How the Grotto became the Khalil Gibran Museum- Mr. Joseph Geagea- Director of Gibran Museum

 

HOW THE GROTTO BECAME THE KHALIL GIBRAN MUSEUM- MR. JOSEPH GEAGEA- DIRECTOR OF GIBRAN MUSEUM

 

In this exclusive chat with Wole Adedoyin, a pioneer of the Khalil Gibran Society of Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Geagea, Director of the Gibran Museum shares with us the historical journey of the Gibran Museum.

WA: HOW DID THE KHALIL GIBRAN MUSEUM FIRST STARTED?

JG:The conversation towards the Gibran Museum first started in 1926, while in New York, Gibran who was still alive, had decided to buy the Monastery for his retirement and the hermitage as his final resting place. Upon his request, his sister Mariana purchased both the Monastery and the Hermitage.

 

On the 22nd of August 1931, Gibran's Corpse reached Bsharreh. The transformation of the new Monastery into a Museum did not occur until 1975 when the Gibran National Committee restored the Monastery and built a new wing in the eastern side. The floors of the Museum were linked through an internal staircase to create a harmonious space where the works of Gibran are to be exposed.

 

In 1932, the content of Gibran's studio in New York, including his furniture, personal belongings, Private Library, Manuscripts and 440 original Paintings, was transferred to his native town in Bsharreh. Today, these items form the content of the Gibran museum.

 

In the 7th century, Saint Sarkis’s cult reached Northern Lebanon. At the foot of the mountain, overlooking the Valley of the Saints, close to the Phoenician Tomb, east of the existing building and amidst the Caverns of the Hermits, lays the Cave that Gibran chose to be his tomb (room XII). It was known as the Hermitage of Saint Sarkis.

 

By the end of the 17th century, Carmelite monks living in the Qadisha valley, the sacred valley, began construction of a new monastery, which was completed in 1862. Originally, the Museum used to be a Grottoknown as the Mar Sarkis (Saint Sergious) hermitage.It wasfirst known as Gibran Khalil Gibran's tomb, and was later turned into his museum.

 

 

In 1995, the museum was further enlarged and supplied with up-to-date Equipment/materialsthat will enable it to exhibit the entire collection of Gibran's Manuscript, Drawings and Paintings.

A plan for the whole site including extensions, a parking and an access road was executed in the summer of 2003.The aim is to preserve the Lebanese heritage molded into a privileged cultural and tourism site.

WA: WALK ME THROUGH HOW YOU PLAN AND ORGANIZE THE ACQUISITION, STORAGE, AND EXHIBITION OF COLLECTIONS AND RELATED MATERIALS, INCLUDING THE SELECTION OF EXHIBITION THEMES AND ARTWORKS MADE BY OR ON KHALIL GIBRAN

 

JG:The organization of the exhibition inside the Museum is based on some main rules. Before we select the exact items, they must be in safe condition to be on a permanent exhibition. If the item is too fragile, if it was sent abroad and just came back after foreign exhibition, it is due to temporal rest and detailed examination before taking decision where to be placed.

Generally, our collection on permanent exhibition represents all artistic periods of Gibran; we are trying to present all kinds of Gibran's works, to show the variety and the richness of his artistic techniques.

We have galleries dedicated to the most famous of his written works, such as The Prophet,Jesus the Son of Man, Twenty Drawings. We try to represent the atmosphere of Gibran's creative environment - the objects that surrounded him in his daily life and the things that inspired his imagination.

WA: HOW ARE GIBRAN WORKS AND ART WORKS HOUSED AT THE MUSEUM? ARE THEY ALWAYS ON DISPLAY? IF NOT, ARE THEY AVAILABLE ON REQUEST?

 

JG:The Gibran Museum's collection of artworks forms a 440 original pieces of art, divided into certain groups, depending on their themes. They can be Oil paintings, Watercolors, or Charcoal. The collection on permanent display is formed of approximately 130 pieces of art, as we balance between the kinds we expose. We try to present the art of Gibran in all its variety and from all his artistic periods.

The artworks which are not on permanent display are placed in a special storage room called "The Reserve". They are placed under special conditions based on international standards. Usually, when we organize exhibitions, we let our partners choose from the entire collection, but always we keep the rule of choosing upon the general condition of the artworks.

WA: WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB AS THE DIRECTOR OF GIBRAN MUSEUM?

 

JG:The most challenging part of my job is how to keep up with it. It is so dynamic and every day, so much opens new horizons that I hardly find time to adapt to the current situation before something new comes out.

WA: WHAT ARE YOUR ROLES AS THE DIRECTOR OF GIBRAN MUSEUM?

 

JG:The first and the main role I have as the Director of the Gibran Museum is to understand and to take very personally the mission of Gibran and his heritage. His wish was his message to be spread and never to be forgotten. Many of his thoughts remain valid for the reality we live in, as if they are written today.

I take the message very personal. It guides my work and I apply it for all my responsibilities. I am in charge of the collections in the Museum, also enhancing the appearance of the Museum in front of hundreds of visitors coming. I also source for Supports, Donors, Sponsors, etc. I am also in charge of the daily needs of the museum and its structures. As Director of Gibran Museum, I am the face of the place. If any visitor feels happy after the excursion and leaves the Museum enriched with knowledge and experience - it is a smile on my face, a sign of doing my job well.

WA: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE WORKS IN YOUR COLLECTION?

 

JG:There are plenty of artworks I like, but it is natural to have some closer to my heart. One of my favorites is called The Hand of God. It is a watercolor drawing of a huge arm, holding in its palm a folded figure of a human being. The figure is like just about to awake and begin its life and achievements. It shows that we are all creations of God, of one divine power from which we emanated and which remains beside us throughout all our lives.

Another of my favorite drawing is of a similar kind - it is called The Flame of Life. It is expressed through the image of a hand from which a warm flame comes, showing us that with our hands, or in other words with our deeds and creations we awake the flame of life and we enlighten the world. Another very interesting paintings drawn while Khalil Gibran was studying painting in Paris. It is a painting of a nude woman, who posed for Gibran. The woman is unknown, but it was beautifully drawn in warm autumn colors, for which reason it is called The Autumn.

WA: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WORK BY GIBRAN? WHY?

 

JG:My favorite literary work of Gibran is his last published book called The Wanderer. It is a collection of Short Stories with very deep morals. Even though The Prophet is considered as the most thoughtful of all of Gibran's works.

WA: TELL ME HOW YOU ORGANIZE, PLAN, AND PRIORITIZE YOUR WORK

 

JG:My priorityfollows the laid down rules of the Gibran National Committee and of course the priority of the Museum. If there is a project which will in any way improve the condition of the collection, if there is a project that can lead to improving of our facilities, I place them ahead of everything and I concentrate on the organizing process of such projects.

 The organizing of an exhibition abroad is a very heavy and complicated process and it needs to be given all the time. In times like this, such projects become priorities. I have a kind of personal understanding and preference regarding the priorities. For example I like prioritizing educational projects. I think that spreading education is a goal we all must work on. I put priority on projects like lectures, conferences, projects with universities. Such are not a financial target. We usually use reproductions of Gibran's works. But such projects have great impact on the young generation. They give different perspective of Gibran's philosophy and art between the young people of our tomorrow. I immediately embrace any such initiative.

WA: DO YOU ALWAYS GO OUT FOR EXHIBITION?

 

JG:If you mean if I should accompany the items we send from the Museum for exhibitions abroad, usually it is a must to go with them as I am the custodian of the collection, or in other words I am responsible for every single item which is inside or which leaves the museum.

There are plenty of logistics regarding this part from the organizers, but in most of the cases,I have to go wherever the collection goes. On the other hand - if your question is if we always do exhibitions abroad - yes, we put such projects as a priority, but we always study each case in details and very carefully. We estimate all the risks and we always prefer the projects with minimized risks and with best outcome, not only financially, but mostly socially for both the organizing parties.

WA: DO YOU HAVE TIPS FOR OTHER SMALL CULTURAL INSTITUTES THAT WILL HELP THEM WITH THEIR COLLECTION MANAGEMENT LIKE KHALIL GIBRAN COMMITTEE?

 

JG:There is plenty of advise we can give as an organization, to other smaller ones, maybe with less experience. Regarding the collection we follow certain internationally approved standards, which are a must. But according to the collection management, creating of registry, keeping a record on the collection and the history of each item, we follow a list of procedures which we have obtained through the years. Some are based on our knowledge while others are updated through our experiences working with other institutions abroad. Procedures and conditions can always be improved as we always seek for the best, but we can definitely transfer know-how practices.

WA: WHAT IS MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AT GNC

 

JG:Through the years, there have been many challenges, but always and since the Gibran National Committee is a non-profit organization, it is the fundraising for supporting the museum and its collection. Such funds usually come from the organizing of exhibitions abroad. Sometimes, the support is not only expressed by financial funding but trainings, transferring of know-how, sending of teams to do some restoration procedures and providing of some equipment. But all of these small steps lead to the considerable results at the end. Organizing of projects abroad is always a challenge as it is very easy to embrace the idea of doing it but it is different and much more difficult when it comes to the executing of the entire process and to leading it to the wished results.

WA: HOW MUCH TIME OFF DO YOU GET/TAKE?

 

JG:Honestly, I rarely take time off. Simply because it can never be completely off. Usually, as all regular employees I have my annual vacation, and the regular day off each week, but the reality is that during this time I always work more than during my regular working hours. During any working day at the Museum many things can distract me for example, questions from the Visitors, arranging for some special visits. My phone never stops ringing. My days at work are usually very exciting.

WA: WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS AIMING TO STUDY GIBRAN’S LIFE AND WORKS?

 

JG:I would like to advise everyone, who in any part of his life wishes to attempt a work on the topic related to Gibran, that it will not be a time spent for nothing. The journey called "Gibran" is so addictive and has the power to change the life of every person in good direction. Studying Gibran’s works may cost a lot of sacrifice. It may create a kind of internal battle in one's thoughts and self understanding but at the end it deserves every minute spent on it. Gibran, himself is a universe. We shall continue to learn from his works throughout all our lives.When it comes to the issue of life, Gibran is the best teacher.

WA: WHEN THE MUSEUM IS CLOSED, DO YOU SPEND TIME VISITING THE COLLECTION/EXHIBITIONS?

 

JG: When the museum is closed, I often pass by and spend time in the galleries because it is the best time to observe the heritage and each of the pieces from the collection. For professional reasons, whenever we prepare for an exhibition, I walk around the Museum, spending more time observing the creations of Gibran and rehearsing what to say to the visitors. Gibran Museum has become my second home. That is why every now and thenwhen it is closed, I pass and spend time there.

WA: IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT YOURSELF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO KNOW?

JG:Living with the works of Gibran and spending most of my entire professional life in his Museum, among his artistic creations influenced me and my whole life and channeled most of my views to a good direction. After so many years of working on Gibran, his life and his personality, I have found myself attached to his philosophy and artistic ideology.

A full understanding of Gibran’s Writings Necessitates an Appreciation of his Paintings – Youssef G. Rahme, President, Cedars Institute

 

A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF GIBRAN’S WRITINGS NECESSITATES AN APPRECIATION OF HIS PAINTINGS – YOUSSEF G. RAHME, PRESIDENT, CEDARS INSTITUTE

 

Dr. Youssef G. Rahme is the President of The Cedars Institute and the brain behind the Study Abroad In Lebanon (SAIL) programme. The SAIL programme, a collaboration between the Cedars Institute (CI), Notre Dame University(NDU) Lebanon, and The Wole Soyinka Foundation (WSF) Nigeria, gives students the avenue to study World History and Dialogue through the eyes of Lebanon. In this Interview with Wole Adedoyin, Dr. Youssef G. Rahme shared with him his thoughts about Khalil Gibran, facts about The Cedars Institute and the future projects of the Institute on Khalil Gibran.

WA: PLEASE KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF

YR: I was reared at The Cedars, Lebanon until the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) at which time I went to the United States to continue my education. I completed a B.A. in economics and an M.A. degree in Middle Eastern Studies and minor in economics at The University of Michigan (UM)—Ann Arbor. I finished my higher education by earning a Ph.D. in the Division of Social Sciences from The University of Chicago in 1994. Between 1992 and 2011 I was a full time faculty at the UM-Flint Campus. During that time I held various university-wide administrative positions including the Directorship of the International and Global Studies Program. At the end of 2011, for familial reasons, I resigned my tenured faculty position at the University of Michigan and returned to Lebanon.

In 2012, I founded with colleagues at NDU, The Cedars Institute, an academic NGO headquartered at The Cedars, and established the Study Abroad In Lebanon (SAIL) program with my colleague Dr. Edward J. Alam in 2013. From 2015 to 2019 we hosted numerous editions of the SAIL program. Finally, since 2014, I have been an adjunct faculty at Notre-Dame University teaching courses in philosophy, religion and sociology.

WA: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE KAHLIL GIBRAN TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT READ ANY OF HIS WORKS?    

YR: Kahlil Gibran is a deeply spiritual and mystical person. His spirituality is rooted in his background and heritage (eastern Syriac-Christian heritage of Ottoman Mount-Lebanon within the context of an Islamic-Arabic Civilization), in his upbringing at the hands of his mother Kamila Rahme, and in his life-long trials and tribulations. It is truly an ecumenical spirituality that appeals to diverse cultural and religious traditions.

 Despite the various tragedies that he experienced, Gibran’s oeuvre is optimistic, unlike that of some of his towering contemporaries such as the American-English poet T. S. Elliot (1888- 1965). It speaks to future generations.

Another point I like to make to his potential readers is that Gibran’s oeuvre is multifaceted.

In order to fully appreciate his lyrical prose and poetry, one should view his artwork, especially his paintings and drawings (most of which are located at The Kahlil Gibran Museum in his birthplace Bsharri), for Gibran was a painter before he became a writer. His writings complement his art. A full understanding of his writings necessitates an appreciation of his paintings. This is a point that was stressed to me by the previous Director of The Khalil Gibran Museum in Bsharri, the late Mr. Wahib Keirouz.

WA: IF READERS WOULD LIKE TO READ KAHLIL GIBRAN’S BOOKS, WHAT BOOKS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

YR: Obviously I would recommend first and foremost his magnum opus The Prophet to draw readers to the rest of his work. For once you read The Prophet you immediately become cognizant of the depth and wisdom of his thought, a book akin to other great works of world literature such as Nahj al-Balaghah of al-Imam Ali (601-661 CE), and the Analects of the Chinese social philosopher Confucius (551-479 BCE).

WA: GIVE US THREE "GOOD TO KNOW" FACTS ABOUT YOU AND THE CEDARS INSTITUTE.

YR: I am a multi-lingual academic who lived most of his life abroad in major metropolises, and who resided in (not just visited) seven different countries on four continents. I currently live at The Cedars (ca. 2000m above sea-level) feeling truly privileged and blessed to live in such a holy, extraordinarily beautiful, mostly tranquil place (i say mostly because of the noise pollution generated by the unregulated All-Terrain-Vehicules—ATVs— and Ski-Doux, especially during week-ends) and in a relatively clean environment, being in my humble opinion the closest approximation of heaven on earth.

As for The Cedars Institute, it was established in 2012 to promote and support academic activities: hosting conferences and seminars, organizing and managing the SAIL program, supporting academic projects that focus primarily on any of the following themes broadly conceived: Religion, Migration, and the Environment.

In March 2014 I was able to invite, through the good auspices of Dr Ernest Emenyonu my colleague and friend at UM, Professor Wole Soyinka, the first African recipient of the Nobel Prize in literature, to The Cedars Institute and Notre-Dame University in commemoration of the first anniversary of the death of the founder of modern African literature, Chinua Achebe. The fruits of this event culminated in the publication of a volume entitled, Honoring Chinua Achebe: A Lebanese-Nigerian Celebration in the Company of Nobel Prize Winner Wole Soyinka, edited and introduced by Edward J. Alam (NDU Press, 2016).

 

WA: WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? ARE THERE ANY AUTHORS (LIVING OR DEAD) THAT YOU WOULD NAME AS INFLUENCES APART FROM KHALIL GIBRAN?

YR: Currently I am reading David Christian’s Origin Story: A Big History of Everything (Little, Brown Spark, 2018), a book that I recommend wholeheartedly to anyone interested in understanding the history of the universe, life on earth, and the human condition. It is truly a must-read to anyone yearning to understand the emergence of complex life on planet earth.  To my knowledge, Dr. Christian is the first serious academic to tackle universal history and to place human history in a universal context.

I am also currently reading the novels of R. K. Narayan, an outstanding and distinguished 20th Century Indian author, introduced to me by my fine friend and colleague Dr. Edward J. Alam.

Reading Narayan is akin to feeling with your bare hands a rich, intricate and colorful tapestry woven with an eye for exquisite details. I concur with the words of the British author and friend of Narayan —Graham Greene that “Narayan...wakes in me a spring of gratitude, for he has offered me a second home. Without him I could never have known what it is like to be Indian.”

As for authors or thinkers who have influenced me, there are many but I shall restrict my comments to one author in particular, the German-British economist E. F. Schumacher to whom I was introduced by Dr. Karl Deutsch, a visiting professor of political science from Harvard University while I was an undergraduate at the University of Michigan. Schumacher’s book Small is Beautiful (1973) went against the then dominant current in academic economic thought. Schumacher emphasized the importance of nurturing sustainable development and satisfying one’s needs with the least consumption of resources, an outlook that I have appropriated ever since.

WA: WHICH KAHLIL GIBRAN’S BOOK INFLUENCED YOUR LIFE — AND WHY?

YR: Probably “The Madman” (1918), a story that influenced me as a young idealistic young man. Its depiction of the corruption in Mount-Lebanon is deeply moving. One realizes that true peace within and among human societies cannot materialize without genuine justice. 

Of course certain themes from The Prophet shaped my outlook on life. In particular the chapters on children and giving resonated with me when I became a father. Gibran’s words of wisdom will echo through many generations to come.

WA: IF READERS WOULD LIKE TO READ UP ON KHALIL GIBRAN’S WORKS, ARE THERE ANY BOOKS APART FROM THE PROPHET YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?

YR: Of course, other than The Prophet and The Madman i would recommend The Broken Wings ( الاجنحة المتكسّرة , written in Arabic in 1912, transliterated as  al-Ajnihah al-Mutakassirah), a book that some scholars of modern Arabic literature consider the first novel in the Arabic language. It is a tragic love story that stresses religious corruption and the dismal condition of women. Here I advise readers to read the translation done by University of Michigan professor,  Dr. Juan Cole, Broken Wings: A Novel by Kahlil Gibran. (Translation of the Arabic novel, al-Ajnihah al-Mutakassirah. Ashland, Or.: White Cloud Press, 1998).

WA: WHICH CHAPTER OF THE PROPHET WAS THE MOST PERSONALLY INTERESTING TO YOU?

YR: This is a demanding question. Many of the themes about which Gibran wrote are timeless and most relevant. It is hard to narrow one’s choice to one theme. Be as it may, the first theme that al-Mustafa speaks about is one of my favorites—Love, the central value of Christianity. It is no coincidence that he began his book with it.

WA: WERE THERE ANY FACTS OR THEMES THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO INCLUDE, BUT KHALIL GIBRAN DIDN'T MAKE INTO THE BOOK?

YR: Yes, one theme in particular comes to mind that of forgiveness. For love and forgiveness are two of the main pillars of the temple of the Christian faith. Forgiveness is the companion of Love.

WA: WHAT ARE YOUR THREE FAVORITE BOOKS BY KHALIL GIBRAN —AND WHY?

YR: The Prophet (1923),  The Madman (1918), and The Broken Wings (1912) for reasons stated above.

WA:WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT YOUR READERS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CEDARS INSTITUTE AND YOUR FUTURE PROJECT ON KHALIL GIBRAN?

YR: The Cedars Institute is delighted to inform The Khalil Gibran Society in Nigeria that the Institute has began to make preparations for the celebration in 2023 of the one hundred year anniversary of the publication of Gibran’s Prophet in 1923. We are in the process of embarking on an ambitious set of programs and activities. Most importantly, thus far, we have already commissioned the translation of The Prophet into most of the major languages of Nigeria, including Bora, Fulfulde, Hausa, Ibo, Kanuri, Nupe, and Yoruba. This will make Gibran’s masterpiece accessible to millions of Nigerians in their native languages! This translation effort, spearheaded by Nigerian scholars, will culminate, God Willing, in the organization of a conference and roundtable around it. Other programs and activities are being organized for the Centennial.

We will keep you abreast of our initiatives as we proceed!

 

WA: WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU GIVE TO KAHLIL GIBRAN READERS AND LOVERS?

YR: My heartfelt message to those who like to discover and delve into Gibran’s writings is to visit his birthplace and hometown, Bsharri/The Cedars and its surrounding areas. Such a visit should enable the Gibran reader to appreciate the sources of Gibran’s inspiration: The Qadisha (Holy) Valley, one of the oldest centers of Christian eremetic and monastic traditions in the world and a UNESCO world heritage site, the Biblical Cedars of Lebanon in particular the majestic Cedars of The Lord grove (another UNESCO world heritage site) nestled under the highest peaks of the Lebanon mountain chain, and finally the divine scenery and panoramic views from multiple vantage points.

In addition, the interested Gibran reader or scholar would be able to appreciate first-hand Gibran’s art work at the Kahlil Gibran Museum in the town of Bsharri and visit Gibran’s restored home in the town’s main public square.

    Gibran’s hometown and district.

WA: THE STUDY ABROAD IN LEBANON (SAIL) PROGRAM, WHICH THE CEDARS INSTITUTE, WOLE SOYINKA FOUNDATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY ORGANIZED, MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO COME IN CONTACT WITH KAHLIL GIBRAN, CAN YOU TELL US LATEST DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM?

YR: The SAIL program was started in December 2013 when we (I and my colleague Dr E. J. Alam) signed in São Paolo a memorandum of understanding with the Rector of one of the foremost Brazilian universities: Universidade Federal de São Paolo (known by its acronym UNIFESP). This happened through the good auspices of our mutual friend, Ms. Denise Milan, a distinguished and accomplished world-renowned Brazilian visual artist of Lebanese descent.

Since 2014 we had many editions of SAIL program hosting scholars, high-ranking university administrators, students, and professionals from Brazil, Nigeria, and Ukraine. The last edition of SAIL was in Summer 2019 when we hosted Nigerian students and professionals. Here let me state in unequivocal terms: The Nigerian editions would not have been possible without the generous support of Dr. Habib Jafar and the collaboration of The Wole Soyinka Foundation.

Since then, the conjuncture of global events—the COVID pandemic and ensuing global economic recession, with local developments in Lebanon (the upheaval of October 2019, economic collapse, and the tragic explosion on August 4, 2020) have scuttled and derailed our plans to host SAIL programs in 2020 and 2021. 

Nevertheless we are hopeful to resume the SAIL program in 2022. For more information on the SAIL program and its previous editions, please consult our website at www.cedarsinstitute.org

 

Thank you for your attention.

Adiitu’s life story inspired the story of Inúlayéwà’s sojourn in me – Diipo Fagunwa: IBC Guest Writer of the Month

 

ADIITU’S LIFE STORY INSPIRED THE STORY OF INÚLAYÉWÀ’S SOJOURN IN ME – DIIPO FAGUNWA: IBC GUEST WRITER OF THE MONTH

 

On Saturday 27th of February, Ibadan Book Club in conjunction with the Race Course Amphitheatre will be hosting Diipo Fagunwa, the surviving Son of Late D.O Fagunwa inside the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan as Guest Writer for the month of February. In this interview with Wole Adedoyin, he unveils details about his writing career and his latest book titled “Inúlayéwà”.

 

WA: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING?

 

DF: My parents. My father was a writer and my mother wanted me to continue in the same vein

 

WA: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING?

 

DF: About thirty five years

 

WA: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING?

 

DF: I started writing as an academic in 1982. My first publication was in 1985. It was reprinted in 1986

 

WA: HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A WRITER?

 

DF: Yes. I have been encouraged to explore writing by people and the goodwill they have always shown towards my father who was a writer. My late mother was also very enthusiastic about me being a writer

 

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A NEW WRITER, SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT?

 

DF: Give it a go. You never know the lump of charcoal you have, it may be diamond

 

WA: HOW DO YOU HANDLE WRITER’S BLOCK?

 

DF: I have found them useful for sharing experiences

 

WA: HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU WRITTEN?

 

DF: Four, although only One has been published. I have two books of short stories completed and a compilation of my tributes and requiems posted on social media. I am also writing my second novel ‘Ẹ̀míọlá’.

 

WA: WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU DISCOVERED WHILE WRITING YOUR BOOK(S)?

 

DF: Experiences shape ideas and ideas churn out other ideas

 

WA: WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER?

 

DF: I really do not have a favourite character. I have always wound my stories round the narrator and narratives

 

WA: DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE CHARACTER THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN? IF SO, WHO? AND WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL.

 

DF: Inúlayéwà.  His odyssey is what makes him special

 

WA: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?

 

DF: Everywhere and anywhere; life is full of inspiration. My late mother was quite inspirational. She inspired me in a lot of ways. She was a great communicator with loads of intelligence and experience. I also get inspiration from my father’s stories and novels. For instance my novel ‘Ìfẹ́wùmí’ is a kind of continuation of Adiitu Olódùmarè (my father’s last published novel). Adiitu’s life story inspired the story of Inúlayéwà’s sojourn in me.

 

I always get a lot of inspiration from my friends and acquaintances. I have always kept friends with great sense of humour and warmth and what they say many times spontaneously inspire. One also gets inspired by the social groups one keeps as well as the streets etc. For instance what you hear from bus drivers, conductors, touts, traders, churches, mosques, meetings, gatherings and ordinary persons on the streets go a lot of ways to inspire creativity in a writer and sometimes create a background for storytelling. Above all I get a lot of inspiration from the Kegites, Palmwine Drinkard Club where I am an old Chief or former President and a Member of the Board of Trustees. Kegites’ language is fecund with inspiration, intelligence, wise cracks and sayings and their philosophies very rich and overwhelming.

 

WA: WHERE CAN READERS PURCHASE YOUR BOOKS?

 

DF: Bookshops and online with Amazon and some other outlets

 

WA: WHERE CAN READERS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BOOKS?

 

DF: They can find out more about me from academic communities where I have kept many worthwhile friends. I can be traced on the internet especially with regards to some of my academic publications. I am a member of the D O Fágúnwà Foundation and very available with them. I have a bit of presence on the social media (Facebook) and some of my stories have been peddled around on WhatsApp. I went to some great schools especially Christ’s School, Adό Èkìtì where I have kept my network very active and it has been enriching. I also have many other friends and well-wishers who have access to me and of course my publisher (International Publishers) is helpful

 

WA: HAVE ANY OF YOUR BOOKS BEEN MADE INTO AUDIOBOOKS?

 

DF: No

 

WA: IF SO, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN PRODUCING AN AUDIO BOOK?

 

DF: I have not made any attempt to turn my books to audio yet hence I cannot be sure of challenges that may be attached. However my experience with my Father’s novels shows that there is a problem with copyright infringements. There are some of his works on audio being advertised and sold without permission.

 

WA: WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS WERE THE MOST ENJOYABLE TO WRITE?

 

DF: The one I am currently writing – Ẹ̀míọlá

 

WA: TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK?

 

DF: It is a surreal adventure that is a followup to Adiitu Olódùmarè which was my father’s last published novel

 

WA: WHAT WAS THE JOURNEY LIKE?

 

DF: It was interesting, fulfilling and uplifting. It gave me a sense of pride that I was able to continue the Fágúnwà legacy

 

WA: WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING?

 

DF: Style and creativity. A writer is always in a classroom where his students are not contiguous but dispersed. Thus a writer must write with passion, empathy, skills, presence and comprehension. The language of the writer must be very ordinary, simple and easy to discern.

 

WA: WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR OF ALL TIME?

 

DF: My Father; Chief D O Fagunwa

 

WA: YOUR FAVORITE BOOK BY HIM?

 

DF: Igbó Olódùmarè

 

WA: ON YOUR LATEST BOOK TITLED “IFEWUMI, THE TRAVAILS OF INULAYEWA” CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOMETHING ABOUT THE BOOK.

 

DF: It is an adventure story of a man whose wife was abducted by his lunatic friend and he travelled round the world searching for his lost lady. He found his wife after twenty five years of sojourn that exposed him to varying life experiences and taught him about large heartedness, peace of mind and spirit of forgiveness.

 

WA: ARE THERE ANY SECRETS FROM THE BOOK, YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR READERS?

 

DF: The novel is a dance round day to day experiences of life

 

WA: WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY?

 

DF: I wanted to continue my father’s legacy.

 

WA: WHAT IS THE KEY THEME AND/OR MESSAGE IN THE BOOK?

 

DF: Lessons on the Spirit of Forgiveness

 

WA: WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR READERS TAKE AWAY FROM THIS BOOK?

 

DF: Morals about large heartedness and eschewing themselves from bitterness and life of wickedness.

 

WA: WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE?

 

DF: Literally speaking ‘Ìfẹ́wùmí’ means ‘I like Love’. The storyline is about Love and the problems that can come with it

 

WA: HAS A BOOK EVER CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

 

DF: Yes. All my Father’s novels have influenced me. I love ‘Tales from the Arabian Nights’. They have very wonderful literary styles; they are surreal and are rich on lessons of life, morals and living a life of quality. I find Shakespeare’s works very inspirational too and full of wise sayings. I have also enjoyed Chinua Achebe’s works. His delivery is of the quality of the village story teller; indeed he was a cultural man with classic mastery of words and delivery.

 

WA: WHAT GENRES DO YOU LOVE?

 

DF: Surreal adventures

 

WA: ARE THERE ANY GENRES YOU DISLIKE?

 

DF: No

 

WA: WHAT AUTHOR (WHO IS STILL LIVING) WOULD YOU DEARLY LOVE TO MEET?

 

DF: None that I have not met at the moment

 

WA: DO YOU LIKE TO DISPLAY YOUR BOOKS ON A BOOKSHELF OR KEEP THEM IN A VIRTUAL LIBRARY?

 

DF: I always display my books on shelf and virtual library

 

WA: DO YOU PREFER FLASH FICTION, SHORT STORIES, NOVELLAS, OR NOVELS?

 

DF: I love short stories

 

WA: WHAT BOOK CAN YOU RECOMMEND TO ME?

 

DF: Many; especially the African Writers Series

 

WA: WHEN DID YOU LAST VISIT A LIBRARY?

 

DF: Last year in the UK. COVID 19 has not allowed current visits.

 

WA: HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CRUSH ON A BOOK CHARACTER?

 

DF: No

 

WA: HAS A BOOK EVER MADE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD?

 

DF: Yes; many. The social media is very rife now with interesting creative writings.