Ekpeki on speculative fiction: power begins with those who lack it
In an interview published by Élékéré Press on 19 October, the Nigerian writer discusses influences, working conditions and literary projects.
Who holds power, and what changes when we lack it? Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki identifies that thread in his writing in an interview published by Élékéré Press on 19 October. The Nigerian author connects speculative fiction’s questions with the practical conditions of creative work, recalling the difficulties of writing without a reliable electricity supply.
He names Ben Okri, Octavia Butler and Ursula K. Le Guin among his influences. He also discusses Birth of Orisha, his debut novel planned for 2027, and work on a second Dominion anthology. The fresh development is this conversation about his literary journey, rather than the novel’s original announcement. It offers a view of speculative fiction bringing imagination, inequality and the possibility of different worlds into the same frame.