By Damiete Braide
Aniete Usen’s story begins in a small village under the palm trees, where he was raised by his grandmother. Orphaned at two years old after his father’s tragic death in a motor accident in Broad Street, Lagos, Aniete’s early life was defined by survival and resilience.
Growing up in the village, meals often consisted of smoked rats, and snacks were whatever insects he could catch at night. Termites, in particular, were a delicacy he fondly recalls in his book as “Barbecue of Termites.”
The loss of his father left Aniete in the care of his elderly grandmother. Life was rugged, and he learned early on to fend for himself. Despite the harshness of village life, he managed to complete his primary education. However, the thought of continuing to secondary school seemed an impossible dream due to financial constraints. His mother, determined to secure a better future for him, wrote to his father’s friends in Lagos, pleading for assistance.
Touched by the memory of their late friend, five of these men gathered on a Sunday and decided to fund Aniete’s education. Their collective support allowed him to attend secondary school, where he persevered against the odds. The idea of attending university seemed even more out of reach. After finishing secondary school, Aniete took a job in Lagos, where one of his father’s friends, employed by WAEC, took him under his wing. This man was later posted as the Deputy Registrar in Nsukka, and Aniete followed him there, working as a clerk. It was while opening admission letters in the office that Aniete first realized that young people like him could go to university. Inspired, he decided he must continue his education.
Despite his determination, Aniete faced resistance from his mother, who urged him to keep working and contribute to the family’s income. With a younger brother to support, the financial burden was heavy. However, Aniete’s resolve did not waver. He sought out another of his father’s friends, a wealthy man from his village who lived in Port Harcourt. This man, who had fond memories of Aniete’s father, agreed to pay his university tuition. With this support, Aniete enrolled in university, becoming the first in his family to do so.
After graduation, Aniete was posted to Kano for his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Unlike today, there was no lobbying for favorable postings; service to the nation was considered an honour, and Aniete embraced it.
In Kano, Aniete’s fortunes took a remarkable turn. During the NYSC opening ceremony, he shook hands with the governor, Abubakar Rimi. Soon after, he was posted to the Government House in Kano, where he was given a prestigious role. Aniete was provided with a three-bedroom flat, complete with a cook, gardener, and security. The life he had seen in passing as a village boy was now his reality. He thrived in this environment, becoming the best corper in Kano that year and earning a job offer from Triumph newspaper, which he declined.
Returning to Lagos, Aniete began his journalism career at Punch newspaper. His talents quickly caught the eye of the late Dele Giwa, and Aniete became one of the pioneer reporters at Newswatch, a groundbreaking news magazine. Within four months, he was the first reporter to be promoted, and in just 18 months, he was sitting on the Board of Directors. His work earned him numerous awards, both in Nigeria and internationally.
One of his most significant accolades was winning the UAC Unilever Excellence in Feature Writing award, which included a three-month fellowship in the United Kingdom with the Thompson Foundation and Reuters. This experience broadened his horizons and solidified his place among Nigeria’s top journalists.
Despite his success in journalism, Aniete’s roots remained in storytelling, a skill he learned from listening to his grandmother’s folk tales. These early experiences shaped his writing style, which he describes as a blend of suspense and vivid imagery, much like the tales that once kept him awake at night. His love for reading, sparked by titles like James Hadley Chase and the Pace Setters series, further honed his craft.
After a successful career in both the private and public sectors, including a tenure as the founding Director of Corporate Affairs at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Aniete retired and turned his focus to writing. His book, Village Boy, was published during the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly garnered attention, including a nomination for the prestigious Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Aniete is driven not by pressure but by passion. He has no shortage of stories to tell and is already working on several new books. His work has also inspired him to give back; through his Sheer Grace Foundation, he supports orphans and children from disadvantaged backgrounds, much like the boy he once was.
For Aniete Usen, writing is not just a career, it is a calling. His journey from a village boy to a celebrated author and journalist is a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and the enduring influence of storytelling.