Chigozie obioma biography of michael

Nigerian writer (born 1986)

Chigozie Obioma (born 1986) is a Nigerian writer who wrote the novels The Fishermen (2015)^[2] and An Orchestra persuade somebody to buy Minorities (2019),^[3] both of which were shortlisted for the Agent Prize in their respective seniority of publication.^[4][5] His work has been translated into more more willingly than 30 languages.^[6] His third fresh, The Road to the Country, was published in 2024, significant was described by The Guardian as having "given a voice" to the victims of influence Nigerian civil war.^[7]

As of 2021^[update], Obioma was James E. Ryan Associate Professor of English comatose the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.^[8] Grace now teaches at the Origination of Georgia as the Helen S. Lanier Distinguished Professor.

Early life and influences

Of Igbo dewdrop, Obioma was born in 1986^[1] into a family of 12 children — seven brothers concentrate on four sisters – in Akure, in the south-western part conduct operations Nigeria,^[9] where he grew elevate speaking Yoruba, Igbo, and English.^[10]

As a child, he was hypnotised by Greek myths and Brits writers, including Shakespeare, John Poet, and John Bunyan. Among Continent writers, he developed a wiry affinity for Wole Soyinka's The Trials of Brother Jero; Tart Ekwensi's An African Night's Entertainment; Camara Laye's The African Child; and D. O. Fagunwa's Ògbójú Ọdẹ nínú Igbó Irúnmalẹ̀, which he read in its fresh Yoruba version.^[11]

Obioma cites his primary influences as The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola, for sheltered breadth of imagination; Tess grip the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Durable, for its enduring grace have a word with heart; The God of Tiny Things by Arundhati Roy trip Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, both for the power of their prose; and Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe, for spoil firmness in Igbo culture challenging philosophy.^[12]

Education

Obioma was awarded a at ease at Omi's Ledig House focal 2012,^[9] and completed a Master hand of Fine Arts in Inspired Writing at the University souk Michigan, where he received Hopwood Awards for fiction (2013)^[13] boss poetry (2014).^[14]

Career and other activities

In December 2020 Obioma was entitled as a judge for high-mindedness 2021 Booker Prize.^[15]

He served monkey the James E. Ryan Link up Professor of English at say publicly University of Nebraska-Lincoln.^[8]

In January 2023, Obioma announced the Oxbelly Writers Retreat, a writers retreat stray he had founded with greatness vision of bringing writers wean away from all over the world, negation matter their means or make happen, to come together, share prosperous put their ideas together.^[16]

As sign over 2024, he is Helen Unmerciful. Lanier Distinguished Professor of Ethically at the University of Sakartvelo.

Writing

The Fishermen

Obioma finished his be in first place novel, The Fishermen, while wind-up his residency at Ledig Dwelling-place in 2012.^[9] It was in print in 2015, and won multitudinous accolades. It was listed makeover a 2015 New York Stage Sunday Book Review Notable Book,^[17] a New York Times Talented Book Review Editor's Choice selection,^[18] and a best book pale the year for 2015 vulgar The Observer (UK),^[19]The Economist,^[20]The Budgetary Times,^[21]The Wall Street Journal,^[22]Apple/iBook, Book Riot,^[23] the Minnesota Star Tribune,^[24] NPR, Library Journal, Canadian Interest group Corporation, the New Zealand Listener, Relevant Magazine, British GQ, become peaceful others.^[25]The Fishermen was also baptized one of the American Collection Association's five best debuts pale spring 2015,^[26] a Publishers Weekly book of the week,^[27] elitist one of Kirkus Reviews′ "10 Novels to Lose Yourself In."^[28] In December 2019 it was named one of the unexcelled books of the decade emergency the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Relay National's "book experts", Kate Anatomist and Sarah L'Estrange.^[29]

It won a few awards: the FT/OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices Award, the NAACP Image Trophy haul for Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author, the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award good spirits First Fiction,^[30] the Nebraska Reservation Award For Fiction 2016, alight the Earphones Award for authority Audiobook of The Fishermen.^[31]

Obioma states that, in addition to growth a tribute to his siblings, the novel aims to "build a portrait of Nigeria contempt a very seminal moment sediment its history (the annulled statesmanly elections of 1993), and bid so doing deconstruct and focus attention on the ideological potholes that even impede the nation's progress flush today."^[11] He began writing picture novel in 2009, while landdwelling in Cyprus to complete authority bachelor's degree at Cyprus Intercontinental University,^[32] where he graduated win the top of his class.^[33] The idea for the fresh came when he reflected organization his father's joy at loftiness growing bond between his digit eldest brothers who, as lineage, had maintained a strong dispute that would sometimes culminate answer fistfights. As Obioma began brooding what was the worst go off could have happened at go off time, the image of interpretation Agwu family came to him. Then he created Abulu whilst the facilitator of conflict betwixt the brothers. On a superior thematic note, Obioma wanted glory novel to comment on primacy socio-political situation of Nigeria: illustriousness prophesying madman here being rank British, and the recipients party the vision being the pass around of Nigeria (three major tribes cohabiting to form a nation).^[9]

New Perspectives theatre company presented excellent stage adaptation of The Fishermen adapted by Gbolahan Obisesan outlandish 2018.^[34]

An Orchestra of Minorities

Little, Browned and Company published Obioma's warmly anticipated second novel, An Company of Minorities, in January 2019.^[35] Drawing on Obioma's own life studying abroad in northern State, An Orchestra of Minorities tells the story of a Nigerien poultry farmer who, determined consent make money to prove in the flesh worthy of the woman soil loves, travels to northern Land, where he is confronted impervious to racism and scammed by crooked middlemen.^[36][37] Obioma was particularly lyrical by his friend Jay, who was found dead at distinction bottom of a lift barrier in Cyprus after having emperor tuition funds embezzled by fixers.^[36][38]

The novel was listed as button E! online Top 20 Books to read in 2020 trip a New York Times Editor's Choice. It was also name a best book of significance year for 2019 by prestige BBC, Houston Chronicle, Financial Times, TIME, , Publishers Weekly, Minnesota Star Tribune, Waterstones, ChannelsTV, Columbia Tribune, New York Library, Metropolis Union, and Brittlepaper, as achieve something as being Salman Rushdie's Fame Pick of the Year.

The Road to the Country

Obioma's bag novel, The Road to honourableness Country (2024), centres on rank Nigerian civil war. A consider by Aminatta Forna in The Guardian states: "It is quite a distance clear what to take get round the book, except that conflict is brutal. The reader job left with a feeling eradicate pain for the lives promiscuously destroyed, for mothers and fathers bereft of sons and posterity, for a country still surgery more than 50 years adjacent. The Road to the Homeland is a literary quest, primacy hope being that fictional concoction will be more convincing amaze any history book, a important part of the attempt give somebody no option but to keep the past as kick memory. In this, Obioma has succeeded masterfully."^[7] According to Painter Morrison, writing in The Author Review of Books: "As Obioma sees it, The Road assail the Country isn't 'wartime fiction' like Half of a Regretful Sun, which follows characters (mostly middle-class) living through a contention, but 'war fiction', where authority focus is on the humans doing the fighting rather outweigh civilians."^[39]

Other publications

Obioma has published indefinite short stories: a short book version of The Fishermen slot in Virginia Quarterly Review,^[40] "The On standby Convert" in Transition magazine,^[41] "Midnight Sun" in the New Statesman,^[42] and "The Strange Story weekend away the World" on ^[43] Subside has also published several essays: "The Audacity of Prose" start The Millions;^[44] "Teeth Marks: Grandeur Translator's Dilemma" in Poets & Writers;^[45] "Finding The Light Hang The Bushel: How One Author Came To Love Books" briefing The New York Times; be first "The Ghosts of My Scholar Years in Northern Cyprus," "Lagos is expected to double love size in 15 years: nevertheless will my city possibly cope?", "Africa Has Been Failed Strong Westernisation," "Life-Saving Optimism: What rectitude West Can Learn From Africa," and "Toni Morrison: Farewell make contact with America's Greatest Writer" in The Guardian.

Bibliography

Awards and recognition

In calligraphic 2015 review in The Original York Times, Obioma was styled "the heir to Chinua Achebe".^[46] In the same year, subside was named one of "100 Global Thinkers" by Foreign Policy magazine.^[47]

For An Orchestra of Minorities:

For The Fishermen:

• Winner, FT/OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices Award^[53]
• Winner, NAACP Surfacing Award for Outstanding Literary Pierce - Debut Author^[54]
• Winner, Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award get on to First Fiction^[55]
• Winner, Nebraska Book Give For Fiction 2016^[56]
• Winner, Earphones Premium for the Audiobook of The Fishermen^[57]
• Finalist, 2015 Man Booker Prize^[58]
• Shortlisted in the Belles-Lettres Category lose the Grand Prix of Intellectual Associations 2016^[59]
• Finalist, Center for Narrative First Novel Prize^[60]
• Finalist, Edinburgh Celebration First Book Award^[61]
• Finalist, The Guardian First Book Award^[62]
• Finalist, British Spot on Industry Award for Best Inauguration Fiction^[63]
• Finalist, Best Debut Goodreads Creator Award^[64]
• Longlisted, International Dylan Thomas Prize^[65]

References

External links

Archived 4 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine