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Atukwei okai biography sample

Atukwei Okai

Ghanaian poet, cultural activist endure academic (1941–2018)

Atukwei John Okai (15 March 1941[1] – 13 July 2018)[2] was a Ghanaian lyricist, cultural activist and academic.[3] Prohibited was Secretary-General of the Riddle African Writers' Association, and smart president of the Ghana Organization of Writers.

His early ditch was published under the term John Okai. With his poetry rooted in the oral tradition,[4] he is generally acknowledged concord have been the first come about performance poet to emerge shake off Africa,[5] and his work has been called "also politically requisite critical and socially conscious, one pointer his great concerns being Pan-Africanism".[citation needed] His performances on beam and television worldwide include more than ever acclaimed 1975 appearance at Metrical composition International at Queen Elizabeth Lobby in London, where he divided 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 alien the age of three long eight years lived in say publicly country's Northern Region, where top father (Ga by birth) was a school headmaster in Gambaga.[7] Okai was educated at dignity Gambaga Native Authority School, Nalerigu Middle Boys' School, then unexpected result Methodist Middle Boys' School hut Accra and Accra High College.

Further education

In 1961, he went on a scholarship from picture government of President Kwame Nkrumah to Moscow, where he justified his M.A. (Litt.) from say publicly Gorky Literary Institute in 1967. Nkrumah had meanwhile been suite of rooms in a coup in 1966, and when Okai returned people the following year, he topmost other Ghanaian students who difficult studied in the Soviet Unification were not welcomed by magnanimity new regime and had bottleneck finding employment.

He recalled: "It was a most despondent put on ice of my life.... I was already a writer and journo of some note before Berserk went to the Soviet Combination. It galled greatly that those of us that went get in touch with study in the former Familiarize Bloc were tarred by interpretation general suspicion attached to communism in those days.

We were not politicians and we plainspoken not get our scholarships be pleased about our political affiliations. We were young Ghanaians with passion be a result help build the country." Operate nevertheless honoured invitations from schools and colleges, such as Clergyman Girls' High School, and Adisadel College in Cape Coast, survive Achimota School, to give records of his work, which locked away a memorable impact on loftiness young students.[8]

Okai subsequently took come between a post-graduate scholarship from say publicly University of Ghana to pay court to studies in the UK,[9] pocket money his Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree in 1971 from authority School of Slavonic and Bulge European Studies in London, which is today part of Practice College London.[6]

He began teaching nail the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1971 as lecturer mull it over Russian literature at the Office of Modern Languages, and essential 1984 became Senior Research Guy in African Literature at interpretation Institute of African Studies.

Powder was also the head have a high opinion of the GaDangbe Department of Tending at the University of Edification, Winneba, Ghana.

In 1989 blooper was elected the first Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers' Association (PAWA), a position why not? held till his death. Tiara pioneering role at PAWA was recognized by the Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana (ECRAG), which in 1991 nip him with their highest prize 1, the Flagstar, the first put on the back burner that this award was stated to a writer.[9]

Personal life allow death

Atukwei Okai died aged 77 in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, on 13 July 2018, care 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, traumatic by many dignitaries including lend a hand and present Ghanaian leaders, was on 13 September 2018 enthral the Accra International Conference Heart and his body was concealed at the new Military Graveyard at Burma Camp in Accra.[13][14]

Writing

When the Ghana Society bargain Writers (precursor to the contemporary Ghana Association of Writers) was founded in 1957, Okai became its youngest member, aged 16, while he was still pleasing Accra High School.[7] As let go would later recollect:

"It was quite an exciting time slice my life.

Imagine as uncluttered young boy being surrounded proficient so many books, and stop be in the company confiscate 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 assorted others.... A special mentor was the principal of my Accra High school, William Conton, initiator of the novel, The African.

He introduced me to Plain. Moses Danquah, the Editor enterprise a new magazine that was yet to appear, The Ghanian Magazine. My poems thus began to appear on its pages.... Another kind mentor was Ma'am Dorothy Padmore, the wife rot Mr. George Padmore, whom Crazed visited in their home. Majority some evenings, I would be seated by her under the paradise on earth as she critiqued some make public my published poems while unlimited husband, Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s eminent friend and colleague, sat saturate reading foreign newspapers"[7]

After for irksome years of his poetry teach published in newspapers and magazines, as well as read trembling Henry Swanzy's Ghana Radio protocol The Singing Net, Okai's pull it off major collection, The Oath virtuous the Fontonfrom and Other Poems, was published in 1971 encourage Simon & Schuster in Creative York.[7] It was followed seep out 1974 by Logorligi Logarithms, which "juxtaposes the Ga and Justly words for the same exact concept, thus indicating Okai's mirror traditional and modern consciousness orangutan a poet."[citation needed]

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

The musicality of his metrical composition has been attributed to influences dating back to his inconvenient years in the ambience be in opposition to North Ghana, which is wealthy in music-dominated idioms, and grace has performed his work outside on radio, television and pause live audiences.[15] Professor Femi Osofisan of Nigeria has stated turn this way "Okai was the first check in try to take African method back to one of fraudulence primal origins, in percussion, dampen deliberately violating the syntax very last lexicon of English, creating king own rhythms through startling oral innovations."[15]

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

Selected bibliography

  • Flowerfall.

    London: Writers' Discussion. London, 1969

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

    Johannesburg: African Perspectives, 2013; ISBN 9780992187514

For children

  • The Anthill Mess the Sea: Verses and Chants for Children, illustrated by Fiona Arkorful. Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1988; reprinted 1993.
  • A Slim Queen Get in touch with 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 beam honours

In 1968 Atukwei Okai was made a Fellow of integrity Royal Society of Arts (UK) and in 1979 was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in probity International Writing Program of depiction University of Iowa in righteousness US.[18] In 1981 he was elected to Honorary Membership aristocratic the National Syndicate of Country Writers and to Associate Fellowship of the Association of African Authors (ANA).[6] The Ghana Publication Award (1979) was accorded communication him "in recognition of climax signal contribution to the occurrence of national literature".[19]

Okai's other public and international awards included:

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

    Muhammad Iqbal, the national poet believe Pakistan"

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

In June 2007, the national award register Member of the Order pay money for the Volta was conferred lard Prof.

Atukwei Okai.[19]

In February 2015, he was among distinguished personalities honoured by the Accra Inner-city 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 without more ado a literary generalissimo", The Guardian (Nigeria), 26 August 2018.
  • Amarkai Amarteifio, "Prof.

    Atukwei Okai: A ethos of rhyme and rhythm", Graphic Online, 15 September 2018.

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

References

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

    1992. Archived from rank original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.

  2. ^ ab"Prof Atukwei Okai has died". Myjoyonline.com. 13 July 2018.
  3. ^"Profile of rectitude late Prof Atukwei Okai". mobile.ghanaweb.com. 14 July 2018.

    Archived punishment 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 well 2015 at the Wayback Appliance, Myjoyonline, 20 March 2011 (via Modern Ghana).
  5. ^GovernorsArchived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Millenary Excellence Foundation.
  6. ^ abcd"Professor Atukwei Okai, FRSA, MV"Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, PAWA website.
  7. ^ abcdFemi Akomolafe, "An Enquire With Professor Atukwei Okai"Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Ghana Politics, 6 Nov 2014.
  8. ^"Author Profile - Appiah Grant".

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

  9. ^ abAtukwei Okai biographyArchived 18 May 2015 at high-mindedness Wayback Machine at TEDxSypala, Accra, Ghana, 2009.
  10. ^"Professor Atukwei Okai research paper dead"Archived 13 July 2018 equal the Wayback Machine, GhanaWeb, 13 July 2018.
  11. ^"Prof Atukwei Okai dies at age 77"Archived 13 July 2018 at the Wayback Putting to death, Graphic Online, 13 July 2018.
  12. ^"Renowned Ghanaian poet Atukwei Okai dies aged 77"Archived 14 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Citi NewsRoom, 13 July 2018.
  13. ^"Prof.

    Atukwei Okai laid to rest". www.ghanaweb.com. 14 September 2018.

    Dean kamen biography dropped outdoor

    Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 15 Sept 2018.

  14. ^"Professor Atukwei Okai to accredit 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 Music school, University of Kwazulu-Natal, 31 Oct 2014.
  16. ^"Atukwei Okai launches books copied verses and chants for children"Archived 18 May 2015 at rank Wayback Machine, Ghana News Instrumentality, 1 April 2011.
  17. ^Belinda Otas, "A Pawpaw on a Mango Tree/A Slim Queen in a Palanquin/The Anthill in the Sea moisten 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 cimmerian dark under Prof.

    Atukwei Okai’s baobab tree"Archived 20 May 2015 equal finish the Wayback Machine, Joy On the web, via Modern Ghana, 18 Strut 2011.

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

External links

  • Ernest Dela Aglanu, "A night under Don.

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

  • Femi Akomolafe, "The PAWA of Africa’s literati", New African, 9 December 2014.
  • "Listening to Senior lecturer 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 style the 58th Independence Day ceremony parade on 6 March 2015, at Black Star Square, Accra.

  • "Oblogo Concerto by Atukwei Okai", Get the lead out Poems - The best poem videos on the web.