Third Generation of Nigerian Writers

Last updated

The Third Generation of Nigeria Writers is an emerging phase of Nigerian literature, in which there is a major shift in both the method of publishing and the themes explored. [1] [2] This set of writers are known for writing post-independence novels and poems. [lower-alpha 1] [3] This generation is believed to be influenced by the western world, [5] politics [6] and the preceding generation of Mbari Club writers, [7] Flora Nwapa and Buchi Emecheta. [8] The emergence of the third generation of Nigerian writers has changed the publishing sector with a resurgence of new publishing firms such as Kachifo Limited, Parrésia Publishers, Cassava Republic Press and Farafina Books. [9] [10] These new writers create new genres and methods that deal with racism, class, abuse and violence. [11] [12]

Contents

Etymology

The word was coined by Nigeria author Professor Pius Adesanmi and Chris Dunton in their publication titled Nigeria's Third Generation Writing: Historiography and Preliminary Theoretical Considerations in 2005. [13] [14]

Beginning

Since the early 1990s, several novels have been published to mark the advent of the third generation of Nigerian writers. During this time, some Nigerian writers wrote breakaway literature writings, which were quite different from the norm; such writings include: The Famished Road (1991) by Ben Okri, The Icarus Girl (2005) by Helen Oyeyemi, GraceLand (2004) by Chris Abani and Masters of the Board also by Chris Abani amongst other. [15] [16] [17] [14]

Breakout

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, one of the third generation of Nigerian writers Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 3.jpg
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, one of the third generation of Nigerian writers

The third generation of Nigerian writers have experimented with different genres and styles. [12] The most prominent of the third generation of writers is conceived to be Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who started off with Purple Hibiscus . Another is Okey Ndibe, whose debut novel Arrows of Rain "has been applauded as a faithful representation of social consciousness and political activism that run through the third-generation of Nigerian novelists". Helon Habila, whose Waiting for an Angel has been said to be interwoven with that of Adichie's and Ndibe's. [3] Another of the notable events is the emergence of Africanfuturism, a genre pioneered by Nigerian American writer Nnedi Okorafor. [18] This has led to the introduction of speculative fiction to the Nigerian literary space, with writers such as Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Mazi Nwonwu, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Chinelo Onwualu, Tade Thompson, A. Igoni Barrett, Dandy Jackson Chukwudi taking on the new genre. [19] [20] [21] [22] [18] Mazi Nwonwu, writing for Strange Horizons , described the new set of stories as being part of a "tradition of spinning tales." [23] In Comics, third generation comics exist: Comic Republic Global Network, a Lagos-based publisher, is prominent in creating Africanfuturist superheroes like Guardian Prime . [24] [25] Laguardia , a comic book by Nnedi Okorafor, is also associated with Africanfuturism. [26]

Use of new media

The third generation of Nigerian writers has used new media technology as a medium to showcase their stories and poetry to a worldwide audience. [27] [28] This new medium has introduced the use of literary magazines such as Omenana , [29] Saraba , and Jalada, as a means of publishing and distributihg independently. [9] This has been criticised by such Nigerian critics as Sinatu Ojikutu, Charles Nnolim, Ikhide Ikheloa, Niyi Osundare and Olu Obafemi. [27] [30] [31] [32] [33]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigerian literature</span> Literature of Nigerians

Nigerian literature may be roughly defined as the literary writing by citizens of the nation of Nigeria for Nigerian readers, addressing Nigerian issues. This encompasses writers in a number of languages, including not only English but Igbo, Urhobo, Yoruba, and in the northern part of the county Hausa and Nupe. More broadly, it includes British Nigerians, Nigerian Americans and other members of the African diaspora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nnedi Okorafor</span> Nigerian-American writer of science fiction and fantasy

Nnedimma Nkemdili "Nnedi" Okorafor is a Nigerian American writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. She is best known for her Binti Series and her novels Who Fears Death, Zahrah the Windseeker, Akata Witch, Akata Warrior, Lagoon and Remote Control. She has also written for comics and film.

Tanure Ojaide is a Nigerian poet and academic. As a writer, he is noted for his unique stylistic vision and for his intense criticism of imperialism, religion, and other issues. He is regarded as a socio-political and an ecocentric poet. He won the 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa with his collection Songs of Myself: A Quartet (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black science fiction</span> Science fiction involving black people

Black science fiction or black speculative fiction is an umbrella term that covers a variety of activities within the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres where people of the African diaspora take part or are depicted. Some of its defining characteristics include a critique of the social structures leading to black oppression paired with an investment in social change. Black science fiction is "fed by technology but not led by it." This means that black science fiction often explores with human engagement with technology instead of technology as an innate good.

Kachifo Limited is an independent publishing house based in Lagos, Nigeria. It was founded in 2004 by Muhtar Bakare. Its imprints include Farafina Books, Farafina Educational, and Prestige Books. From 2004 to 2009, it published the influential Farafina Magazine.

Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa is a pan-African writing prize awarded biennially to the best literary work produced by an African. It was established by the Lumina Foundation in 2005 in honour of Africa's first Nobel Laureate in Literature, Wole Soyinka, who presents the prize, which is chosen by an international jury of literary figures. Administered by the Lumina Foundation, the prize has been described as "the African equivalent of the Nobel Prize".

<i>Who Fears Death</i> 2010 science fantasy novel by Nnedi Okorafor

Who Fears Death is a science fantasy novel by Nigerian-American writer Nnedi Okorafor, published in 2010 by DAW, an imprint of Penguin Books. It was awarded the 2011 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, as well as the 2010 Carl Brandon Kindred Award "for an outstanding work of speculative fiction dealing with race and ethnicity." Okorafor wrote a prequel, the novel The Book of Phoenix, published by DAW in 2015.

<i>Akata Witch</i> 2011 fantasy novel by Nnedi Okorafor

Akata Witch is a 2011 fantasy novel written by Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor. It was nominated for the Andre Norton Award and it is the first novel in the Nsibidi Scripts Series, where it is followed by two sequels Akata Warrior and Akata Woman published in 2017 and 2022 respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harriet Anena</span> Ugandan writer and performer

Ber Anena born and previously published as Harriet Anena is a Ugandan writer and performer, whose writing includes poetry, nonfiction and fiction. She is the author of a collection of poems, A Nation In Labour, published in 2015, won the 2018 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa. The Economist described her poetry performance as "an arresting evocation of love and war".

Parrésia, also Parrésia Publishers Ltd, is a publishing company in Nigeria founded by Azafi Omoluabi Ogosi and Richard Ali in 2012 with the aim of selling books to the Nigerian reading audience and promote the freedom of the imagination and the free press. It was described in 2017 by The New York Times as one of "a handful of influential new publishing houses" in Africa in the last decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nommo Awards</span> African literary award

The Nommo Awards are literary awards presented by The African Speculative Fiction Society. The awards recognize works of speculative fiction by Africans, defined as "science fiction, fantasy, stories of magic and traditional belief, alternative histories, horror and strange stuff that might not fit in anywhere else."

Africanfuturism is a cultural aesthetic and philosophy of science that centers on the fusion of African culture, history, mythology, point of view, with technology based in Africa and not limiting to the diaspora. It was coined by Nigerian American writer Nnedi Okorafor in 2019 in a blog post as a single word. Nnedi Okorafor defines Africanfuturism as a sub-category of science fiction that is "directly rooted in African culture, history, mythology and point-of-view..and...does not privilege or center the West," is centered with optimistic "visions in the future," and is written by "people of African descent" while rooted in the African continent. As such its center is African, often does extend upon the continent of Africa, and includes the Black diaspora, including fantasy that is set in the future, making a narrative "more science fiction than fantasy" and typically has mystical elements. It is different from Afrofuturism, which focuses mainly on the African diaspora, particularly the United States. Works of Africanfuturism include science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, horror and magic realism.

<i>Remote Control</i> (novella) Novella by Nnedi Okorafor

Remote Control is a 2021 science fiction novella by Nigerian American Nnedi Okorafor. It is Okorafor's first novella after the Binti Trilogy and is set in the same universe as Okorafor's Who Fears Death and The Book of Phoenix.

<i>Omenana Magazine</i> Nigerian speculative fiction Magazine

Omenana Magazine is a speculative fiction online magazine that publishes stories by writers from Africa and the African diaspora. It is edited and published by Fred Chiagozie Nwonwu. It was founded in 2014 by Fred Chiagozie Nwonwu and Chinelo Onwualu.

Chiagozie Fred Nwonwu who writes under the pen name Mazi Nwonwu is a Nigerian writer, curator and editor. He is the co-founder and managing editor of Omenana Magazine. In 2017, he was listed as one of the most powerful persons in the media space alongside Stephanie Busari and Fisayo Soyombo by YNaija.

Chinelo Onwualu is a Nigerian editor and a speculative fiction writer. She is the co-founder and previous editor-in-chief of Omenana Magazine. She is also co-editor at Anathema Magazine.

<i>The Chibok Girls</i> 2016 novel by Helon Habila

The Chibok Girls styled as The Chibok Girls: The Boko Haram Kidnappings and Islamist Militancy in Nigeria is a 2016 non-fiction social novel by Nigerian author Helon Habila. The novel was developed due to 2014 kidnaping of 276 Chibok school girls from age 16 to 18 by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram.

<i>Africanfuturism: An Anthology</i> 2020 Africanfuturism anthology

Africanfuturism: An Anthology is an Africanfuturism anthology edited by Nigerian author Wole Talabi. It contains eight works of short fiction, plus an introduction written by Talabi. It was published by Brittle Paper in October 2020.

<i>Kabu Kabu</i> Short story collection by Nnedi Okorafor

Kabu Kabu is a speculative fiction short story collection written by Nigerian American writer Nnedi Okorafor with stories in both Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism styles and themes. The collection was first published in 2013 by Prime Books.

References

  1. 1 2 Amadi, Osa (7 November 2021). "Nigerian writers should 'bomb' criminals with words – Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo". Vanguard . Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  2. ↑ Online, Tribune (26 March 2022). "A New Generation Of Nigerian Writers: Who Are They?". Nigerian Tribune . Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Coker, Oluwole (April 23, 2017). "Theorising third-generation Nigerian novels". The Guardian . Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  4. ↑ The Poetics and Politics of 21st Century Nigerian Writing. ProQuest LLC. 2014. p. 350.
  5. ↑ Coffey, Meredith Armstrong (May 25, 2016). Narrow nationalisms and third generation Nigerian fiction (Thesis). doi:10.15781/T2X63B60G . Retrieved October 6, 2021– via University of Texas Libraries.
  6. ↑ Egya, Sule E. (July 2012). "Historicity, power, dissidence: The third-generation poetry and military oppression in Nigeria". African Affairs . 444 (111): 424–441. doi:10.1093/afraf/ads025 – via Oxford Academic.
  7. ↑ Courtois, Cédric (April 1, 2018). ""In this Country, the Very Air We Breathe Is Politics": Helon Habila and the Flowing Together of Politics and Poetics". Commonwealth Essays and Studies. 40 (2): 55–68. doi: 10.4000/ces.289 . S2CID   216894122 – via OpenEdition.org.
  8. ↑ Nadaswaran, Shalini (2011). "Rethinking Family Relationships In Third-Generation Nigerian Women's Fiction". RELIEF. 5 (1). Igitur Publishing: 19–32. doi: 10.18352/relief.652 . ISSN   1873-5045.
  9. 1 2 Shercliff, Emma (December 9, 2015). "The changing face of Nigerian literature". British Council . Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  10. ↑ Bookshy (2012). "52 Years of Nigerian Literature: The Third Generation". BookShy. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  11. ↑ Features, BellaNaija (January 1, 2018). "10 Contemporary Nigerian Writers To Look Out For in 2018". BellaNaija.
  12. 1 2 Alter, Alexandra (November 23, 2017). "A Wave of New Fiction From Nigeria, as Young Writers Experiment With New Genres". New York Times .
  13. ↑ Adesanmi, Pius; Dunton, Chris (2005). "Nigeria's Third Generation Writing: Historiography and Preliminary Theoretical Considerations". English in Africa. 32 (1): 7–19. JSTOR   40239026 – via JSTOR.
  14. 1 2 Dalley, Hamish (2013). "The Idea of "Third Generation Nigerian Literature": Conceptualizing Historical Change and Territorial Affiliation in the Contemporary Nigerian Novel". Research in African Literatures . 44 (4): 15–34. doi:10.2979/reseafrilite.44.4.15. hdl: 1885/75434 . JSTOR   10.2979/reseafrilite.44.4.15. S2CID   143625804 – via JSTOR.
  15. ↑ Awuzie, Solomon (September 25, 2015). "Didacticism and the Third Generation of African Writers: Chukwuma Ibezute's The Temporal Gods and Goddess in the Cathedral". Tydskrif vir Letterkunde . 52 (2): 159–175. doi: 10.4314/TVL.V52I2.11 .
  16. ↑ Ojaide, Tanure (September 25, 2015). "Contemporary Africa and the Politics in Literature". In Ojaide, Tanure (ed.). Indigeneity, Globalization, and African Literature: Personally Speaking. African Histories and Modernities. Palgrave Macmillan US. pp. 19–41. doi:10.1057/9781137560032_2. ISBN   9781137560032 – via Springer Link.
  17. ↑ Jones, Rebecca (September 25, 2011). "Nigerian 'third generation' writing and the idea of home in Helen Oyeyemi's The Icarus Girl and Sefi Atta's Everything Good Will Come". African Renaissance. 8 (2): 39–58 – via AfricaBib.
  18. 1 2 Alter, Alexandra (October 6, 2017). "Nnedi Okorafor and the Fantasy Genre She Is Helping Redefine". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  19. ↑ Umezurike, Chukwuebuka (January 23, 2022). "New Nigerian Literature Unsung Heroes". This Day . Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  20. ↑ Moreno-Garcia, Silvia; Tidhar, Lavie (May 14, 2021). "African speculative fiction is finally getting its due. Let's talk about books to seek out". Washington Post .
  21. ↑ Ibrahim, Anifowoshe (October 22, 2020). "10 African SFF Novels That Offer a Breath of Fresh Air". Tor.com .
  22. ↑ Clerc, Sabine (January 22, 2021). "Nigerian author Tade Thompson takes the science fiction world by storm". The Africa Report .
  23. ↑ Nwonwu, Mazi (April 30, 2019). "The State of Play of Nigerian SFF Today". Strange Horizons. No. 29. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  24. ↑ Barnett, David (February 3, 2016). "African Avengers: the comic book creators shaking up superhero genre". The Guardian . Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Digital comics change the way the world sees Africa - CNN Video" (video), CNN , November 23, 2016, retrieved October 8, 2021
  26. ↑ Chukwuebuka Ibeh (October 12, 2020). "Nnedi Okorafor's LaGuardia Wins 2020 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story or Comic". Brittle Paper . Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  27. 1 2 Idowu, Tobi (July 1, 2018). "Young writers expand frontiers of Nigerian literature on social media". The Guardian. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  28. ↑ Whiteman, Myne (May 15, 2011). "Social Media and the future of books in Nigeria". Vanguard . Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  29. ↑ Eatough, Matthew (17 September 2019). "The Participatory Cultures of Omenana: Reading and Writing on a Nigerian SF Website". Post45. Retrieved 29 March 2022. Billed as a venue open to "speculative fiction writers from across Africa and the African diaspora"...
  30. ↑ Times, Premium (August 26, 2021). "Descent from Humanism: Literature, music, and the media, By Olu Obafemi". Premium Times . Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  31. ↑ Kalu, Uduma (19 August 2019). "Chukwuemeka Akachi, the young poet with a mark of death". Vanguard. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  32. ↑ Nwankwo, Chimalum (12 January 2019). "Chimalum Nwankwo: Chimamanda should be careful". The Sun (Interview). Interviewed by Henry Akubiro. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  33. ↑ Olusegun-Joseph, Yomi (23 October 2016). "The Unfortunate Generation writes back: The signifying tears in Akeem Lasisi's Night Of Flight – Part 1". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2022.

Notes

  1. ↑ They have also been referred to as Twenty-first century writer, Fourth generation writers and Fifth generation writers [3] [1] [4]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.