Renowned Nigerian writer and lawyer, Chidera Nneoma Okolie, has lamented over the challenges of writing in Nigeria.

The award-winning writer revealed that she recently thought of auditioning for the Big Brother Naija reality show just to fit into the society.

Okolie said to be a successful writer in Nigeria is onerous thanks to a million obstacle and the lackadaisical attitude to literature in Nigeria.

In a lengthy Instagram, the 25-year-old author analysed the challenges facing Nigerian writers and proffered a solution to it.

She wrote,

“70% of the time I’d want to call it quits. To be a successful writer in Nigeria is a drag. You are in a boxing ring fighting off a million obstacles in your way, the most challenging being the lackadaisical attitude to Literature in Nigeria.

“Have I thought of relocating? Yes. Have I thought of drifting to more lucrative “crafts”? Yes. Have I thought of auditioning for BBN? Oh yes recently.

“I’ve had all sorts of thoughts..some too unsavoury to list. I like what I see when I google my name, dad would say “a good name before luxury”, but I’m a young girl and a little luxury won’t hurt. I’d stare at the countless stories I’m yet to complete..where is the motivation?

“Then I’d conclude I’m not putting in enough work…Oh wait, is it the genre? Should I attempt Romance? Should I make the next book about me?

“Then I’d digress to @ikosakioduwa ‘s words to me sometime last year. “Writers, just like the rest of us, have to fight for their spot in this country.#Facts.

“I’d sit back and ponder on the good old days. Primary school. early Secondary school, when a majority of us were passionate writers in our own little way…we’d scribble our stories for mummy and daddy to read…the smile on their faces was all the gratification we needed.

“Then we grew older and had to worry about being cool and fitting in…” writers aren’t cool people”, we thought. Mum and dad’s smile wasn’t enough anymore, we needed more…external validation of our peers. Yup..that was me…

“I was in one of my zones one day when it struck me…WHAT IF WE GREW A NEW GENERATION OF WRITERS? The ones whose passions are yet to be diluted? What if we churn out over 100 young published authors every year? The country will be forced to adjust…writers will reclaim their place and we’d have more readers…YES! That’s it.

“I launched #IdiosCreatives. In a bid to keep the passion alive, we are publishing the short stories and poems of 100 students in the Primary and Secondary schools in a book titled “A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES AND POEMS BY THE NIGERIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN”..a platform of some sort. We are doing this FOR FREE..the goal is Nigeria.A state or two at a time.”

Okolie gained national attention when her debut novel “When Silence Becomes Too Loud” was endorsed in 2015 by former president Goodluck Jonathan.

See her post:

70% of the time I’d want to call it quits. To be a successful writer in Nigeria is a drag. You are in a boxing ring fighting off the million obstacles in your way, the most challenging being the lackadaisical attitude to Literature in Nigeria. Have I thought of relocating? Yes. Have I thought of drifting to more lucrative “crafts”? Yes. Have I thought of auditioning for BBN? Oh yes recently. I’ve had all sorts of thoughts..some too unsavory to list. I like what I see when I google my name, dad would say “a good name before luxury”, but I’m a young girl and a little luxury won’t hurt. I’d stare at the countless stories I’m yet to complete..where is the motivation? Then I’d conclude I’m not putting in enough work..Oh wait, is it the genre? Should I attempt Romance? Should I make the next book about me? Then I’d digress to @ikosakioduwa ‘s words to me sometime last year. “Writers, just like the rest of us, have to fight for their spot in this country.” #Facts . . I’d sit back and ponder on the good old days..Primary school..early Secondary school, when majority of us were passionate writers in our own little way..we’d scribble our stories for mummy and daddy to read..the smile on their faces were all the gratification we needed. Then we grew older and had to worry about being cool and fitting in..”writers aren’t cool people”, we thought. Mum and dad’s smile wasn’t enough anymore, we needed more..external validation of our peers. Yup..that was me. . . . I was in one of my zones one day when it struck me..WHAT IF WE GREW A NEW GENERATION OF WRITERS? The ones whose passions are yet to be diluted? What if we churn out over 100 young published authors every year? The country will be forced to adjust..writers will reclaim their place and we’d have more readers..YES! That’s it. I launched #IdiosCreatives. In a bid to keep the passion alive, we are publishing the short stories and poems of 100 students in the Primary and Secondary schools in a book titled “A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES AND POEMS BY THE NIGERIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN”..a platform of some sort. We are doing this FOR FREE..the goal is Nigeria..A state or two at a time♥️ You too can be a part of this project.?

A post shared by Chidera Nneoma Okolie (@chideraokolie) on May 16, 2018 at 3:11am PDT