Meeting Itoro Bassey...

Itoro Bassey is soon becoming a household name in Nigeria. Asides writing, producing, and corresponding for The Arise Interview, Arise News Hour, and Arise America, she is a master storyteller with over ten years of experience telling stories about the African immigrant and first-generation experience.

She recently published her novel “Faith” alongside her documentary “Reflections on Returning” and it was at her recent online event with the Abuja Literary Society to promote “Faith” that I reached out to her. I was immediately drawn to her as I recognized a kindred spirit.

The discussions around her recently released novel "Faith" at the ALS event led me to research her previous works which include her debut novel "Running", a few of her articles in The Independent, The Black Expat, Medium, Newsfront Online among others, and her discussion with Andrew G Marshall on "Healing the mother/daughter wound". Hence, I took to asking her a few questions to shed some more light on who she is and what she does.

Meet Itoro Bassey:

Cathy: Just to clear things up, Is Itoro Bassey the same person as Itoro Udofia? If yes, could you share a bit about the need to transit from Itoro Udofia to Itoro Bassey?

Itoro Bassey: Yes, she is! You know...I don't really have a good reason. I just decided I wanted to take on my mother's maiden name. And it was an interesting switch to make because I had already been publishing under Udofia, and for all things legal I still use Udofia, and when I came to Nigeria, I wanted to use Bassey for my NIN, but I was told that I had to use my father's last name. So I did, but I never stopped claiming Bassey, so now, it really depends. But for my writing, I usually publish under Bassey.

Cathy: Did your interview with Andrew Marshall on his Podcast "The Meaningful Life" where you both discussed "Healing the Mother/Daughter wound" in January 2021 have any impact on the plot in your new novel, "Faith"?

Itoro Bassey: It definitely did. For years I've been really exploring the mother-daughter relationship because I think it's one of the most complicated relationships a person can have, and for whatever reason, it's a wound that really stays with us if we don't do the work to heal it. So in, "Faith", I wanted to write a book that showed the main character doing her best to interrogate, investigate and heal.

Cathy: By releasing your documentary "Reflections on Returning" alongside your novel "Faith", was it your intention that your readers and followers connect the two in supporting their understanding of the message and it's impact you aim to share through these stories?

Itoro Bassey: It was my hope. A mentor had suggested the idea to me. He was thinking it would be more of a news, made for TV feature. But of course, I couldn't really stick to that one. It became my personal creative endeavor. I wanted it to be stand alone pieces, but also pieces that complimented each other, because many of the conversations I'm having with my friend (Alex) in the documentary directly relates to what the protagonist, Arit Essien, is trying to make sense of.

Cathy: There is a recurring theme surrounding "finding yourself" in your articles and your works in general; would you say that you have succeeded in doing this by relocating back to Nigeria? Do you have any regrets for relocating to Nigeria?

Itoro Bassey: I definitely have more comfort with myself and my decisions these days. And although I have my days when I can't stand what I see in Nigeria, the disappointing infrastructure, the 24/7 hustle, people not being kind and seeing how this unkindness plays out in every aspect of Nigerian life...it hurts. But I still don't want to be anywhere else, really. Naija is home, and I have to hope that something will turn around, if not for my generation then the next. I admire Nigerians in so many ways, and I think that's what keeps me here. Say what you will but there's just something about this country that keeps me in love. So no, no regrets.

Cathy: One of the lessons you wrote about learning while travelling in Africa in one of your articles written in The Black Expat on May 14, 2020, was "Embracing Cultural Ambiguity"; What techniques do you suggest one can use in handling situations of cultural ambiguity either at work, with family or other formal/informal premises?

Itoro Bassey: Still learning actually! I guess I say embrace it, because I couldn't keep fighting it. For example, being in Nigeria, in many ways, people only consider me Nigerian on paper, if at all. And especially working in a very Nigerian system, there's so much one has to do to be able to exist and cope in a space that you're not used to. It's not easy, but one technique that helps me is my ability to always observe and see where I can be most helpful, in a work setting, this has never failed me. For family, that's much trickier, and I'm still figuring it out. But I'll definitely say, that if you know that your family members love you, and just want what's best for you, try to keep the respect and keep the sacredness of this bond. If it's possible (as family is complicated and it's not always possible to do this). I say this because my family out here has been incredibly supportive of me...I don't always agree with what they say, but somehow I get what they mean and what they're trying to do. And I think it's this understanding that has helped me withstand and hold the contradiction of being in a place that I love but I don't entirely understand, and knowing that this place doesn't entirely understand me.

Cathy: Considering the progress of your journey towards healing and self discovery, what advice would you give to your fifteen, eighteen and twenty-one year old selves if you had a chance to warn them of what was ahead (Now your present and future)?

Itoro Bassey: I'd tell them that I love them, and that they don't need anyone else's approval. I'd tell them not to dim their light and to take it easy. I'd tell them, "you don't have to prove yourself anymore."

Cathy: What projects of yours can we look forward to following the release of "Faith" and your Documentary, "Reflections on Returning"?

Itoro Bassey: There's a writing project in the works, possible a sequel to Faith.

Cathy: I am so grateful to you for taking the time to answer my questions.

I look forward to reading 'Faith' and seeing more of your work.

Wishing you all the best in everything.