Achebe and Friends at Umuahia: The Making of a Literary Elite

Achebe and his peers' experiences at Government College Umuahia are contextualized in the book, which also makes the case for a re-evaluation of this influential group of Nigerian writers in light of the literary culture fostered by the school and its tutors. It explores the literary awakening of young intellectuals who became known as Nigeria's first-generation of postcolonial writers, Chinua Achebe, Elechi Amadi, Chike Momah, Christopher Okigbo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Gabriel Okara, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and I.C. Aniebo.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 10 April 2018
Publisher: James Currey

Winner of the ASAUK FAGE & OLIVER PRIZE 2016, this book offers a groundbreaking re-assessment of the influential group of Nigerian writers known as Nigeria's first-generation of postcolonial writers. Author Terri Ochiagha meticulously contextualises the experiences of Chinua Achebe and his peers as students at Government College Umuahia, arguing for a fresh perspective on their literary contributions.

Maps the literary awakening of these young intellectuals, who became known as Nigeria's first-generation of postcolonial writers, including Chinua Achebe, Elechi Amadi, Chike Momah, Christopher Okigbo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Gabriel Okara, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and I.C. Aniebo.

The author provides fresh insights into postcolonial and world literary processes, colonial education in British Africa, literary representations of colonialism, and Chinua Achebe's seminal position in African literature. Through a detailed examination of each writer's education and its impact on their vision of the world, Ochiagha demonstrates how they used this unique educational experience to shape their own literary styles.

The book also explores the implications of this literary awakening for African literature as a whole, shedding light on the ways in which these writers challenged traditional narratives and shaped the cultural landscape of postcolonial Africa. Supplementary material is available online, including some of the original sources referenced in the book.

Terri Ochiagha is a Teaching Fellow in the History of Modern Africa at King's College, London, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Department of African Studies and Anthropology at the University of Birmingham. She has previously held a British Academy Newton Fellowship at the University of Sussex.

Weight: 368g
Dimension: 216 x 234 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781847011961