Ifeoma Okoye
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Ifeoma Okoye (possibly born in 1937) is a Nigerian novelist. She has been referred to by fans as "the most important female novelist from
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
after
Flora Nwapa Florence Nwanzuruahu Nkiru Nwapa (13 January 1931 – 16 October 1993), was a Nigerian author who has been called the mother of modern African literature, African Literature. She was the forerunner to a generation of African women writers, and ...
and
Buchi Emecheta Florence Onyebuchi "Buchi" Emecheta (21 July 1944 – 25 January 2017) was a Nigerian-born novelist, based in the UK from 1962, who also wrote plays and an autobiography, as well as works for children. She was the author of more than 20 books, ...
," according to Oyekan Owomoyela. She was born in
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 ...
in Eastern Region, Nigeria. She went to school at St. Monica's College in
Ogbunike Ogbunike is a town in the Oyi local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria. Location It is located about 15 kilometers east of Onitsha. The Onitsha-Enugu expressway cuts through its northern border. The town is bordered on the east by Umudi ...
to receive a teaching certificate in 1959. She then graduated from the University of Nigeria in Nsukka to earn 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 ...
honours degree in English in 1977. She wrote novels including ''Behind the Clouds'', children's novels and short stories, such as ''The Village Boy'' and ''Eme Goes to School''.


Early life and education

Ifeoma Okoye was possibly born in 1937 in
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 ...
, Nigeria - the actual date she was born is unknown. 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 attended All Saints International School in
Enugu Enugu ( ; ) is the capital city of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in southeastern part of Nigeria. The city had a population of 820,000 according to the 2022 Nigerian census. The name ''Enugu'' is derived from the two Igbo words ''Énú ...
. She ran her own nursery school in
Enugu Enugu ( ; ) is the capital city of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in southeastern part of Nigeria. The city had a population of 820,000 according to the 2022 Nigerian census. The name ''Enugu'' is derived from the two Igbo words ''Énú ...
from 1971 to 1974. From 1974 to 1977, Okoye went to study at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English. From 1986 to 1987, she studied at Aston University in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, where she obtained a postgraduate degree in English. Later, she taught English at Nnamdi Azikiwe University until 2000.


Accomplishments

Although Okoye was known for her children's short stories, she also wrote some books for adults, such as ''Behind the Clouds''. ''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. 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 Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...
in 1999.


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. * * *''The Power of a Plate of Rice''. circa 2011. * * * * * * * * * *''Busy Bee Number Workbook''. 1980. * *''Eme Goes to School''. 1979.


See also

;Nigerian woman novelists * Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie *
Buchi Emecheta Florence Onyebuchi "Buchi" Emecheta (21 July 1944 – 25 January 2017) was a Nigerian-born novelist, based in the UK from 1962, who also wrote plays and an autobiography, as well as works for children. She was the author of more than 20 books, ...
*
Flora Nwapa Florence Nwanzuruahu Nkiru Nwapa (13 January 1931 – 16 October 1993), was a Nigerian author who has been called the mother of modern African literature, African Literature. She was the forerunner to a generation of African women writers, and ...
*
Karen King-Aribisala Karen Ann King-Aribisala (born Guyana) is a Nigerian novelist, and short story writer. She is a Professor of English at the University of Lagos. Education She was educated at the International School Ibadan, St. George's British International ...
*
Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani Adaobi Tricia Obinne Nwaubani is a Nigerian novelist, humorist, essayist and journalist, who was born in 1976. Her debut novel, ''I Do Not Come To You By Chance'', won the 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book (Africa), a Bett ...
* Chidera Okolie *
Taiwo Odubiyi Taiwo Odubiyi (born 29 May 1965) is a Nigerian author, international speaker, a marriage and relationship counsellor. She is the senior associate pastor, alongside her husband, Reverend Sola Odubiyi, of The Still Waters Church International with ...
*
Adaora Lily Ulasi Adaora Lily Ulasi (born 1932) was a Nigerian journalist and novelist. She is said to have been the first West African woman to earn a degree in journalism. As a journalist, she has worked for the BBC and Voice of America. As a novelist she wro ...
* Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo * Nnedi Okorafor * Chika Unigwe * Sefi Atta *
Helen Oyeyemi Helen Oyeyemi FRSL (born 10 December 1984) is a British novelist and writer of short stories. Life Oyeyemi was born in Nigeria and was raised in Lewisham, South London from when she was four. Oyeyemi wrote her first novel, '' The Icarus Girl'' ...
* Chinelo Okparanta *
Lola Shoneyin Lola Shoneyin (born Titilola Atinuke Alexandrah Shoneyin; 26 February 1974 in Ibadan, Nigeria) is a Nigerian poet and author who launched her debut novel, ''The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives'', in the UK in May 2010. Shoneyin has forged a r ...
*
Chibundu Onuzo Imachibundu Oluwadara Onuzo (born 1991) is a Nigerian novelist. Her first novel, ''The Spider King's Daughter'', won a Betty Trask Award, was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Commonwealth Book Prize, and was longlisted for the Des ...
* Kaine Agary


References


Further reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Okoye, Ifeoma Living people Nigerian women novelists Academics of Aston University University of Nigeria alumni Nnamdi Azikiwe University faculty 1937 births British women children's writers Nigerian schoolteachers People from Anambra State Nigerian women academics 20th-century British women writers 21st-century British women writers 20th-century Nigerian novelists 21st-century Nigerian novelists