Gilbert Bassey, brother of Guinness World Record holder and chef Hilda Baci, has released his debut novel, ‘ Decent Man’, a psychological thriller exploring guilt, revenge, and personal change. In an interview ahead of the book’s launch, Bassey discussed the story’s origins, its themes, and a surprise pre-launch party organized by his sister that raised over N3 million in support.
The novel stems from a nightmare Bassey had years ago. “In the dream, I had done something terrible back in school, and years later, someone showed up at my door because of it,” he said. “The unsettling part was that I couldn’t remember what I’d done.” Initially featuring police at the door, the concept evolved into a wife’s attempt to kill her husband over a forgotten past act. This shift, Bassey explained, made the story more intimate and terrifying, naturally incorporating themes of guilt and moral conflict. “If you’ve done something in the past that you’ve forgotten, guilt is inherent”, he said.
Bassey emphasized that the book’s title, “A Decent Man,” frames the central question: what does it take to become decent? The protagonist, Michael, begins as cruel and selfish but undergoes a forced transformation. “Michael didn’t choose to be cruel. He was shaped that way, by circumstance, by upbringing, by a past he doesn’t even remember,” Bassey said. “And if cruelty can be shaped into someone without their conscious choice, then decency can be shaped into them too.”
He wants readers to grasp that redemption often requires external pressure, not just personal will. “He changes because the truth of what he’s done, and what’s been done to him, leaves him no way out.”
The development of the book spanned nearly a decade, although not continuously. Bassey began as a screenplay before being converted into a novel, with the first draft completed in 2019. “The delay wasn’t because I was still refining ‘A Decent Man,’ it was because the circumstances weren’t right to put it into the world,” he clarified.
Since 2019, Bassey has written two more novels and is working on a fourth, viewing “A Decent Man” as a stepping stone to a larger six-book saga.
Bassey rejected interpretations linking the story to myths of masculinity or cultural notions of reputation. “This story has nothing to do with masculinity,” he stated. “The question the book asks is simple: what does it take to turn an ill-mannered person into a decent one? That’s it.” He also downplayed intentions to spark public debates on morality. “I’m not trying to spark a conversation about morality. That’s not what ‘A Decent Man’ is for,” he said.
Instead, he aims for readers to experience the emotional journey and wrestle with characters’ choices, particularly those of Rebecca, who seeks revenge after her family’s destruction.
Family plays a key role in both the book and Bassey’s life. Characters like Lydia, Michael’s protective mother, and Amaka, a loyal friend, reflect real-world bonds. Bassey drew parallels to his own upbringing, where love was central. He compared his sister Hilda to Amaka for her loyalty, though noting Hilda lacks Lydia’s manipulative traits.
The interview highlighted a surprise pre-launch party Hilda organized, which caught Bassey off guard. “It was the first time I’ve ever been surprised in such a manner,” he recalled. The event, held recently, gathered loved ones and featured a design merging Bassey’s writing and music pursuits. “It was meaningful to see the space designed in a way that merged the author and the musician without it feeling forced,” he said.
The event took an unexpected turn when the host, Kiekie, initiated a spontaneous book sale. She encouraged friends and well-wishers to support, resulting in over 70 copies sold and raising over N3 million.
Gilbert expressed deep gratitude, noting he hadn’t realized such a high level of support was possible from his immediate circle. “I’m really glad she did and deeply appreciate her for it because I wouldn’t have known it was possible to raise that kind of support just from the people around me,” Bassey said. A sudden downpour moved the after-party indoors, enhancing the intimacy. “The energy in that smaller space was something else,” he added.
Hilda’s gesture extended to presenting a large-scale physical copy of the book, inspired by Femi Otedola’s “Dream Big.” “Seeing the physical book, from the cover, the bookmark, all of it printed and real, was one of my favourite parts,” Bassey said. “I exist mostly in digital spaces… to have the novel brought to life that way, it hit differently.”
Reflecting on patience from the project’s long timeline, Bassey distinguished between forced waiting and trusting alignment. “If something truly matters to you, the difficulty becomes irrelevant. You keep coming back to it because it’s the thing you want to do,” he explained.
For success, Bassey prioritizes building readership over immediate sales. He’s offering the book for free on his website for a month post-release to grow a community. “Success for ‘A Decent Man’ is simple: build the audience now so they’re there when the bigger work arrives,” he said. Sales and conversations matter as validation, but the focus is on readers for his upcoming saga.
In a potential book club, Bassey would discuss revenge and the capacity for change. “Is the satisfaction of revenge worth what you have to give up to get it?” he posed. “And are some people beyond redemption?”
“A Decent Man” is now available, marking Bassey’s entry into publishing while hinting at more ambitious works ahead.
