Chief Synner: You moved from submitting entries for the Gerald Kraak prize to judging that of your peers. What’s the name of your dibia?

Otosirieze: OL. The Dibia would be the fantastic people at Jacana Literary Foundation. I’m greatly honoured, and again to do I alongside people I massively respect.

Chief Synner: Let’s leave books and talk music for a moment. A source says you have a big poster of Rihanna by your bedside. How true is this?

Otosirieze: LOL. During NYSC, I had a drawing of her on my wall. She’s that important to my life. Not just for her music but for her attitude and what I think is great personal strength. I love her.

Chief Synner: “I love Rihanna.” All the single ladies ladies, biko naba. Mass agbasa! It is over. Rihanna has won! If you are just joining us, you are late. @Otosirieze has been on the hot seat! Got questions for him? Ask him. Keep the questions coming. To what extent has working with @brittlepaper influenced your status?

Otosirieze: I’d been published in two magazines I love, plus being shortlisted for two awards, including the Gerald Kraak. But coming to Brittle Paper was what changed my “literary status” in relation to the public. It gave my work visibility plus it gave me a rare chance to positively shape/impact specific areas on the literature scene that I particularly cared about. One is the highlighting of young/new writers. Another is contributing to expanding our thin literary journalism, telling the stories behind key institutions. The 3rd is the representation of queerness in our literary culture. I wrote about it last year and Brittle Paper allowed me the vantage to approach it best. It is an area that the Gerald Kraak Prize groundbreaking addresses, which is why I’m excited to be working with them. And I hope to be able to continue to help create spaces for writers and projects, new and established, to be seen plus interpreted in new ways. And I have Ainehi Edoro, one of the... Continue reading at
http://syncityng.com/2018/09/27/i-have-brittle-paper-and-rihanna-to-thank-for-a-lot-of-things-otosirieze-obi-young/