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By Henry Akubuiro
Godstime Assin’s literary journey began as a hard luck story with a twist. It resonates with the candid words of Carol Voderman when she said: “If you are from a poor background, you have to work even harder. But that’s what makes you who you are.”
Born in the Edo backwater of Eghudu in Ovia North East Local Government Area, Godstime found himself in a village with thirteen mud houses without burglary proofs and windows. His parents’ home was covered with mere cloth, and, with no pipe-born water, the family fetched water from the stream to drink, bathe and do other household chores.
Despite the sedate pace of development, Eghudu Primary School held a big promise for those who wanted to reach the stars. Godstime enrolled in Primary One, but something happened along the way that threatened the trajectory of his education. His father became ill and was moved out of the village for treatment. As a result, he, together with his elder brother, were handed over to his aunt in Benin City. He was in Primary 5 while his brother was in Primary 6 when this happened. They continued their education at Okai Primary School in Benin City and, shortly, switched over to Obanosa Primary School since their school uniforms at Eghudu and Obanosa were identical.
Godstime suffered a heartbreak when his dad passed on eventually while still in Benin. He had to remain in the city with his aunt until his mother managed to rent a bedroom apartment, first, at a place called Erumwense and, subsequently, at Ogbewase. At Erumwense the road to their house was flooded during the rainy season, and it was inevitable they would move on to a better location a few years after.
Godstime was a humble boy but made of steel. While in Benin, he sold ice fish for his aunt in the morning and sachet water, popularly called “pure water” at noon. In between that, he farmed in the village with his mum during holidays or midterm breaks. He also set traps to catch animals. He was also a good footballer.
In Eghudu village, he watched his mother silently strive to support the family. She was one of the earliest women taking bags of garri with lorries to, first, Port Harcourt and, then, Lagos. The villagers fondly called her Madam 44 for her exploits. She introduced virtually all her colleagues to the flourishing business.
Godstime’s writing career was influenced by his experience at Eghudu. It was the community that first offered him light, he admits. He grew up knowing nothing about the existence of witches. They ate in one another’s homes, and they played together. Life was innocent and beautiful. Coming to the city, the balloon of innocence and harmony was somehow deflated as his aunt warned him not to eat in a neighbour’s house, for she was scared of witches. Benin was his first contact with tarred roads, cars, electricity, etcetera. It was a gateway to the wonders of city life.
Again, the University of Benin and Ambrose Alli University offered him another experience. UNIBEN was located in the town, hence it was not so difficult schooling there; but Ekpoma gave him a tough time during his short stay. He could not but abandon his schooling at Ambrose Alli for personal reasons to continue at Benson Idahosa University. These tertiary institution experiences were nothing compared to Eghudu. Eghudu village was small but very big with amazing things.
Reflecting nostalgically, Godstime said the community had several gods they worshiped at different times. Some of them restricted non indigenous to their homes for a duration. Perhaps he and his brother were the only non-natives allowed to walk freely whenever they worshipped their special gods. Those privileges were granted, because their father had come to the community in 1932 when many of the elders were still young and lived there throughout until he fell ill.
He was well respected even as a non-native.
With his primary education over, he was sent to Warri to live with his elder nephew. There, he attended Dom-Domingos College in Edjeba, near Warri. It was at Domingos College that he developed a literary predilection. He started by writing short stories. He would write and tear the papers for fun. After about two years in Warri, his nephew returned him to his mum, and he was handed to his aunt again.
This time, he combined writing with his education. It was at his aunt’s house that he wrote and published his debut book, A Dance to the Golden Vision in 2005. After the book was launched, he moved out of my aunt’s house to rent a house of his own for the first time in his life. Prior to leaving his aunt’s house, he met a young man named Nicolas Tuoyo with whom he started writing plays together. Together, they wrote his first drama script, which they were to enact before it was later published as a play.
Since publishing his debut book, the writer hasn’t relented. He has released many amazing books. Let’s not forget, Godstime’s life was shaped by the experiences he got at Eghudu. A Dance to the Golden Vision was set in Iboro, a nearby village. Being born in a primitive village offered him unadulterated stories to explore. The publication of A Dance to the Golden Vision was followed by Two Nights in One Day, also set in a nearby community. According to him, A Dance to the Golden has sold over a million copies today.
His oeuvre teems with books such as Oduduwa, Holy Sinner, Premature Adults, Abuja Cabals, The Crying Hospital Bed, How Tortoise Defeated Lion, Beautiful Nonsense, Bendel Stories, Where There is a Will, School is Not a Scam, The Man called Politician, Decent Thieves, Lust for Wealth, A Bird in the Hand, My Parents Must not Hear This, Eko, Destined for Greatness, Why Crayfish is Bent, A Good School, Before Harmattan there was Cold, If I had Known…, Genesis to Revelation of the Use of English, and The Master Key to English Language. He also initiated a tribal current affairs called Urhobo Current Affairs.
The author is widely travelled and owns a publishing firm called PEN-DIGITAL NIGERIA PUBLISHERS.
