NCB: Look who we have here tonight, our anticipated interviewee! Anyway, I think we're already familiar with you, but for the sake of those who would be seeing this interview, let's hear you introduce yourself.
FYB: I am Akinbami Adetomiwa Emmanuel but most of my course mates know me as Travis or Travis f*cking Khing! I'm a passionate writer and poet and trust me, I'm good at it. I'm also a musician, I do music for the love of it as a craft. I'm also a photographer, campus and sports journalist. I'm the last child of three. I'm from oyo state but I've never been to my hometown which I don't like.
NCB: It's oozing confidence "...trust me, I'm good at it." Nice one! You definitely do have a lot on your plate.
FYB: Oh yes, a whole lot.
NCB: A writer, musician, poet, photographer, journalist...OMG! Is your middle name Jack? How are you able to balance all of these with school?
FYB: I can't really point out how I do it. I just make sure I'm consistent with it. However, I might not be consistent with all at some point. For instance, there was a time when I stopped writing poems and I was very active with music and vice versa. It's usually about urgency and interest at a particular point.
NCB: Hmm...I see. I'm interested in knowing more about how you got to this point of being multi- talented. Can you just give us a bit of how you got into these different fields?
FYB: First, I started writing as a kid, I started with stories when I was maybe 9 or 10. Trust me, I might be a kid and yes, my use of English in writing wasn't good enough but I wrote interesting stories that fascinated my family and friends. Secondly, I developed an interest in music as a teenager, I love music a lot. Drake was my favourite artist then. I started writing my own raps and added other artists like Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Olamide and many others to the list. I've been into music since the age of 13, as a rapper. In addition, my journey as a poet started in 2020 during COVID when I had to extend my writing prowess so I tried poetry and that was how I knew I'm a talented poet.
NCB: Wow! What about photography and journalism?
FYB: For photography, I started in 2022 during that 8 months ASUU strike. I didn't want the time to waste so I had to acquire a skill. I'm not into photography because of passion. I will always rate writing and others over it but I'm sha doing it and thanks to God, I'm also good at it. For journalism, it started when I joined my beloved NCB. I thought NCB was just a group of writers, I didn't know it was for journalism but when I noticed, I didn't back out. I felt like journalism? It's not a bad thing, let me give it a try and so far, it's been great!
NCB: Ohh! I have an observation and I'll like you to either affirm it or just answer in the negative if you think it's not really so. In 2020 (COVID break) you began to write poems. In 2022(ASUU strike) you entered into the space of photography. Do you think it is safe to say that you're a very time conscious person and that you esteem productivity?
FYB: Oh yes! You're right. I don't like being idle at any point. Whenever I'm not doing anything, I feel useless and lazy because I'm a very hardworking person. I almost got depressed during the strike because I wasn't doing anything and staying at home all day wasn't doing any good. I wrote so many poems during that time but still that couldn't keep me busy enough.
NCB: That's actually a very good thing. You said you started writing at age 9 thereabout. Did that in anyway influence your choice of course to study in the university?
FYB: Definitely! I've always wanted to be a writer. As a kid I said I'd study literature because I love writing fiction. However, that mindset changed in secondary school when I discovered or rather believed, that studying English would bring more opportunities in other fields rather than writing fiction so I chose English. I never had an interest in Law. I also believe English is better because writers are eternalised and legendary. How many Lawyers can we say the same for?
NCB: Oh...okay. So, does this mean it's writing over music?
FYB: Yes!
NCB: Oh my dayss... I never expected it! Woww
FYB: I'll always pick writing over music. Funnily enough, I'm very good at both. I got confused at a point but deep down, my heart chooses writing.
NCB: Wow! So, after B.A English, should I be on the lookout for your books?
FYB: Yes please. If not for funding, I would have published books years back. I remember trying to get a job as a teenager so I could get money to publish a novel.
NCB: Really? Do you still have those manuscripts? This interview might get you an investor o.
FYB: I borrowed some of my friends and they misplaced them. It's something I regret till today. However, I have 2 short stories, 1 novella, 1 novel and another planned big novel I've been working on since 2020. Me meddling into other things made me have so many unfinished fictions. I have 3 unfinished ones that I plan to complete when I graduate.
NCB: You did what?? You borrowed your friends. Since 2020... amazing. Hmm, let's take a break from this intellectual discussion and let's talk something juicy.
FYB: What do you mean by juicy please? Abeg oo
NCB: Fear not. For thy God is always with thee. Nothing deep o... just some interesting stuff. Let's start with this, why did you choose OAU?
FYB: I never planned on coming to this school. I chose UNILAG but they "shenked" me. So my Dad's friend told him about Jupeb at OAUCDL and I enrolled for it and passed excellently. I could have used the result to get an admission into Unilag but it was at that point I developed interest in OAU. So, I had to choose OAU.
NCB: Emphasis on the "excellently"... Purrr. I have heard stories about JUPEB. How were you able to pass" excellently"?
FYB: Because I was serious, I have God and yes, I'm not bad academically and intellectually. It's a gift from my Dad.
NCB: Ohh...it's in the gene. I already said it from the start...it's screaming confidence. Has OAU, the department of English to be precise ever made you doubt your capability?
FYB: It has never happened. It even made me better in many areas. The OAU stuff started right from Jupeb days. OAU isn't for the weak. Although, our beloved dept will make you wanna cry when you see results. At least, they have a way of ruining one out of six results (not like it's terrible though) but I'm used to it. We keep moving!
NCB: Hmm! I love this. One thing I'm definitely taking out of this interview is to be confident in myself. (It's good for my steeze). Can you highlight any of the areas they made you better in?
FYB: They made me better in my mastery of English. They made me more hardworking, more intelligent and added to my experience in general. However, they made me dislike literature at a point. I used to love literature in my Secondary school days, in fact, I was the only student that passed literature in WAEC in the whole school. But then, it is what it is.
NCB: Great. I want to know how your experience has been in OAU, so far. What do you think of the time you've spent on this campus?
FYB: It has been wonderful. I've known and met a lot of people but I didn't really make close friends which is something I don't really like. My first 3 semesters on this campus were boring! All I did was class, then back to my room. I'm only very close to those I've known since JUPEB even outside my class not just my clique.
NCB: Ohh...Let's talk about your classmates. What's your opinion of them, especially the ladies.
FYB: The ladies are beautiful, most of them have big bumbum which is what I like seeing. I have like 4 "crushes" out of them. The guys are real gees and I relate with most of them well. I'm glad we're mates, though. Just that some of them too like dey feel themselves but who gives a damn?
NCB: Blood of Jesus! Ikr... nobody cares! Do you have anything you do in your free time apart from writing or making music?
FYB: I chat, sleep and sometimes watch series, preferably historical, fantasy and adventure.
NCB: Okayyy. What would you say your favourite and least favourite courses are?
FYB: Literature courses and some parts of stylistics are my least favourite. Grammar, phonology, discourse analysis, multilingualism, applied Linguistics, Pragmatics, and few others I love.
NCB: Cool. What's the next step after this degree?
FYB: I have plans but one is more paramount and I'm not sharing that. If it works, you will find out eventually.
NCB: Ohh... That's totally fine. One thing is that we're rooting for you
FYB: Thank you
NCB: I don't know if I should ask this but judging from interactions with you and your WhatsApp status...hm, I'll ask nevertheless. Are you in a relationship?
FYB: Wetin do my WhatsApp status oo? No, I'm not in a relationship. I'm one single motherf*cker.
NCB: Ohh, receive your woman in Jesus name. Anyway, as a junior myself, I want to know what your advice will be to your juniors?
FYB: Amen. They shouldn't rush things and don't give in to pressure. Life will always happen and when it happens, don't give up! It's part of the epistemological process. Do your best and leave the rest but that rest shouldn't be abandoned totally. Overall, go where dem rate you! (Go where you are wanted and appreciated).
NCB: Nice one, nice one. This is packed with so much wisdom. Any shoutout?
FYB: Thank you. Of course! At first, it goes to the big 7, Qué Sera Sera (my clique) I don't say I love people openly but I appreciate them a lot! Zion, my baby, you're a wonderful being and I'm glad we're friends. Also, my gee, Victoria in UI, VOA, my guy! Those I started my journey with as roommates, Wale and Tomiwa. They are the real gees. Lastly, my family, they are the reason I exist. All NCBITES! I appreciate you all. NCB is another family of mine.
NCB: Awnn... Who is cutting onions. You're welcome. We wish you the very best in life. More importantly, the NCB family loves you
FYB: Thank you.
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