The Market Might not be Big, but it has its Appeal –an Interview with J.L Maikaho

In an age where art and spirituality often seem worlds apart and creatives have to choose from either, J.L Maikaho—poet, storyteller, and founder of Shoshana Global Media—has brought them together as a response to what she views as “a divine gift.”

J.L Maikaho

I had the honour of speaking with J.L Maikaho, who shared with me her perspectives in the journey of parsing arts, creativity, and spirituality together.  Sometimes, she admits, faith seems to place limitations on creativity, yet she believes that genuine creativity requires faith, as the tangible and the intangible are interconnected and birth each other, and sometimes being true to art may mean honouring the source of inspiration, even when it doesn’t fit  conventional demands of the literary world.

I start by asking J.L how writing and spiritual expression connect for her, seeing that her work often touches on spiritual and mystical themes. She responds by likening her gift for writing to the Biblical parable of the talents, seeing it as an investment from God that demands a return. “[My] writing ability is a divine gift and like everything supernatural, there's a purpose for it, so I do it with a sense of responsibility. Writing, among other things, is an excruciating process that demands all of the writer, like a creator modelling her creature in her image.” She describes the weight of responsibility she feels to share the stories she receives, finding herself restless and unfulfilled until when she tells these stories. “Whatever experiences I have, I understand that turning them into the right stories is an obligation. I get depressed when I do not tell the stories I have received, when I fail to fulfil the purpose of my being.” Her 'early experiences' led her to experiment with psychography—writing through an inner channeling—but over time, she grew into a more deliberate, careful approach. “I attempted psychography few times during my early teens but I've since grown past that depth. Now, I write exactly as I've received, then filter the form, the outlook into a story or poem while ensuring that the substance is preserved no matter what shroud is used.”

Writing on spiritual themes demands a vulnerability that J.L finds both challenging and rewarding. She finds herself grappling with the intersection of faith and reason, and sometimes feels as though reason might betray her spirituality, or that faith may blind her to objective truth. "Writing about spirituality," J.L explains, involves finding a balance between "faith and reason," where faith sometimes feels like blindness and reasoning feels like blasphemy. She confesses, "It's a whole world of its own, writing spirituality. I introspect, question, doubt, cry, and most times give up because of the demands of the process. I can be straightforward factual when I'm writing about topics like climate change, for example, because there are statistics and concrete, visible evidence to support the work. But Fides et ratio, the bridge between faith and reason has crippled my writing many times. Reasoning would feel like blasphemy, and faith would feel like blindness. And there's no balance because it'll be a betrayal of the process.” The process often leads her to hesitate for hours or days before beginning, but when she perseveres, "even I marvel at the beauty of my gift."

J.L’s spiritual beliefs also shape her view of success. While she acknowledges the significance of awards and fellowships, she remains more invested in staying true to her purpose than in gaining recognition. Success, while appreciated, is secondary to J.L’s dedication to faithfulness. "I'm more concerned with being faithful with my gift than being successful," she says, though she welcomes both. She reminisces about her childhood dream of publishing controversial works under a pseudonym, inspired by V in The Mafia Manager. “I read The Mafia Manager when I was eight or nine, stole it from my brother's library while he was away in the university. I was fascinated by the anonymity of V, and I became obsessed with wanting to publish controversial works behind a pseudonym. I used to think I'd be murdered for my views, and anonymity would be the only way to avoid it.” But over time, she came to realise "it'd be an unnecessary hassle," and settled on using her initials instead. The idea of fame, or even acclaim in her lifetime, is something she sees as secondary, willing to have her works discovered posthumously if it means remaining faithful to her calling.

The writer's spiritual focus hasn’t come without its challenges in a world that often doesn’t align with her beliefs. She has encountered suggestions to abandon what some see as an outdated faith, with nudges toward “new spiritualism.” “Creatives that explore science fiction, surrealism, magic, alternate reality and the likes are selling well. People are becoming more conscious of the influence and increasing active participation of the supernatural in our daily and community affairs.” She admits seeing a renewed cultural hunger for the supernatural and believes that, in time, many will ultimately return to faith after seeking fulfilment in other forms of spirituality. “The market for faith might not be big but it has its appeal and I believe that after fruitless sojourn in shallow spiritualism, there'll always be a chance for a return to faith.”

“Do you see writing as a form of prayer or meditation? If yes, how does this influence what you create?” I ask.

"Yes. Everyone has a God-given gift, and it is a special portal through which we can commune with the Giver," she answers. Writing has even served as a form of penance, guided by Our Lady Stella Maris to help her find hope, healing, and reconciliation with God. "I owe a lot of my insights to her maternal counsel," she reflects. In addition to writing, J.L’s radio program, More Than Conquerors, provides another outlet for her spiritual energy. While poetry and prose give her freedom and exploration, her radio work offers structure and an avenue to discuss faith openly and directly. "I anchor a radio program, 'More Than Conquerors' that's basically about overcoming the challenges of the Christian journey. I love the opportunity it gives me to research, write and speak. Poetry and prose are uniquely exciting because there're no limits on word count, themes I can explore, etc."

With her brainchild, Shoshana Global Media focusing on faith-based entertainment, I ask how she keeps her projects true to her faith while still engaging a wide audience. J.L is firm on maintaining her faith’s integrity within Shoshana, even when it conflicts with audience expectations. At times when there is tension between audience expectations and her faith, she chooses the latter without hesitation. "There's no room for compromise. Where there's conflict between keeping the faith and keeping the audience, I choose the former without philosophising." While Shoshana is still in its early stages, J.L finds the journey fulfilling and notes the tension she sometimes feels between faith and creativity. “Sometimes, it feels as if faith is putting barriers to the expression of creativity. But I know also that it takes faith to create, that what is concrete is made from what is immaterial."

Living between Gombe and Katsina states, J.L is shaped by the cultural and spiritual peculiarities of both regions. The differences in each place improves her understanding of human nature, enriches her perspective on mysticism, and  provides her writing a sense of empathy that connects with readers across backgrounds. "It gives me a better insight into the complexity of human nature." Through Shoshana Global Media, J.L continues on her mission of creating faith-based entertainment that doesn’t compromise her beliefs.  Platforms like the SprinNG Writing Fellowship and the Flame Tree Writers Project have introduced her to a community of like-minded individuals who have both challenged and inspired her. J.L has come to value community as essential to her journey as a writer. At SprinNG, she met "amazing people" with whom she still connects regularly, and her colleagues from the Flame Tree Writers Workshop continue to "challenge and inspire" her.

In closing, J.L admits that she doesn’t write to unravel “the mysteries of a divine God.” Instead, her works serve as an invitation, a kind of ‘call to worship’ that celebrates the mystery rather than seeks to solve it. “I write to worship and call others to worship a mysterious God whom I first believed in, whether or not I have the capacity to fully understand the ineffable mystery of His esse.”