Don’t stop writing; it’s a way of keeping yourself alive

INTERVIEW WITH ADEWUMI OLUMIDE BENEDICT A.K.A. MIDE BENEDICT

Adewumi Olumide Benedict A.K.A. Mide Benedict is a poet, playwright and a Prose writer. He studied Literature in English at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife. Some of his works have appeared on several online forums and have been published both in prints such as “Ujuzi”, a collection of Contemporary African short stories and poetry and in E-formats. He's a graphic designer, blogger at Temple of Words and a lover of art.

SYNW - WHY ARE YOU A POET? 

MB - For me, poetry has been a means of expressing my thoughts; issues that ordinarily I would not have mentioned, poetry has helped me express them in coated words, when in pain; poetry becomes my speech, time of joy; poetry pours out my mind. Therefore being a poet for me is more like being able to freely and truly pour my mind without constraint.

SYNW -      WHAT POETS DO YOU ADMIRE? 

MB - Well, studying literature has helped me explore different poetic styles and concepts from diverse poets; however, works of poetry fathers like Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare has been a big inspiration for me, their highly rhythmic forms give clothes to naked words so well that I’ve read them again and again. Also I admire poets like, Rasak Malik Gbolahan, Kukogho Iruesiri Samson, Jumoke Verissimo and many others. I’m a big fan of African literature. 

SYNW -     WHAT INSPIRES YOU? 

MB - What? Who? I must say everything inspires me: my environment, nothingness, vacuum, things I read and listen to, my life, animals, goats, flies, books, and so on; let’s just say anything that knocks my attention on the head.

SYNW -     TELL US ABOUT A NORMAL WORKING DAY…

MB - I’m a self-employed Graphic Designer, and it’s been a free for now and busy later affair for me.

SYNW -      HOW DO YOU WRITE? 

MB - I write nearly everyday mostly using my phone and laptop and when power is out, I turn to my pen and paper, because the best idea is to keep writing. No idea is worth to be lost.

SYNW -  WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND A POEM? 

MB - Everything that inspires gets to me, therefore I write a poem as it comes to my mind without paying attention to several ornate elements that a poem embraces. What inspired my writing in the first place was the loss of my dad and this made me focus on loss, pain, death and their likes but after awhile everything else began to build thoughts in me. The main point is to get down the idea or thoughts out of recollection first before it goes away and once this has been done, the rest like editing will follow. 

SYNW -  WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO AN ASPIRING POET? 

MB - Don’t stop writing; it’s a way of keeping yourself alive, of making the world retain a poised form of sanity. When we are no more, we remain because of what we’ve written.

SYNW -  TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR WRITING ROUTINE; WHAT’S A TYPICAL WRITING DAY FOR YOU? 

MB - I write almost every day; the moment the idea comes, I try as much as possible to put the words down, even if it’s a tiny paper I find; I’ll still put it down. This is one of the reasons I’ve lost several of my poems to papers and books I can no longer access.

SYNW -      WHERE DO YOU WRITE FROM?

MB - Predominantly from every angle I find. Wherever I find myself I just know I have to write something right there and once inspiration arrives bearing words, I put them down.

SYNW -  ON THIS TOPIC, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO BUILD A PLATFORM AND GAIN READERSHIP?

MB - I share my work on social platforms like Facebook, whatsapp, twitter, instagram, etc., as well as on my blog. Going for literary programs also helped me.

SYNW -  WEBSITE(S)?

MB - I have a blog titled Temple of Words where I post some of my works and that of others. The web address is www.midebenedict.blogspot.com

SYNW -  FAVORITE MOVIE?

MB - I’m not much of a movie fan but I think Lords of the Ring will do, the story is absolutely epic.

SYNW -  BEST PIECE(S) OF WRITING ADVICE WE HAVEN’T DISCUSSED?

MB - If you feel we’ve lost our poesy or we’re no longer inspired to write, my advice is, let's try as much as possible to search for a time when our concentration is at its highest point, mine is in the morning and at night, and this may be our quiet time; it will help our thought process, make it easier for us to think and write. The main point is getting down our words in raw form before bothering about the rest. We need to keep on righting with writing; one day it will surely pay off and it may not be for us, but it will one day inspire others in ways beyond the legs our mind.

SYNW - SOMETHING PERSONAL ABOUT YOU PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW?

MB - I can be shy most of the time; those who really know me know this.