AWAAL GATA asks Salihu Mahe, a poet and writer, eight questions
How did your passion for writing start ?
I started writing from an early stage but I didn’t get much encouragement back then. Later on in life, my passion for writing, poetry especially, was born out of boredom. It was during my NYSC — I was lecturing at a polytechnic in Katsina — and they were on a long session break, so I had nothing to do besides weekly CDS. I began writing poetry more consistently. The first poem I wrote was ‘My Own Friend’. It was about solitude. This was around the end of 2015. Shortly afterwards, I was added to a writing project called Chronicles of Battered Spirits (C.O.B.S). We were writing short stories and poems about the plights of the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency. The writing project was integral to my consistency as we would have deadlines and we critiques each others’ works. It was a remarkable experience, though we are still looking at how to publish the finished manuscript. Since then, I have been writing poetry, harnessing my craft slowly and today I have my first poetry collection coming out.
So far, what would you say are your milestones, and would you say they conform with the vision you had when you started?
The highlight of my writing career so far is my poetry collection. Publishing the collection both as an ebook and now the paperback edition has opened a lot of windows of opportunities for me. The fact that it won a prize is an attestation to that. I was really not expecting, but I thank God it did. Winning a prize in the literary industry means having credibility and that means a lot to a writer. Some of my other milestones are editing a number of poetry chapbooks and appearing on a number of literary activities. One other thing I would like to mention is getting feedback from readers; it warms my heart to know that people are actually reading my poems and they have such an effect on them.
I would say I didn’t have any vision when I started. I just wanted to write, even the writing project I mentioned my friend was the one that suggested I join the group. But down the line after a few years of writing, I wanted to publish a poetry book. I wanted to put something out there. And I’m glad I did. I remember my first manuscript was decline and I later I came about the current one and I’m glad it worked out this way. So, yes, I had a vision down the line and it turned out better than I anticipated.
What are your dreams, going forward ? Where do you want to see yourself, let’s say ten years from now?
I want my book to make numbers. I don’t mind having it on every bookshelf of every home. I want my book to be read across continents. I want to win more poetry prizes. In the next ten years, I’d like to have published more books. I have a few more manuscripts already. Hopefully more would come. I want to be an advocate of poetry, a promoter of the craft, set up literary groups and poetry prizes in the name of my late grand uncle, Waziri Umaru of Gwandu.
How did you learn the art of poetry writing ? To learn poetry writing from the scratch, what are the ultimate dos?
Poetry came to me naturally. It is not something I sat down to learn. But along the lines I’ve come to improve my craft. Like the say practice indeed makes perfect and I’ve been writing poetry somewhat consistently for the past 5 years. In that time I have attended a few writing workshops, I have been in groups were my poems have been critiqued, I have received numerous feedbacks from readers, I have tried to submit to literary journals and for poetry competitions, I have taught poetry on multiple occasions, all these are learning moments, they have made me better and reading too, the more you read the better you write. I read more of poetry than prose. I would say what someone needs to start writing poetry from scratch is simply the passion for it. People have argued that talent can be nurtured and I have seen this firsthand. First have the passion for it, then practice. Third, read good poetry, what you read is what you write. Study poetry itself, the poetic elements such as metaphors, similes etc, the rules of writing poetry. Also, be in the midst of like minds, join writing groups, attend literary functions and events. It helps a lot. And most importantly, write write write!
Is poetry your only forte? You don’t write prose?
I write mostly poetry. I write short stories, often creative nonfictions about my experiences. I also like to write short quotations.
What challenges are you facing as a writer?
I would say the challenges I’m facing have more to do with the writing industry in Nigeria than writing itself. For example, having self-published my book, I faced and I’m facing challenges with publishing, distribution, promotion & publicity of my book. I have to do most of these things myself. Though I’m currently considering a media company for the boom distribution & promotion. I think a reader should focus more on writing than marketing but in the Nigeria the moment you publish a book you immediately become a marketer. It is no easy task. I remember funny stories about writers having to sell their books on the streets. The reading culture in Nigeria is not very encouraging. Hence it is often pretty challenging to make a breakthrough in the Nigerian literary space, especially for a first time author like me. I do hope that subsequently I don’t have to go through all this struggle because if you’re able to build your name, and have your work speak for itself, it becomes easier not so easy but easier nonetheless.
What should the world expect from you next ?
My poetry book, “How to View the World from a Glass Prism”, of course. It is currently on pre-order at www.mahesalihu.com. You can book a copy @ 25% discount + free delivery within Nigeria (pick-up) . Offer ends in less than 2 weeks. I’ll be having a book launch in Sokoto on the 25th of October and the book becomes available towards the end of the month by God’s grace.
Subsequently, the world should expect more poetry collections from me, God willing. I already have some manuscripts in the works. I hope they turn out well. I hope give the world a good reason to buy them. I hope to write more by God’s grace & help promote literature in Nigeria.
How do you often describe yourself (as a writer)?
I am Salihu Mahe, but to answer you in third person, I’d say Salihu Mahe is a Nigerian writer and a freelance editor. An engineer by profession and a poet at night. He writes from the deepest parts of his heart. His writing is often motivated by nature, love, the psychology of human beings, morality, and philosophical principles. He believes so much in humanity, peace, and unity. How to View the World from a Glass Prism is his first collection, the chapbook version won Words Rhymes and Rhythms’ Green Author Prize 2019. His works have appeared in Praxis Magazine, CWC Kongo Issue amongst others. He also co-edited the Eriata Oribhabor Poetry Prize Anthology “Exorcism” and was also a judge for the 2020 Professor Andrew Nok Poetry Prize by Yasmin El-Rufai Foundation. He is a member of several writing groups and aims to promote literature especially in Northern Nigeria. By the way this is my writer’s bio and I think it covers the scope of your question.
