CORRESPONDENT: MR. CHIKE ADIMCHI ONYEGBULA

 

COMPILED BY: CHINWENDU CHINONYEREM EMMANUEL (MR. RAYS)

 

GOOD MORNING SIR, MY NAME IS MR. CHIKE ADIMCHI ONYEGBULA

 

CHIKE ADIMCHI: GOOD MORNING SIR. MAY WE KNOW YOU?

RAYS: Good morning, I’m Chinwendu Chinonyerem Emmanuel popularly known as Mr. Rays.

A certified writer under Association of Nigerian Authors  Abia State Chapter, a poet under Aba Poetry Club, a research consultant, a teacher and an entertainer.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: WHICH COUNTRY ARE YOU FROM?

RAYS: I’m a Nigerian

CHIKE ADIMCHI: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY BACKGROUND?

RAYS: Okayyy! I’m from Ohuru Village, in Obingwa LGA Aba Abia State and the first child of the family. My parents are all alive and healthy. I have other siblings which are all alive.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: TELL US MORE ON YOUR SCHOOL BACKGROUND?

RAYS: I attended my primary school at City Gate Academy now known as CIDOMIC CITY GATE ACADEMY Aba Abia State. After my primary school, I forwarded to Ohuru Commuity School and took my FSLC and Common entrance examination. Which, I first enrolled me into Wilcox memorial Comprehensive School (only boys’ school) where I schooled till Jss2 and gave out due to riots and fights. After which, I which, I forwarded to St Patrick’s Model School Umuojima Aba, Abia State where I completed my secondary school settings.

But now, I’m currently in tertiary institution after about 4 years of staying without admission.

 

 

CHIKE ADIMCHI: ARE YOU A GRADUATE?

RAYS: Not yet a graduate because I’m currently on the entrance of acquiring my B. SC (ED)

CHIKE ADIMCHI: B.SC (ED) WHAT DOES IT IMPLIES?

RAYS: This means Bachelor in Science in Education. I’m currently doing my Education under Science level. This means, I’m being trained as a professional teacher or lecturer as the case may be.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: YOU ARE SCIENCE PERSONNEL AS A SCIENCE TEACHER, HOW DOES IT CONNECT WITH YOUR WRITING SKILL?

RAYS: When you say literature, this simply signifies creativity of the whole body in possession with the brain towards art. But Science, it involves accuracy and commitment. As a teacher, it is expected of you to have a broad knowledge of education in different perspective.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: HOW DID YOU ENTER INTO WRITING?

RAYS: It was like a movie to me, when I started writing. It was God hidden talent in me which has been exposed. I started writing, when I was in secondary school in St Patrick’s Model School Umuojima Aba, Abia State during the time of Mrs. Nnenna Ndukwo who serves as our principal and Miss Chioma Ndukwo (now married) who was our English Teacher. When I felt in love with a popular book then called FROM WORK TO LOVE BY MRS GEOGINA MMA A AND WE SHALL BE FREE BY UCHE OGWO. I love the characters then, from there, I started to build up my own.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: HOW DID YOU JOIN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN AUTHORS?

RAYS: I joined the forum, when I started teaching in order to build up my intention of becoming a writer that’ll take over the prominent writers after their stay or during their extinction.

I joined during the time of Malam Denja Abdullahi (now past immediate ANA President) and Dr. Stanley Nduagu as the forum’s State Chairman of ANA Abia). Since then, I have been part and passel of ANA.

I later joined Young Authors of Nigeria during the time of Prof Kalu Kalu as our chairman. This awarded me my first award after live performing. This pushed me to join Aba Poetry Club during the time of HAPPYPRINCE as the president of APC (now APC Founder).

From there, I proceeded to join SOCIETY OF YOUNG NIGERIAN WRITERS whose president is Mr. Wole Adedoyin (ANA P.R.O South) and was opportune to be appointed as a Coordinator and National Education Secretary working under National Executive Committee.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: IS THERE ANY OTHER FORUM YOU ARE INTO APART FROM ANA, YAN AND SYNW?

RAYS: Yes, I’m a member of International Human Right Nigerian Chapter, member of Federation of Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development – FENRAD, Founder of Peace Talk of Nigeria – P-TAN, General Speaker for Young Minds Forum South East region, Founder of Mr. Rays Foundation House etc

CHIKE ADIMCHI: HAVE YOU BEEN TAKE PART IN ANY NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL AWARD AS WRITER?

RAYS: Why not? I have received several awards both National and International conferences, poetry readings and others.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: WHO IS YOUR MENTOR?

RAYS: Anyone who finds worthy in my writing skills and ready to motivate me is my mentor.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: WHICH WRITER ARE YOU EMULATING?

RAYS: In this case, I have some writers I’m emulating. Some of them are alive, why some are dead. People like: Late Prof Chinua Achebe, Prof Wole Soyinka, Mr. Dike Chukwumereije, Dr. Denja Abdullahi (past immediate ANA president), Mr. Camilus (present ANA President), and Dr. Buchi Emecheta, Prof Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dr George S Clason and so many others.

 

CHIKE ADIMCHI: WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

RAYS: I will not say, this is the particular thing that motivates me because my motivation comes in several angles.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: CAN YOU TELL ABOUT YOUR RELIGION STATUS?

RAYS: I’m a Catholic brought up.

CHIKE ADIMCHI: WE’VE BEEN READING YOUR WRITE UPS; CAN YOU GIVE US TWO OF YOUR POEMS PUBLISHED AS ANTHOLOGY?

RAYS: Really!! I’m so much impressed. Mean why, I have so many write ups published as anthology, they include: LIFE OF COVID, ARE WE STILL GOOD PEOPLE GREAT NATION? PANDEMIC, MR. LITTLE, BIOLOGY OF POETRY AND SO MANY OTHERS;

 

***ARE WE STILL GOOD PEOPLE GREAT NATION? ***

The hen is looking for a way back to its egg

Where the heavy foot has tumbled on the head

We’re called the giant of Africa

But where lays the padlock of the plenum?

Honoring killing and blood shedding

Eating wars as food

Value gunshot more than human lives

Throwing bombs as stones

Killing innocent people as fowl and chickens

 

But we have been answering

Good people, great nation!

  Where lays the good people?

Yes! The Boko Haram

The Fulani herdsmen

Serving bomb for the innocent soul

Where lies the great nation

Brothers killing brothers

Sisters against sisters

Boko Haram against Yoruba’s youth

Civilians against militants

Herdsmen against farm owners

Leaders denying their followers

Followers plotting against leaders

 

***BIOLOGY OF POETRY***

Science for art

Has led to the creation

Of literature of science

Organizing reading

Poetry and poetry tour movement

Putting zoo and botany stand

At the level of literature

Organizing workshops

Seminars for writers

 

We hail literature

But science hails observation

Writing without observation

Is like building a house without stone.

 

CHIKE ADIMCHI: HOW DO YOU COME ACROSS, OPINION NIGERIA, POETRY SOUP, WRITE OUT LOUD AND OTHER WRITING PLATFORM?

RAYS: As far as I have zeal in pushing forward, I make inquires of things that matters a lot.

 

CHIKE ADIMCHI: HOW CAN WE LOCATE YOU AND YOUR WRITE UPS EASILY?

RAYS: You can locate via the followings:

Phone number: 07063446319 and 09036831898.

Email: rayschinwendu12@gmail.com

Websites

 https://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/chinwenducerays - WRITE OUT LOUD

 https://poetrysoup.com/me/rayschinwendu - POETRY SOUP

https://internetpoem.com/rayschinwendu - INTERNET POEM

https://hellopoetry.com/Rays-chinonyerem-chinwendu - HELLO POETRY

 

CHIKE ADIMCHI: WHAT MOTIVATION ARE YOU GIVING THESE UPCOMING WRITERS?

RAYS: Education is the answer to the question. Being a writer without acquiring education is like going to farm without the working materials.

 CHIKE ADIMCHI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR, FOR A TIME WELL SPENT WITH US, WE ARE LOOKING FOREWARD TO INVITE YOU TO OUR STATION FOR A SPOKEN INTERVIEW..

RAYS: I really appreciate the time and the interview today, thank you very much.