“Stories when told honestly will reach the people it needs to reach.” —Arinze Ifeakandu
I didn’t have the anxiety of not writing a relatable story to other people. I think for the longest time even before I began to actually write stories and when I was still telling them, I felt like people have always related to my stories. So, I remember in University, I would like right like the early versions of these stories in this new collection and I had like friends who did not share my particular experience and then other friends who were at least you know quite kind of homophobic. The very first of my encounter with them and when they read some of my stories they’re like “Why is this boy talking to this boy and telling him I love you but then I understand why did this boy break up with him. I want to read the next one, when will he write the next one?”
I know I’ve always had that sense that stories at least when told honestly will be able to reach the people who they need to reach.
Chude: The power of this story is that there’s a collection of queer stories but if you didn’t say it was a collection of queer stories it wouldn’t even matter. There was a familiarity with each character and a universality. You didn’t need to be from Kano or be in Nigeria. You don’t need to be queer and the queerness just creeps up on you. Looking at these two people and then suddenly did that Chief just sleep with this Alhaji.
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