One on One with Dami and Eze

 

 

 

 

Damilare Adedeji and Ekpo Eze Chinyere are two of the best Christian bloggers in the blogging ecosystem.  Their blogs are replete with soaring panegyrics in honor of the God they serve. At the beginning of the year, both of them combined to produce a Valentine’s Story. That story can be read here.

In this interview, we asked Dami and Eze about their writing history, inspiration and their plans for the future.

When and why did you begin writing? When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Dami: I had a crush on my literature teacher in secondary school. Always loved books but took writing seriously in JSS3. Wrote her a poem titled Happiness. I considered myself a writer from that moment on. Especially when I saw the sparkle in her eyes. 

Eze: I started writing in secondary schools, majorly love poems and mushy stuff. I became the editor of NCCMDS (Nigerian Conference of Medical and Dental Students) of University of Ibadan chapter when I was in year four. I wrote my first book in 2010 yet unpublished though and started blogging in 2011. The latter part of 2011 was however when my king Uzziah died and I saw The Lord concerning my writing.

 Both of you are two of the best Christian bloggers around,  what inspires you?

Dami : Christ. His never ending Love. His indefatigable spirit that indwells me even as I write this.

Eze : My inspiration is God! I believe making God famous through our talents should be the greatest motivating factor for any believer. We live to promote the kingdom of God!  This is what actually inspires me. I also get most of my posts while praying in the spirit. There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding.

I read one of your stories Valentine’s Special: Love’s Madness and I couldn’t get over it for days,  what inspired it?

Dami: Christ and the gift of God called Eze. I see EZE as a teacher. His style is most like Jesus in the way he tells his stories. I had a desire in me to work with him.

Eze: At the beginning of the year, Dami expressed a desire for us to do a collabo so I buzzed him up before Valentine. He mentioned a love story and the idea dropped in my heart like a coin into a till. Hence, the post was born.

Both of you are professionals in other fields apart from writing, how do you manage to  make time to write?

Dami: E no easy but we make time for what we love. Besides for me, writing is like a ministry. So I write during break, in the restroom. The poems and stories are in the head. So anytime there is time I pen them.

Eze: It is all about passion bro. Jesus started as a carpenter but dropped wood making to face a higher calling. Writing for me is ministry, a higher calling. Other things are jobs, writing is my work. I live and breathe words.

Before you gained readership did you feel like you weren’t good enough, how did you handle it?

Dami: Even with readership I still think my writing is abysmal. Have you read Hammer’s work? Epic. Or people like Cecile White, Tomi Akibo and Eloho? Now those are writers. I feel I am more like Ezra the scribe than Shakespeare. In any case I focus on honing my ability to impart the message with the finest quality possible.

Eze: Honestly, even now I still do not feel I am good enough especially when I read people like Dammy and that is the gospel truth. Therefore, I see the whole thing as a great privilege. I stopped writing for a period early last year because I felt I was not good enough and my readership was dropping like an anvil being courted by gravity. However, I remembered some promises that God made to me before I started writing and the fact that all the greats we admire had paths strewn with challenges.

 What do you read? Books, magazines or blogs?

Eze: I read everything. I love magazines, I read and follow numerous blogs and am mentored by the books of great authors.

Dami: I read everything.

Do you have any story/series you’ve given up on?

Dami: I once had a relationship series I started. But how shall I who has no bae be writing about bae. (chuckles)

Eze: Yes I have started a few stories that lost steam along the way.

Both of you are talented writers, how do you feel about not having a book published?

Dami: Nothing actually. Many have urged me to do so but it is a matter of time.

Eze: Publishing is in the offing. It is just a matter of time. What is worth is worth doing well.

 What are your favorite books?

Dami: Light Genes (Genesis) by Moses, Flight from Egypt by Moses, Curtains closed (Revelation) by John

All Ted Dekker books.

Eze: Finishing Strong, Outliers, Good to Great, The State of Africa, From First World to First World (The story of Singapore), In The Grip Of Grace,  The Grace Awakening, Armageddon, The Day of The Jackal, Investment Biker, When The Lion Feeds, This Present Darkness, The Purpose Driven Life, A Woman of Substance, etc.

Favorite films?

Dami: Does Naruto count?

Eze: Avatar, Musketeers the series, Anything James Bond, Limitless, The man without a face, Lord of the Rings, Superheroes movies, The Last of the Mohicans, Indiana Jones, etc

Favorite music?

Dami: Hillsong United music

Eze: Gospel in its entire spectrum. Jesus Culture, Frank Edwards, Fred Hammond, Bebe Winans, etc

How has social media influenced your writing?

Dami: Connecting me to people, ideas and new thought patterns.

Eze: Social media has quite influenced my writing. It has given me a platform to reach out to the world, meet people, you and Dami included…The possibilities are endless…

 What impact (if any)  do you think your brand of writing has on this generation?

Dami: Well, I believe my writing shows we can be funny without being filthy. We can rhyme without grime. The message doesn’t have to suffer because we want to go far. You can share your faith and still be great.

Eze: Since I do a lot of biblical stories set in contemporary settings, a number of people have told me that I have piqued their interest in the bible all afresh. Which is very good because the bible is the greatest untapped mine in the world. Even the diamond mines of Botswana have nothing on it.

What are you working on at the moment?

Dami: Top secret. If I tell I’d have to kill you.

Eze: I am presently working on the idea of a Christian fantasy.

Will there be a sequel to Valentine’s Special: Love’s Madness?

Dami: I believe so.

Eze: Lol. I have never thought of a sequel ooo, but if Dami has any new ideas, I will be game.

What are your plans for the future?

Dami: Publish.

Eze: More books, script writing and Christian movies. I believe there is a dearth of good Christian movies out there, which is quite sad. I watched Exodus: gods and kings recently and could not believe how much the story was mangled by Ridley Scott. It is time we took our position in these things. The stories belong to us, the Church has the bucks and the talents…so what are we waiting for.