Nnedimma Okorafor by Cheetah Witch. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (accessed: February 7, 2022).
Nnedi Okorafor
, b. 1974
Nnedimma Okorafor is a Nigerian-American writer, whose parents migrated to the US for their studies and could not return due to the Nigerian Civil War. She was born in April 8, 1974. Despite her parents’ decision to stay in America, she made several attempts to reconnect with her homeland through her childhood visits to the Igbo land. This made her learn much about the Igbo culture. She attended Homewood Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois, where she was rated as one of the best tennis players. She was very good in mathematics and science. Her initial goal was to become an entomologist, as she was interested in insects. At the age of 13, she was diagnosed with scoliosis. The situation became worse at 19, and she underwent a spinal fusion surgery to straighten and fuse her spine. These complications led to paralysis in the lower part of her body. Not discouraged by her health situation, she began writing short stories on science-fiction.
After an intense physical therapy, she regained her ability to walk but could not continue with her athletic career. She took a creative writing class which pushed her into writing her first novel by the end of that semester. Nnedi Okorafor obtained a Master’s degree in Journalism and a PhD in English from Michigan State University and the University of Illinois, respectively. In 2001, she graduated from the Clarion Writers Workshop in Lansing, Michigan.
She is the author of several works among which are: Binti, Who Fears Death, Zahrah, Ankara Witch, Lagoon, Akata Warrior and The Book of Phoenix. She has featured as co-script writer of many films and some of her works have been adapted into films. Her various awards include: The World Fantasy Award, Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, Nebula Award for Best Novella, Hugo Award for Best Novella, Children’s Africana Book Award. She currently lives in Olympia Fields, Illinois, USA.
Source:
aalbc.com (accessed: October 5, 2021).
Bio prepared by Divine Che Neba, University of Yaounde 1, nebankiwang@yahoo.com
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