Ifeoma Okoye

Ifeoma Okoye (possibly born in 1937) has been referred to by fans as "the most important female novelist from Nigeria after Flora Nwapa and Buchi Emecheta," according to Oyekan Owomoyela.[1] She was born in Anambra State in Eastern Nigeria. She went to school at St. Monica's College in Ogbunike to receive a teaching certificate in 1959. She then graduated from the University of Nigeria in Nsukka to earn a Bachelor of Arts honors degree in English in 1977. She wrote novels like Behind the Clouds, children's novels and short stories, like The Village Boy and Eme Goes to School.

Early life and education

Ifeoma Okoye was possibly born in 1937[1] in Anambra State, Nigeria as to this day is unknown the date she was actually born.[2] She went to school at St. Monica's College in Ogbunike and earned a teaching certificate. She then taught at St. Monica's college for two years. During the years of 1963 to 1967, she went to the All Saints International School in Enugu. She ran her own nursery school in Enugu from 1971 to 1974.[1] From 1974 to 1977, Okoye went to school at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English, where she gained the knowledge of writing quality works. From 1986 to 1987, she studied at Aston University in England, where she obtained a postgraduate degree in English. Later, she taught English at Nnamdi Azikiwe University until 2000.[2]

Accomplishments

Although Okoye was known for her children's short stories, she also wrote some books, such as Behind the Clouds, for adults. Behind the Clouds was about a couple who fails to have children, and how the blame mainly falls on the woman instead of the man.[3] Okoye received prizes for both Behind the Cloud and The Village Boy from the Nigerian National Council of Art and Culture in 1983, along with earning the best fiction of the year award for the novel, Men Without Ears, in 1984. In 1985, she received another award for Daily Bread after Eze at the Ife National Book Fair. She was also the African Regional Winner for the Commonwealth Short Story Competition in 1999.[1]

Major works

Okoye's writing career began after her years in education. She wrote short stories and novels. While the majority of her works were short stories for children, she also wrote some novels for adults.

See also

Nigerian woman novelists

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Owomoyela, Oyekan (2013). The Columbia Guide to West African Literature in English Since 1945. Columbia University Press. p. 142. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 Killam, Douglas; Kerfoot, Alicia L. (2008). Student Encyclopedia of African Literature. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 232. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Ifeoma Okoye: Behind the Clouds". The Modern Novel. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Ifeoma Okoye". The Modern Novel.

Sources

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