Aunty Pat:”Hello”.
Nexdim:Can you introduce yourself to us?
Aunty Pat:”I am Pat T. Nkweteyim, fondly called Aunty Pat. I am a literary artist. I write and direct plays, and equally act”.
Nexdim:When did you indulge in creative writing?
Aunty Pat: ”In 1990 when I was doing the Maîtrise Professionelle in Theatre Arts at the University of Yaounde. I was expected to produce a play in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of this diploma. I took the challenge to write and direct my own play rather than go for some other authors”.
Nexdim:What are the works you have so far in the market?
Aunty Pat: ”So far, there’s only one drama text, ”Nkuma”, which I have on the market. A second, ”The Family” will be out soon”.
Nexdim: What’s your impression about the Cameroonian creative writing market?
Aunty Pat: ”In Cameroon, there is almost no market. Cameroonians read very little and as such, don’t buy books. The few books that get sold are mostly those on school curricula. Even then, the writers or publishers don’t get as much as they ought to because some dishonest persons get the books pirated and sell them cheaper than the original editions”.
Nexdim: What is your source of inspiration ?
Aunty Pat: ”My inspiration! From the society. I am inspired by the happenings in the society. Especially those that affect women, children and the youths”.
Nexdim: Who is your best writer and why do you admire his or her work?
Aunty Pat: ‘I don’t have any favourites. I love any good book with a well crafted story.
Nexdim:” Cameroonians do not have the culture of reading. What are the efforts made to encourage them to adopt the tradition?
Aunty Pat: ”I don’t know of any collective effort that is being made in this direction. But in some Primary Schools Literature is in the curriculum. This, I hope, helps to instil the reading culture in our young ones. In my school, we have what we call the ‘basket library’ for Forms One and Two as well as the Sixième and Cinquième students. These are books which we assign them to read whenever there is a free period on their timetables. By this, we hope they will grow up with the love to read”.
Nexdim: We learned you once ventured into music. Tell us about that.
Aunty Pat: ‘‘I coordinate a young people’s group called BUKITA (Buea Kiddies Theatre Alliance). My idea is to project the arts through them. They have acted a few plays and have one music album, Sing to the Lord, on the market”.
Nexdim: As a writer are you also interested in script writing and movie production?
Aunty Pat: ”SURE. In fact, ”Nkuma”, the lone play I have on the market started as a film script. I also took part in its production as an actress”.
Nexdim:What are your future projects?
Aunty Pat: ”I plan to get my writings out of the closet. I also hope to get fully into the film industry and leave my footprints”.
Nexdim: Apart from writing , what other activities do you do?
Aunty Pat: ”I am a trained teacher of English Language and Literature. Presently, I am Vice principal at GBHS Limbe and Part-time teacher of English and Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of Buea. I am also an ardent Christian”.
Nexdim: What is you favorite genre of music?
Aunty Pat:”Gospel”.
Nexdim: What is your favourite food?
Aunty Pat:”I love any food that is well cooked however cheap it may be. But I’m afraid I will hardly resist fresh fish stew with half-ripe plantains”.
Nexdim:Your last word to the Cameroonian public.
Aunty Pat: ”I wish to let the public understand that art is good. It edifies and educates and can be used as a weapon of change. I’m equally encouraging them, especially the young, to get interested in reading and also to consume the works of Cameroonian artists”.
Nexdim:It’s our pleasure having you on www.nexdimempire.com.
Aunty Pat:”The greater pleasure is mine”.
Email: ptemech@gmail.com
Pat and her stage colleagues have thrilled the Cameroonian public for many years, reaching back to the late eighties and early nineties when she was a student at the University of Yaounde. She is indeed a gifted artist. If she were in a community with an enabling literary culture, where creativity is encourished to flourish, she would have made headlines long ago. Cameroonians of English expression are now reasserting themselves in the literary world, and it is certain that we would be hearing more from Pat in the days ahead.
A. Gwandi
UK