Roland Bankole-Marke is one of Sierra Leone`s up and coming writers, full of hope with an increasingly significant output. He has written a pair of books and has appeared in several anthologies of poetry. He is likewise a prolific journalist with a byline in numerous magazines and newspapers including this one, the Patriotic Vanguard. I late did a snap interview with Roland just to see the direction African writing is currently heading.
Here is Roland:
Patriotic Vanguard: What do you believe about African writing today?
Roland Bankole-Marke: Africans want to be composition in their own style, their own manner of verse for instance,crafted according to our cultural milieu, and perhaps in our own languages. But our initial educational scheme has been so flawed and westernized. We want to take the obscure and begin building the foundation blocks ourselves. It is sad to remark that most Sierra Leoneans cannot communicate effectively in Krio nor are they actually literate in indigenous languages. This is where the Nigerians have interpreted the lead. The relevancy of our so called Western customized education, is it relevant to us as visionary Pan-Africanists?
PV: What are approximately of the problems African writers face now and how canthey overcome them?
RB: African writers face a pack of problems that mostly emanate from within ourselves as a mass with a confused identity. We want to first know who we are as a people, and so come to grips with our problems. Firstly, we neither treasure nor support our own writers who are stressful to take the yoke acquired from colonialism that suggests that ideas or things African are less appreciated, or not like to Western ideas or systems. As a people we want to set up our own publishing houses and stop using western values as our standards. We spend so much money supporting western artists, authors and business moguls, how about spending a fraction on our own people? It is time we have hold of our own fate by investment in African writers, African presses and supporting our kids and young to recognize that they are not outsiders when it comes to Africa. It looks like the young are quick to have that transition, while the not so young want to talk about their prestigious degrees, acquired in western institutions, and how superior they are to the less fortunate. But those living on past glory, what cause they done to change the mindset and circumstances of a forward looking Africa that has a seat and hopeful future for every one including the seemingly slow and ignorant?
PV: Africans mostly use European languages to write. Do you supportNgugi Wa Thiongo`s suggestion that Africans should publish in their locallanguages? Are you willing to publish in Krio for example?
RB:Of course Ngugi is quite proper to say that. We as a multitude have been miseducated and we want to turn that trend. We are at our best when we save and commune in both verbal and written forms. But for this to drive off training and education should commence at school degree and keep up to tertiary level. I know to publish in Krio for sure. To be frank I think better and can be more productive when using our Lingua Franca of SL. The use of a standard dictionary would serve to standardise the use of language and jargons. Dr. Kamarrah of VA University ( Lunsar Creole) compiled an anthology of Krio poems a few days ago and we are awaiting its publication in Sweden. My poem was among the lot. Prof. Eldred Jones helped with the survival in Freetown. I think this is a measure in the proper direction. Mensa Press will be running with me to claim for submissions, for poems from writers of the respective cultural groups in SL. I`m very emotional about this project.
PV: What`s the next of African writing, in your opinion?
RB: African writing has a future that I remember is based on certain conditions. Firstly, we make to make the awareness, and serve in stimulating the reading habit. The indictment that Africans don`t read outside the land of their studies bears truth in it.
I don`t know whether it is poverty that makes us to become preoccupied with acquiring wealth and corporeal things that we leave that interpretation is a necessary instrument in educating oneself outside of the classroom environment. Once this hurdle is removed the next for African writing and writers could be shiny and promising.Finally, self image and determination our identity play a major part in the development and portion of the African writer. Investing in what we trust in should be the reign of thumb.
Thanks for the chance to air these burning thoughts that were already in my mind.