‘The bittersweet world of the expatriates tastes the same whether you’re in Paris, Nairobi or in San Francisco’
Sarah Ladipo Manyika’s debut novel, In Dependence, was featured as Waterstone’s top choice for Black History Month. She was also extended a special invite to speak at the World Affairs Council, ‘Voices of the World’, in San Francisco earlier this year.
Having travelled many countries and been exposed to many things, I wondered if her life experiences influenced the issues covered in her novel.
The theme, ‘insider-outsider’ is an interesting and important one in your novel. You were raised in Nigeria but lived in Kenya, France, and England. Did this influence your writing of In Dependence?
Well, yes and no. There are the obvious differences like the weather, language, culture, sense of humour etc. But the bitter-sweet world of the “expatriates”, or the “immigrants”, or the “people of the diaspora” (where home is always somewhere else) tastes the same whether you’re in Paris, Nairobi, or San Francisco. What’s more interesting perhaps, is the way in which the experience of “expatriotism” has changed over the last fifty years. This is certainly one of the themes explored by In Dependence.
CAV: You have written about Africa and edit new work by African writers. Does Africa hold a particular literary attraction for you in terms of inspiration or material for your own writing?
Sarah Ladipo Manyika: Yes, the continent of Africa does inspire me, as do stories of Africans in the diaspora.
CAV: You mention Andrea Levy, Zadie Smith, Chris Abani and Chinua Achebe as inspirations to you. Is there something specific in their writing that inspires you?
Sarah Ladipo Manyika: I’m particularly fond of Achebe’s essays and Abani’s poetry. I admire Zadie’s Smith and Andrea Levy’s use of wit/humour. These writers have broken new literary ground with their stories, which is something that inspires me too.
CAV: You have also said that the South African Nobel Prize winner, J.M. Coetzee, was an influence on your decision to become a writer. You regard his novel Disgrace as one of your top 5 books. His books have often been controversial, particularly his novel Disgrace. Is there an element of this controversy in your book?
Sarah Ladipo Manyika: I didn’t set out to write anything controversial, but ‘mixed race’ relationships are still not accepted in many places, which I suppose might make it controversial to some.
CAV: You mentioned that you were looking for a particular kind of book about Africa, you couldn’t find it and so wrote it yourself. Have you always wanted to be a writer, or was this a career direction that came to you later on?
Sarah Ladipo Manyika: I never set out to become a writer and still sometimes wonder why I try to write.
CAV: It has been said that there is always an autobiographical element in a novel. Is this true for your novel?
Sarah Ladipo Manyika: This novel is autobiographical to the extent that I am familiar with the places that I describe. The characters and the story are however made up, although there will inevitably be autobiographical elements in characters who are often an amalgam of people that I have known.
CAV: How well has your book has been received in Nigeria?
Sarah Ladipo Manyika: In Dependence has not been published in Nigeria yet, so I’m yet to know how it will be received. However it’s exciting to see that there is a growing market for fiction in Nigeria.
CAV: As an African living in America at this time, what are your feelings about President Obama, particularly in relation to his foreign policies with Africa’s development?
Sarah Ladipo Manyika: I am thrilled with the election of Barack Obama and glad to see the end of the Bush era/error. As to what Obama’s foreign policies might be one waits to see – but given his life experiences, he is certainly more knowledgeable about foreign countries than his predecessor. I would love to be at the airport of the first African country that Barack Obama visits as President.
