance, when I take a picture and post it on Facebook, I have to say…
Posted with my Note 5…
You know what I am saying.
Does this mean a new deal for Nigerian writers?
When they called me and asked me how much I wanted to be paid, I said to them, what I will ask you is how much do you pay other people who do this for you? They felt; let’s just ask you to say what you want. I told them, I would do it for free; for even asking me, I would do it for free. So money wasn’t the issue for me. I wanted this to happen, so that other writers can have the opportunity to also do this. The important thing is that if you look at it, how many musicians playing in (Wole) Soyinka’s days are still playing music now? They are old and gone. But Soyinka is still writing, producing works and getting paid. So, writing lives longer than music, which is for the moment. Same for a movie; how many actors act into their 80s? Very few. But you can write into your 80s.
But you definitely didn’t do this for free?
No, I did not.
Your book is due out in June next year; is there going to be a big party where Samsung comes along?
By the time my book is out, my contract would be up. My contract is up in six months.
Is there a possibility that your book could be released on devices like this one?
It will definitely be released online; Amazon and stuff. But I don’t know how these things work; I am not a techie. But my joy about this whole deal is that writers are now being seen as active participants in the knowledge economy. If this is what brings that change, I am happy to do it. I think the endorsement is for all Nigerian writers. I hope that somebody will get a contract after mine is up.
It must be a six or even eight figure amount, but do you think the time has come for the telecoms giants to begin to do stuff like this?
I don’t see why not. Globacom has honoured Soyinka several times, but why don’t they make him an ambassador? They had an event recently with writers. But I guess they didn’t think about it; they just thought writers are just people they will give a pittance and they go. If you look at it; people always complain that a company would give N10 million to somebody who sings and then give N100,000 to a writer? But you cannot tell your friend, let’s go to my house and read a book. So reading a book is a very personal experience. But you can say, I have this new song, let’s go and jam it. I have a new movie, let’s go and see it together. Those things have some kind of communal thing. That is why I think we haven’t found a way to make books cool. Our last, reading (Toni vs Sozaboy) showed that we can make this really cool if you market it well and promote it like something important. Dike Chukwumerije in Abuja had a reading (recently) where he charged N2,000 and the hall was full.
Do you think it is because you are someone who has always advocated that writers should be paid well that you are getting this recognition?
I really don’t know why they picked me, but I can hazard a guess. I have been here forever. I don’t know why; I didn’t ask them why.
What is your coming book about?
My new book is called the ‘Carnivorous City’ and it will become the ultimate Lagos novel. It is about a guy who is a criminal, a 419 guy, who has made money and gone legit. But he still has ties to his criminal past, and one day his car is found in a ditch, the stereo is on and he is gone. There is no blood, no ransom demand, nothing. He just disappeared. So the brothers come to Lagos to look for him. It is that quest which propels the whole novel.
This deal with Samsung, how much is it really a deal for writers than it is for you?
Today, I did a mail to Samsung saying ‘thank you’ and that mail also has my manifesto for writers. I don’t see this as an endorsement for Toni Kan; I see it as an endorsement of what I represent as a writer. I told them, I want this to be bigger than me, beyond who I am. It has to impact on other writers. I was happy that immediately I said it, they said yes, they thought it was a good idea and they would try and do something about it.
In writing, I try not to be selfish. I think that it is a gift and I also think that a gift doesn’t work if you hold it too tight. You have to share it. I think we should recognise talent and I think that is what this endorsement has put me in position to do, to help those who can write.
