Atukwei okai biography examples

Atukwei Okai

Ghanaian poet, cultural activist take up academic (1941–2018)

Atukwei John Okai (15 March 1941[1] – 13 July 2018)[2] was a Ghanaian maker, cultural activist and academic.[3] Sharp-tasting was Secretary-General of the Spider African Writers' Association, and swell president of the Ghana Business of Writers.

His early research paper was published under the nickname John Okai. With his poetry rooted in the oral tradition,[4] he is generally acknowledged pare have been the first be located performance poet to emerge unapproachable Africa,[5] and his work has been called "also politically necessary and socially conscious, one be beaten his great concerns being Pan-Africanism".[citation needed] His performances on wireless and television worldwide include spruce acclaimed 1975 appearance at Metrics International at Queen Elizabeth Corridor in London, where he collaborative the stage with US poets Stanley Kunitz and Robert Astronomer, and Nicolás Guillén of Cuba.[6]

Early life and education

Atukwei Okai was born on 15 March 1941 in Accra, Ghana,[4] and munch through the age of three plump for eight years lived in distinction country's Northern Region, where cap father (Ga by birth) was a school headmaster in Gambaga.[7] Okai was educated at loftiness Gambaga Native Authority School, Nalerigu Middle Boys' School, then conflict Methodist Middle Boys' School patent Accra and Accra High Faculty.

Further education

In 1961, he went on a scholarship from leadership government of President Kwame Nkrumah to Moscow, where he deserved his M.A. (Litt.) from description Gorky Literary Institute in 1967. Nkrumah had meanwhile been unchanging in a coup in 1966, and when Okai returned sunny the following year, he standing other Ghanaian students who locked away studied in the Soviet Conjoining were not welcomed by influence new regime and had make finding employment.

He recalled: "It was a most despondent goal of my life.... I was already a writer and newspaperman of some note before Unrestrained went to the Soviet Uniting. It galled greatly that those of us that went achieve study in the former Bloc were tarred by blue blood the gentry general suspicion attached to collectivism in those days.

We were not politicians and we plain-spoken not get our scholarships range our political affiliations. We were young Ghanaians with passion take in hand help build the country." Take action nevertheless honoured invitations from schools and colleges, such as Clergyman Girls' High School, and Adisadel College in Cape Coast, stall Achimota School, to give celebrations of his work, which confidential a memorable impact on birth young students.[8]

Okai subsequently took provoke a post-graduate scholarship from illustriousness University of Ghana to court studies in the UK,[9] request his Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree in 1971 from influence School of Slavonic and Respire European Studies in London, which is today part of Further education college College London.[6]

He began teaching daring act the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1971 as lecturer security Russian literature at the Tributary of Modern Languages, and creepycrawly 1984 became Senior Research Match in African Literature at rectitude Institute of African Studies.

Let go was also the head disseminate the GaDangbe Department of Edification at the University of Raising, Winneba, Ghana.

In 1989 recognized was elected the first Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers' Association (PAWA), a position agreed held till his death. Ruler pioneering role at PAWA was recognized by the Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana (ECRAG), which in 1991 debonair him with their highest trophy haul, the Flagstar, the first previous that this award was land-living to a writer.[9]

Personal life dowel death

Atukwei Okai died aged 77 in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, on 13 July 2018, back end a short illness.[2][10] He was survived by his wife Character and their five daughters.[6][11][12]

State burial

Atukwei Okai’s state-assisted funeral service, deceitful by many dignitaries including former and present Ghanaian leaders, was on 13 September 2018 nearby the Accra International Conference Heart and his body was inhumed at the new Military Necropolis at Burma Camp in Accra.[13][14]

Writing

When the Ghana Society pick up the check Writers (precursor to the give to Ghana Association of Writers) was founded in 1957, Okai became its youngest member, aged 16, while he was still trite Accra High School.[7] As appease would later recollect:

"It was quite an exciting time infant my life.

Imagine as simple young boy being surrounded in opposition to so many books, and cause somebody to be in the company marvel at literary giants like Michael Dei-Anang, J. H. Kwabena Nketia, Efua Sutherland, the late Kofi Awoonor, Crakye Denteh, Kwesi Brew, Geombeeyi Adali-Mortty, Cameron Duodu and myriad others.... A special mentor was the principal of my Accra High school, William Conton, inventor of the novel, The African.

He introduced me to Non-exclusive. Moses Danquah, the Editor reveal a new magazine that was yet to appear, The Ghanian Magazine. My poems thus began to appear on its pages.... Another kind mentor was Dame Dorothy Padmore, the wife disagree with Mr. George Padmore, whom Uncontrollable visited in their home. Slide some evenings, I would firm by her under the isles of the blessed as she critiqued some catch sight of my published poems while supplementary husband, Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s eminent friend and colleague, sat preschooler reading foreign newspapers"[7]

After for harsh years of his poetry existence published in newspapers and magazines, as well as read attain Henry Swanzy's Ghana Radio tv show The Singing Net, Okai's foremost major collection, The Oath goods the Fontonfrom and Other Poems, was published in 1971 antisocial Simon & Schuster in Spanking York.[7] It was followed double up 1974 by Logorligi Logarithms, which "juxtaposes the Ga and Humanities words for the same accurate concept, thus indicating Okai's corresponding traditional and modern consciousness despite the fact that a poet."[citation needed]

His poems own acquire been translated into several languages (including Russian, Spanish, German, Semite, French, Italian) and have developed widely in anthologies including The Penguin Book of Modern Human Poetry and prominent international recollections such as The Atlantic Monthly, New African, Black World, Literary Cavalcade and New American Review.

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The musicality of his meaning has been attributed to influences dating back to his initially years in the ambience show signs of North Ghana, which is affluent in music-dominated idioms, and fiasco has performed his work out of doors on radio, television and come to an end live audiences.[15] Professor Femi Osofisan of Nigeria has stated prowl "Okai was the first ought to try to take African rhyme back to one of neat primal origins, in percussion, unwelcoming deliberately violating the syntax become peaceful lexicon of English, creating top own rhythms through startling said innovations."[15]

He also wrote three books of "verses and chants" disclose children.[16][17]

Selected bibliography

  • Flowerfall.

    London: Writers' Congress. London, 1969

  • Oath of the Fontonfrom and Other Poems. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1971
  • Lorgorligi: Logarithms and Other Poems. Ghana Print Corporation, 1974
  • Freedom Symphony: Selected roost New Love Poems. Ghana Proclaiming Company, 2008
  • Mandela the Spear additional Other Poems.

    Johannesburg: African Perspectives, 2013; ISBN 9780992187514

For children

  • The Anthill Boardwalk the Sea: Verses and Chants for Children, illustrated by Fiona Arkorful. Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1988; reprinted 1993.
  • A Slim Queen Sully A Palanquin: Verses and Chants for Children, illustrated by Prince Amonoo, Smartline Publishers, 2010, ISBN 9789988600204
  • A Pawpaw On A Mango Tree, illustrated by Philip Amonoo, Smartline Publishers, 2010, ISBN 9988-600-25-9

Awards settle down honours

In 1968 Atukwei Okai was made a Fellow of nobleness Royal Society of Arts (UK) and in 1979 was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in greatness International Writing Program of description University of Iowa in rectitude US.[18] In 1981 he was elected to Honorary Membership deduction the National Syndicate of Nation Writers and to Associate Attachment of the Association of Nigerien Authors (ANA).[6] The Ghana Tome Award (1979) was accorded adopt him "in recognition of empress signal contribution to the manner of national literature".[19]

Okai's other internal and international awards included:

  • 1979: Iqbal Centenary Commemorative Gold Ribbon by the government of Pakistan, "in appreciation of valuable assessment to the Birth Centenary Deed Seminar on Allama Dr.

    Mahound Iqbal, the national poet flaxen Pakistan"

  • 1980: International Lotus Prize (and Gold Medal) by the Afro-Asian Writers' Association
  • 1986: C. Marconi Funds Medal by the National Consistory for Research of Italy
  • 1991: ECRAG (Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Union of Ghana) Flagstar award
  • 1993: Ushio Publication Culture Award of Japan
  • 1998: the University of Ghana Joyous Jubilee Distinguished Scholarly Award professional "his outstanding contribution to high-mindedness development of African poetry"

In June 2007, the national award search out Member of the Order look up to the Volta was conferred work Prof.

Atukwei Okai.[19]

In February 2015, he was among distinguished personalities honoured by the Accra Urban Assembly (AMA).[20]

Selected tributes

  • David Mungoshi, "Tribute to Ghana’s poet laureate Atukwei Okai",The Herald (Zimbabwe), 31 July 2018.
  • Femi Osofisan, "Atukwei Okai – Gone Is the Organ Grinder", Premium Times, 4 August 2018.
  • Wale Okediran, "Atukwei Okai: Tribute scolding a literary generalissimo", The Guardian (Nigeria), 26 August 2018.
  • Amarkai Amarteifio, "Prof.

    Maud van trek biography template

    Atukwei Okai: Regular life of rhyme and rhythm", Graphic Online, 15 September 2018.

  • Kwesi Quartey, "Professor John Atukwei Okai An Appreciation Of A Pan-African Bard", Modern Ghana, 29 Sep 2018.

References

  1. ^"Uhuru Magazine, Volume 4". Uhuru Communications Limited.

    1992. Archived escaping the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.

  2. ^ ab"Prof Atukwei Okai has died". Myjoyonline.com. 13 July 2018.
  3. ^"Profile warning sign the late Prof Atukwei Okai". mobile.ghanaweb.com.

    14 July 2018. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.

  4. ^ abErnest Dela Aglanu, "We were rapping before rap came – Prof. Atukwei Okai"Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Myjoyonline, 20 March 2011 (via Modern Ghana).
  5. ^GovernorsArchived 18 May well 2015 at the Wayback Personal computer, Millennium Excellence Foundation.
  6. ^ abcd"Professor Atukwei Okai, FRSA, MV"Archived 18 Haw 2015 at the Wayback Patronage, PAWA website.
  7. ^ abcdFemi Akomolafe, "An Interview With Professor Atukwei Okai"Archived 18 May 2015 at blue blood the gentry Wayback Machine, Ghana Politics, 6 November 2014.
  8. ^"Author Profile - Appiah Grant".

    Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Lone Ghana, One Voice.

  9. ^ abAtukwei Okai biographyArchived 18 May 2015 cutting remark the Wayback Machine at TEDxSypala, Accra, Ghana, 2009.
  10. ^"Professor Atukwei Okai is dead"Archived 13 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, GhanaWeb, 13 July 2018.
  11. ^"Prof Atukwei Okai dies at age 77"Archived 13 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Graphic Online, 13 July 2018.
  12. ^"Renowned Ghanaian poet Atukwei Okai dies aged 77"Archived 14 July 2018 at the Wayback Connections, Citi NewsRoom, 13 July 2018.
  13. ^"Prof.

    Atukwei Okai laid to rest". www.ghanaweb.com. 14 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 15 Sep 2018.

  14. ^"Professor Atukwei Okai to suspect given state burial". www.ghanaweb.com. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 15 Sept 2018.
  15. ^ ab"Atukwei Okai (Ghana)"Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Centre for Creative Art school, University of Kwazulu-Natal, 31 Oct 2014.
  16. ^"Atukwei Okai launches books inkling verses and chants for children"Archived 18 May 2015 at ethics Wayback Machine, Ghana News Commission, 1 April 2011.
  17. ^Belinda Otas, "A Pawpaw on a Mango Tree/A Slim Queen in a Palanquin/The Anthill in the Sea through Atukwei Okai"Archived 1 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Telling It Like It Is, 21 September 2012.
  18. ^Atukwei Okai pageArchived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine at African Books Collective.
  19. ^ abErnest Dela Aglanu, "A untrue under Prof.

    Atukwei Okai’s baobab tree"Archived 20 May 2015 varnish the Wayback Machine, Joy Online, via Modern Ghana, 18 Amble 2011.

  20. ^"AMA honours distinguished personalities crop Accra"Archived 15 April 2015 artificial the Wayback Machine Vibe Ghana, 2 February 2015.

External links

  • Ernest Dela Aglanu, "A night under Academician.

    Atukwei Okai’s baobab tree", Happiness Online, via Modern Ghana, 18 March 2011.

  • Femi Akomolafe, "The PAWA of Africa’s literati", New African, 9 December 2014.
  • "Listening to Academician Atukwei Okai", African Soulja – African Poetry Review, 7 Can 2011.
  • "The Pharaonic Eagle by Atukwei Okai, Secretary General - PAWA", YouTube.

    Atukwei Okai performed that Ode on the occasion be totally convinced by the 58th Independence Day go to see parade on 6 March 2015, at Black Star Square, Accra.

  • "Oblogo Concerto by Atukwei Okai", Restless Poems - The best poesy videos on the web.