There's still so much I wanted to look at in my celeberation of 52 years of Nigerian literature - children's literature and literary awards for example - but in the final post I look at the Third Generation of Nigerian writers. I had no idea where to begin with Third Generation writers because there's just so much to mention and honestly there is no way I could do this period justice. So instead I've chosen to focus on works written since 2003, because some amazing debut novels (as well as second and in some cases third novels) have been released during this period and I think it also signifies exciting times in Nigeria’s literary history, with even more international recognition.
Probably the most famous of the new generation of writers is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who wrote Purple Hibiscus (2003) and Half of A Yellow Sun (2007) but other works published since 2003 include Chim Newton's Under the Cherry Tree (2003), Akin Adesokan's Roots in the Sky (2004), Unoma Azuah's Sky-High Flames (2005), A Igoni Barett's From the Caves of Rotten Teeth (2005), Jude Dibia's Walking with Shadows (2005), Obodinma Iweala’s Beasts of No Nation (2005), Segun Afolabi's A Life Elsewhere (2006), Diana Evans 26a (2006), and Sarah Ladipo Manyika's In Dependence (2008). Even this year alone, there have been new releases from Chika Unigwe The Night Dancer and Eghosa Imoseun Fine Boys as well as debuts from Chibundu Onozu, Yejide Kilanko and Emmanuel Iduma to name a few. Way too many to mention, but here's a look at some works from 2003 to date.
There's still so much I wanted to write and I also know that more generally I have missed out on so many writers like Karen King-Aribisala, Biyi Bandele, Chuma Nwokolo, Malik Nwosu, Ben Okri, Ola Rotimi and Ahmed Yerimah for example, but as it's the last day of October, I must end my celebration of 52 years of Nigerian literature. I do hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have and I look forward to what the current and next generation of Nigerian writers have in store for booklovers like myself.
Probably the most famous of the new generation of writers is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who wrote Purple Hibiscus (2003) and Half of A Yellow Sun (2007) but other works published since 2003 include Chim Newton's Under the Cherry Tree (2003), Akin Adesokan's Roots in the Sky (2004), Unoma Azuah's Sky-High Flames (2005), A Igoni Barett's From the Caves of Rotten Teeth (2005), Jude Dibia's Walking with Shadows (2005), Obodinma Iweala’s Beasts of No Nation (2005), Segun Afolabi's A Life Elsewhere (2006), Diana Evans 26a (2006), and Sarah Ladipo Manyika's In Dependence (2008). Even this year alone, there have been new releases from Chika Unigwe The Night Dancer and Eghosa Imoseun Fine Boys as well as debuts from Chibundu Onozu, Yejide Kilanko and Emmanuel Iduma to name a few. Way too many to mention, but here's a look at some works from 2003 to date.
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Nigeria (like much of Africa's) literary scene is also changing with a resurgence of local publishing houses (Farafina Books, Cassava Republic, and Paressia), "new" genres (Sci-Fi, Crime and Romance), and on-line platforms and literary magazine (NaijaStories, Saraba magazine and Sentinel Nigeria).
There's still so much I wanted to write and I also know that more generally I have missed out on so many writers like Karen King-Aribisala, Biyi Bandele, Chuma Nwokolo, Malik Nwosu, Ben Okri, Ola Rotimi and Ahmed Yerimah for example, but as it's the last day of October, I must end my celebration of 52 years of Nigerian literature. I do hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have and I look forward to what the current and next generation of Nigerian writers have in store for booklovers like myself.
