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Nebraska Authors

Chigozie Obioma

Born 1986 Akure (NIGERIA)

The Nigerian born writer came to Lincoln in 2015 to teach in the University of Nebraska English department. He has said that he was drawn here by UNL professor and Prairie Schooner editor Kwame Dawes's work on African literature. His first novel The Fishermen has won numerous prizes and prize nominations, including a nomination for the (2015) Man Booker Prize. The book also appeared in most of the major "Best Books of the Year" lists for 2015. Locally, it was also a "One Book, One Lincoln" finalist.

Obioma is not a Nebraska author by the usual criteria, but is included in the database because he currently teaches at Nebraska, and has become an important international literary figure while here.

Places Lived

NIGERIA
CYPRUS
Michigan
Lincoln, NE

Author Of

  • Fiction
  • Poetry

Keywords

Literary Fiction; African Writers

Education

Bachelor of Arts Degree, Cyprus International University
Master of Arts Degree, 2012, Cyprus International University
Master of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing, 2014, University of Michigan

Occupation

Educator
Writer

Places Worked

Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Honors

Awards and nominations for The Fishermen, 2015:

The NAACP Awards for Debut Book - Winner
The Inaugural FT/Oppenheimer Awards - Winner
LA Times' Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction - Winner
Man Booker Prize for Fiction - Finalist
The Guardian First Book Award - Finalist
Center for Fiction First Novel Prize - Finalist
Edinburgh Festival First Book Award - Shortlist

Bibliography

The Fishermen. 2015.
An Orchestra of Minorities. 2019.

Poetry and Essays in Virginia Quarterly Review

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Chigozie Obioma
chigozie-obioma

Do you have corrections for the above information or other information to add?:

(e.g. Author is buried in Fremont, not in David City / Also wrote for the Daily Nebraskan during her time as a student)