Overseas based Africans do all sorts of jobs. What
they qualified at institutions of higher education is often thrown out of the
window for mundane jobs to support families and a life that is as tough as this
March’s freezing weather, rain and snow plus shocking news of death. Anglo-European
news broadcasts were mum, but stations that beam African news (Al Jazeera, French TV 5, Africa Channel etc) did mourn the famous, esteemed Nigerian
writer’s demise, last Thursday.
I was chatting to a Tanzanian musician who once
worked at a five star London hotel.
“The place received interesting visitors; one night
boooom! In strolled two prominent African writers. They were attending a big
conference. Later we sat for a long time talking. I said to myself, Woow! I am sitting with
celebrities.”
One was the 1986 Nobel Prize For Literature winner,
Wole Soyinka; first African to scoop the coveted award since French writer Sully Prudhomme netted it in 1901.
“I could not believe I was chatting to Soyinka and
fellow Nigerian legend, Chinua Achebe. Achebe said he gets ideas to write out
of the blue, gifted by God. Because I
had told him I am a musician -and this is a side job I do to pay bills- he said
the way I compose songs is the same way a writer works.”
