A Tribute for
Buchi Emecheta,
Igbo Woman
Storyteller
1944-2017
1944-2017
by Kadija Sesay
Buchi Emecheta was the writer who started my love affair
with African literature. She opened up my world when I
visited my local library in Hackney and I saw a hardback
book with a black person on the cover. The book was called
Destination Biafra . I had no idea where Biafra was and I
couldn’t pronounce the author’s name, but it looked like a
book about Africa – I read the blurb at the back, it was – and
I was African and I thought that I had better know a bit
more about it. Read more….
with African literature. She opened up my world when I
visited my local library in Hackney and I saw a hardback
book with a black person on the cover. The book was called
Destination Biafra . I had no idea where Biafra was and I
couldn’t pronounce the author’s name, but it looked like a
book about Africa – I read the blurb at the back, it was – and
I was African and I thought that I had better know a bit
more about it. Read more….
Tributes and Obituaries
Tribute by her son Sylvester Onwordi
in the New Statesman:
in the New Statesman:
http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/fiction/2017/01/
remembering-my-mother-buchi-emecheta-1944-2017
remembering-my-mother-buchi-emecheta-1944-2017
Obituary in The Guardian by Margaret Busby:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/03/
buchi-emecheta-obituary
buchi-emecheta-obituary
African Arguments:
http://africanarguments.org/2017/02/01/remembering
– buchi-emecheta-nigerian-novellist-feminist-my-mother/
– buchi-emecheta-nigerian-novellist-feminist-my-mother/
Tribute from the Council of the Caine Prize:
http://caineprize.com/blog/2017/1/27/ tribute-to
– buchi-emecheta -1944-2017
– buchi-emecheta -1944-2017
Obituary in The New York Times
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/02/10/books/
buchi-emecheta-dead-nigerian-novelist.html
buchi-emecheta-dead-nigerian-novelist.html
Celebrating Buchi Emecheta’s Life and Work:
Events Around the Globe
International Women’s Month
A memorial event on 9 March for Buchi Emecheta
at the CLR James Library in Dalston was the first
of many that will be held in her name during the
next 12 months.
at the CLR James Library in Dalston was the first
of many that will be held in her name during the
next 12 months.
L to R: Ade Solanke (playwright), Sylvester Onwordi
(Buchi Emecheta’s eldest son), Roseanne (Muatta Books),
Ngozi (storyteller and drummer)
Organised by Andrea and Roseanne, the intimate gathering
of friends, family and locals, those who knew of her work
and adored her and others who just wanted to know more.
The group included a young woman who worked at the
library and who came from Ibusa, the same village as Buchi.
Andrea announced that this would be the first of many
gatherings for Mama Buchi, that there would be a series of
events to ‘Big Up Buchi’ in order to encourage the resurgence
to read her work, particularly for young people inside and
outside school. To find out more about the ongoing
workshops, book readings and gatherings that are being
planning, contact Andrea on: aenisuoh@hotmail.com
of friends, family and locals, those who knew of her work
and adored her and others who just wanted to know more.
The group included a young woman who worked at the
library and who came from Ibusa, the same village as Buchi.
Andrea announced that this would be the first of many
gatherings for Mama Buchi, that there would be a series of
events to ‘Big Up Buchi’ in order to encourage the resurgence
to read her work, particularly for young people inside and
outside school. To find out more about the ongoing
workshops, book readings and gatherings that are being
planning, contact Andrea on: aenisuoh@hotmail.com
MARCH
Lagos
Saturday 25 March, 1pm
Sylvester Onwordi and Margaret Busby, Buchi Emecheta’s
publisher will give individual tributes and then there will
be a panel discussion with female Nigerian writers
including, Chika Unigwe, Sefi Atta, Molara Wood and
Sarah Ladipo Manyika. Plus audience contributions on
Buchi Emecheta’s life and work.
publisher will give individual tributes and then there will
be a panel discussion with female Nigerian writers
including, Chika Unigwe, Sefi Atta, Molara Wood and
Sarah Ladipo Manyika. Plus audience contributions on
Buchi Emecheta’s life and work.
Venue : Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria
Island, Lagos.
Island, Lagos.
Contact: Ike Oguine ikeoguine2002@yahoo.co.uk
APRIL
London
21-22 April
‘Legacies of Biafra’ conference .
A tribute to Buchi Emecheta will be led
by Professor Akachi Ezeigbo
by Professor Akachi Ezeigbo
Conference convened by Dr. Louisa Egbunike
Venue: SOAS
MAY
New York
Rasheda Ismaili
Please contact Rasheda Ismaili if you would like to
participate or support the event that she is organising
for Buchi Emecheta and Peter Abrahams.
participate or support the event that she is organising
for Buchi Emecheta and Peter Abrahams.
London
Greenwich Festival
Sat 27th May, 3pm
‘Novel Thinking’
Join our tribute to the late pioneering British African author
Buchi Emecheta, featuring her son, Sylvester Onwordi, her
publisher Margaret Busby, and prominent British-Nigerian
writers, plus readings of selected extracts from her work.
Chaired by Ade Solanke.(Writer/Producer, Spora Stories)
Part of the Greenwich Book Festival 2017.
Buchi Emecheta, featuring her son, Sylvester Onwordi, her
publisher Margaret Busby, and prominent British-Nigerian
writers, plus readings of selected extracts from her work.
Chaired by Ade Solanke.(Writer/Producer, Spora Stories)
Part of the Greenwich Book Festival 2017.
Queen Anne Court, Council Room, University of Greenwich,
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich SE10 9LS
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich SE10 9LS
JUNE
USA
African Literature Assoc. at Yale University, New Haven
Roundtable
14-17 June
Thursday 15th June 3:45-5pm
A Tribute Event “Remembering Buchi Emecheta at ALA 2017”
at the Conference in Yale in June has been granted by the
ALA Executive and the Conference Organising Committee.
at the Conference in Yale in June has been granted by the
ALA Executive and the Conference Organising Committee.
Tributes from highly esteemed African women academics will
be paying respects and libation for Buchi Emecheta through
stories, poems and readings
Chair: Ayebia Clarke
be paying respects and libation for Buchi Emecheta through
stories, poems and readings
Chair: Ayebia Clarke
Panel
Time: tbc
Celebrating Buchi Emecheta’s Place and Contribution in
African Literature.
African Literature.
With papers presented by Dr. G. Oty Agbajoh-Laoye,
Dr. Helen Chukwuma, and Dr. Mark di Giacomo,
Sylvester Onwordi and Dr Modhumita Roy
Sylvester Onwordi and Dr Modhumita Roy
Chair:Kadija Sesay, FRSA
Nigeria
15-17 June, 2017
LAGOS: From the Pepperfarm to the Megacity (and
Beyond) An Interdisciplinary Conference on ‘Space,
Society, and the Imagination of an African Crossroads’,
‘The Lagos of Buchi Emecheta’.
Beyond) An Interdisciplinary Conference on ‘Space,
Society, and the Imagination of an African Crossroads’,
‘The Lagos of Buchi Emecheta’.
A Panel chaired by Dr. Louisa Egbunike
Venue: Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Lagos,
South Africa
16-18 June 2017
“The Pan-African Pantheon”
A paper: ‘Buchi Emecheta’ to be presented
by Dr. Louisa Egbunike
Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation
Conference
Conference
Venue: University of Johannesburg
London
Africa Writes
30 June
Lon
don
I busa Village Women ceremony for their sister Buchi
Emecheta.
Emecheta.
Organised with the family for a London memorial and
celebration of her
celebration of her
November
USA
November 16 – 18, 2017
African Studies Association Annual Conference (ASA),
Buchi Emecheta: A Celebration of her Life and Work’
Buchi Emecheta: A Celebration of her Life and Work’
Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
Chair:Louisa Egbunike
Jan 2018
THE GAMBIA
SABLE LITFest
Mboka Festival of Arts Culture and Sport
The Gambia 6-20 Jan
The Gambia 6-20 Jan
Buchi Emecheta was to have been our special guest of
honour at the first SABLE Litfest in The Gambia in
2007 but she was too unwell to travel. We honour
Buchi at a celebration of her life with readings,
memories, poetry, music and film.
honour at the first SABLE Litfest in The Gambia in
2007 but she was too unwell to travel. We honour
Buchi at a celebration of her life with readings,
memories, poetry, music and film.
PUBLICATIONS – SPECIAL ISSUES
JALA (Journal of African Literature Association)
A peer reviewed journal
Contact: Kadija (George) Sesay for the Call for Papers
Eds:Louisa Uchum Egbunike and Kadija Sesay
Louisa Uchum Egbunike is a lecturer in English at
Louisa Uchum Egbunike is a lecturer in English at
Manchester Metropolitan University. She completed
her PhD at SOAS, University of London, where she
has also lectured in Contemporary African Literature.
Louisa is one of the founders and conveners of the
Annual International Igbo Conference at SOAS.
her PhD at SOAS, University of London, where she
has also lectured in Contemporary African Literature.
Louisa is one of the founders and conveners of the
Annual International Igbo Conference at SOAS.
PAMBAZUKA NEWS
Contact: Yves Niyiragira for the Call for Papers
With thanks to Margaret Busby and Louisa Egbunike
for additional content and Roseanne for the book covers.
for additional content and Roseanne for the book covers.
Photos, Information, Bibliography and links on Buchi
Emecheta and her work
Emecheta and her work