Florence Onyebuchi Orabueze | |
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Born | March 1966 (age 57) |
Citizenship | Nigeria |
Occupations |
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Title | The former Director of the Institute of African Studies of University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the founder of the Grace Uzoma Okonkwo Foundation |
Spouse | Alexander Ogochukwu Orabueze |
Children | 4 |
Academic background | |
Education | University of Nigeria, Nsukka:
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Academic work | |
Discipline |
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Institutions | University of Nigeria,Nsukka |
Florence Onyebuchi Orabueze is a poet,writer and a Nigerian professor of English and literary studies. [1] [2] She was a former director of the Institute of African studies of the institution,the founder of the Grace Uzoma Okonkwo Foundation and a member of Nigerian Academy of Letters. [3] [4] [5]
On March 30,1966,Orabueze was born in Enugu-Ezike,Igboeze Local Government Area,Enugu State. [1] [6] She is an Anambra State native and comes from Uruagu,Nnewi,in the Nnewi North Local Government Area. From 1973 until 1979,she attended Uruagu Nnewi Central School (St. Mary's),where she earned her First School Leaving Certificate. She attended the Girls' Secondary School in Uruagu,Nnewi,where she obtained a West African School Certificate in 1984. [7] She was given admission to the University of Nigeria,Nsukka,where she studied English language and literature for her BA from 1984 to 1988. The University of Nigeria,Nsukka awarded her a master's degree in teaching English as a second language in 1991. [1] In addition,from 1993 to 1998,she pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree at the same university. In 2000,she received her Bachelor of Laws from the Nigerian Law School,Bwari,Abuja. On October 14,2000,she was called to the Nigerian Bar. In 2011,she earned a doctorate in English with a focus on African literature from the Faculty of Arts,Department of English Language and Literary Studies,University of Nigeria,Nsukka. [8]
Orabueze began her academic career as an assistant lecturer at department of English,University of Nigeria,in 1996. In 1997,she was promoted to lecturer II. She became lecturer I in 2000,a senior lecturer in 2004 and a professor of English at the University of Nigeria. On 11 May 2017,she did her presentation of inaugural lecture. [4] [1] In 2019,a festschrift titled Perspectives of Language,Literature and Human Rights was published in her honour. [9]
From 2011 to 2012,she was the ag. coordinator of the Use of English unit under school of general studies of the University of Nigeria Nsukka. From 2010 to 2013,she was a development officer to the 13th vice-chancellor of the institution. Between 2015 and 2019,she was the first female director,University of Nigeria Bookshop. In 2015,she also became the first female director of University of Nigeria Press Ltd;until 2019. In the latter year,she became the director of the Institute of African Studies,a position she held until 2021. [3] [1] [4]
Orabueze is a member of Nigerian Academy of Letters,African Literature Association (ALA),Linguistic Association of Nigeria (LAN),Modern Languages Association of Nigeria (MLAN),West African Association of Language,Literature and Linguistics Teachers (WALLTA) and Women Caucus of African Literature Association (WOCALA). Also she is a fellow of Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators,Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators,Society for Research and Academic Excellence,a Life member of Nigerian Academy of Letters and Nigerian Bar Association. [6] [1] [4]
Orabueze got married to Alexander Ogochukwu Orabueze,a chartered accountant on 17 December 1988 at the Holy Ghost Cathedral,Enugu. They are blessed with four children. [4] [6]
Things Fall Apart is the debut novel of Nigerian author Chinua Achebe,first published in 1958. It depicts pre-colonial life in Igboland and the invasion by Europeans during the late 19th century. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English,and one of the first to receive global critical acclaim. It is a staple book in schools throughout Africa and is widely read and studied in English-speaking countries around the world. The novel was first published in the United Kingdom in 1958 by William Heinemann Ltd,and became the first work published in Heinemann's African Writers Series.
Florence Onyebuchi "Buchi" Emecheta 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,including Second Class Citizen (1974),The Bride Price (1976),The Slave Girl (1977) and The Joys of Motherhood (1979). Most of her early novels were published by Allison and Busby,where her editor was Margaret Busby.
Nsukka is a town and a Local Government Area in Enugu State,Nigeria. Nsukka shares a common border as a town with Edem,Opi,Ede-Oballa,and Obimo.
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 three campuses in Enugu State–Nsukka,Enugu,and Ituku-Ozalla –and the Aba campus in Abia State.
Enugu State is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria,bordered to the north by the states of Benue and Kogi,Ebonyi State to the east and southeast,Abia State to the south,and Anambra State to the west. The state takes its name from its capital and largest city,Enugu. The city acquired township status in 1917 and was called Enugwu-Ngwo. Due to the rapid expansion towards areas owned by other indigenous communities,it was renamed Enugu in 1928.
Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State,southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest city in Anambra state after Onitsha. Nnewi as a metropolitan area has two local government area,which are Nnewi North and Nnewi South,all centred around the Nnewi town. Even Ekwusigo local government area is now part of Nnewi urban area,as urbanization continues to spread from Nnewi to neighbouring communities. The Nnewi town which is the only town in Nnewi North comprises four villages:Otolo,Uruagu,Umudim,and Nnewichi. Nnewi had been the centre of economics and commerce,being at a time the fastest growing industrial city east of the Niger,being the home of many industries such as The Ibeto Group,the Chicason Group,Cutix Cables,amongst others. The first indigenous car manufacturing plant in Nigeria is located in the city while the first wholly Made-in-Nigeria motorcycle,the 'NASENI M1' was manufactured in Nnewi.
Florence Nwanzuruahu Nkiru Nwapa,was a Nigerian author who has been called the mother of modern African Literature. She was the forerunner to a generation of African women writers,and the first African woman novelist to be published in the English language in Britain. She achieved international recognition with her first novel Efuru, published in 1966 by Heinemann Educational Books. While never considering herself a feminist,she was best known for recreating life and traditions from an Igbo woman's viewpoint.
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Americanah is a 2013 novel by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,for which Adichie won the 2013 U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. Americanah tells the story of a young Nigerian woman,Ifemelu,who immigrates to the United States to attend university. The novel traces Ifemelu's life in both countries,threaded by her love story with high school classmate Obinze. It was Adichie's third novel,published on May 14,2013,by Alfred A. Knopf.
Ifeoma Okoye is a Nigerian novelist. She has been referred to by fans as "the most important female novelist from Nigeria after Flora Nwapa and Buchi Emecheta," according to Oyekan Owomoyela. She was born in Anambra State in Eastern Region,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 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.
Nnenna Rachael Okonkwo Popularly Known as Nkoli Nwa Nsukka is a Nigerian film actress. She is best known for the film of the same name. She bags an ambassador deal with Aquadon Water.
Joy Chinwe Eyisi is a Nigerian professor,author,scholar,educationalist,and philanthropist of Igbo descent. Between 2006 and 2011,she was Head of Department,English Language and Literature,Faculty of Arts,Nnamdi Azikiwe University,(NAU),Awka,Anambra State. She is now Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN),a position she assumed on 26 October 2017. Eyisi,who was hitherto the Centre Director of NOUN's Study Centre in the National Assembly in Abuja,emerged winner of the election held by the University Senate on 25 October 2017. She succeeds Professor Patrick Eya as the University's first female Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
Pauline Ada Uwakweh is a Nigerian writer and academic. Writing as Pauline Onwubiko,she published Running for Cover (1988),a children's novel giving a child's-eye view of the Nigerian civil war. She is an Associate Professor of English in the English Department at North Carolina A&T State University. Her specialism is African writing and literature from the African diaspora,particularly women's writing.
Gordian Obumneme Ezekwe was a Nigerian inventor,mechanical engineer and former federal Minister of Science and Technology under Ibrahim Babangida from 1989 to 1991. As the head of the Rocket Group of the Biafran Research and Production Directorate,he was notable for supervising the invention of the Biafran rocket and building a refinery for producing fuel,kerosene and diesel during the Nigerian Civil War. It is worthy of note that as minister of science and technology in 1991,21 years after the civil war,he didn’t forget one of the major contributors under his Research and Production team during the civil war. He recognized Engineer Romanus Okonkwo Nduagubam,a notable member of his research and production team during the war for his tremendous efforts and design/ development of a highly efficient machine that churned out tens of thousands of percussion caps which helped wage the war and sustain the biafrans,with a National award for excellence in Engineering and Technology. He was also involved in the production of the Ogbunigwe. He was a former Director of the Projects Development Agency (PRODA),first Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Agency For Science and Engineering,Infrastructure (NASENI),and founder of Science Equipment Development Institute (SEDI). Prof. Gordian Ezekwe was the first Nigerian PhD in Mechanical Engineering (1959)
Nicholas Amechi Akwanya,FNAL is a Nigerian retired professor,priest,poet and a novelist. He was a former dean of Postgraduate studies of the University of Nigeria,Nsukka and a former head of department of English and Literary Studies of the institution. He is a fellow of Nigeria Academy of Letters.
Emmanuel Nnaemeka Enejere (1944–2016) was a Nigerian academic and a political scientist. He was the 14th Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Nigeria,Nsukka and a former president of the National Union of Biafran Students in the midst of the Nigerian Civil War.
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