Ezenwa-Ohaeto (1958–2005) was a Nigerian poet, short story writer and academic. He was one of the first Nigerians to publish poems written in pidgin English. He died in Cambridge in 2005.

Life and career

Ezenwa-Ohaeto was born on 31 March 1958 to Michael Ogbonnaya Ohaeto and Rebecca Ohaeto in Ife Ezinihite in

Mbaise Mbaise is a region in Imo State in southeastern Nigeria. In the heart of Igboland, the region includes several towns and cities. It is a group of indigenous clans, connected by intermarriage. With a population density of over 1,000 people per squ ...

local government area of

Imo State Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a States of Nigeria, state in the South East (Nigeria), South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. It takes its n ...

.Emmanuel K. et al., 2012, Pg. 322 He began his primary education at St. Augustine Grammar School, Nkwerre in 1971. He completed his secondary education in 1975 with distinction in arts and sciences with a Grade One certificate. He studied at the

University of Nigeria The University of Nigeria, commonly referred to as UNN, is a federal university located in Nsukka, Enugu State, Eastern part of Nigeria. Founded by Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1955 and formally opened on 7 October 1960, the University of Nigeria has thr ...

under the tutelage of novelist Chinua Achebe and critic Donatus Nwoga from 1971 to 1979. He subsequently graduated with a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

with honours in English. He earned a Masters of Arts from UNN with a scholarship from the Imo state government in 1982. In 1991, he was awarded a

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

in literature from University of Benin. Ezenwa-Ohaeto began his teaching career in 1980 as an assistant lecturer at

Ahmadu Bello University Ahmadu Bello University Zaria is a federal government research university in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. ABU was founded on 4 October 1962, as the pioneer university in Northern Nigeria. It was founded and named after the Sardauna of Sokoto, Al ...

. From 1982 to 1992 he taught at

Anambra State Anambra State is a Nigerian state, located in the southeastern region of the country. The state was created on August 27, 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State ...

College of Education, Awka as a lecturer. He then taught at

Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education The Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri is located in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, Nigeria. It was established in April, 1963 as the Advanced Teachers Training College by the defunct Eastern Nigeria Government on the grounds of ...

as an assistant professor from 1992 to 1998 and as a senior lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University from 1998 until his death in 2005. Ezenwa-Ohaeto was married to Ngozi with who he had four children. He was the father of

Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto Chinụa Ezenwa-Ọhaeto is a Nigerian poet and academic. He is the author of ''The Teenager Who Became My Mother,'' published in 2017''.'' Early life and education Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto was born in Awka, Anambra State Anambra State is a ...

Awards and recognitions

* BBC Arts and Africa Poetry Award * Association of Nigerian Authors/Cadbury Poetry Award * Fellow, African Studies Centre,

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

Bibliography

*''Chants of a Minstrel'' *''I Wan Bi President'' *''Songs of a Traveller'' *''Chinua Achebe: A Biography'' *''The Voice of the Night Masquerade'' *"If to Say I bi Soja" *"Winging Words"

References

Citation

* Nigerian poets Nigerian short story writers Nigerian academics Igbo short story writers 1958 births 2005 deaths {{Nigeria-writer-stub