Gabriel Okara

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Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain Okara (born April 24, 1921 in Bomoundi , Niger Delta ; † March 25, 2019 in Yenagoa , Bayelsa ) was a Nigerian writer . He was best known for his poetic work, but has also written several novels and children's books. In 1979 he was awarded the Commonwealth Poetry Prize .

Life

Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain Okara was born on April 24, 1921 (some sources also mention April 21, 1921) in Bomoundi, Nigeria, to the businessman Samson G. Okara and his wife Martha Olodiama Okara. He belonged to the Ijaw ethnic group . He was married three times and had two children.

After first attending local schools, Gabriel Okara was a student at Government College in Umuahia (1935–1941) and later at Yaba Higher College.

During the Second World War , Gabriel Okara worked for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (which later became part of British Airways ), gave lessons and spent time in the Gambia .

After the war, from 1945, he worked as a printer and bookbinder for the government's own publishing house. His first translations of poems into English date from this period. In the 1950s he worked for the Ministry of Information. From 1959 to 1960 Okara attended Northwestern University in Evanston , Illinois , and studied comparative journalism. Back in the now independent Nigeria, he continued to work for the Ministry of Information. During the Biafran war , he supported the side of Biafra and visited at this time again the United States to promote the cause of Biafra. Some of his previously unpublished works were destroyed during the fighting.

After the Biafra War, Gabriel Okara worked for Nigeria's public radio station until he left the civil service in 1975.

Gabriel Okara last lived in Port Harcourt .

Works

Poetry

  • Pergamon poets. 2, Poetry from Africa: Gabriel Okara [and others]. Pergamon, 1968, ISBN 0-08-003880-8 .
  • The Fisherman's Invocation. Heinemann Educational Books, African Writers Series, London 1978, ISBN 0-435-90183-4 .

prose

  • The Voice. Andre Deutsch, London 1964, OCLC 551564099 .
    • The voice (= edition of new texts. ) Translated by Olga and Erich Fetter. Aufbau-Verlag, Berlin 1975, OCLC 180467802 .

Children's books

  • Little Snake and Little Frog. Heinemann Educational Books, Nigeria 1981, ISBN 978-129-905-3 .
  • An Adventure to Juju Island. Heinemann Educational Books, Nigeria 1991, ISBN 978-129-907-X .

Awards (selection)

  • 1953: "Best All-Around" award, Nigerian Festival of Art for Call of the River Nun
  • 1979: Commonwealth Poetry Prize for The Fisherman's Invocation
  • 2005: Nigerian Prize for Literature

swell

  1. ↑ Renowned Poet and Novelist, Gabriel Okara, Dies Just Before 98th Birthday.Retrieved March 25, 2019
  2. ↑ Okara, Gabriel 1921–. Encyclopedia.com, accessed May 23, 2015 .
  3. ↑ Ekaete George: Nigeria: Day Gabriel Okara Cheated Death . In: Vanguard (Lagos) . January 6, 2008 ( online ).
  4. ↑ How Mum, Media Aided My $ 50,000 NLNG Award on allafrica.com (English)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Okara, Gabriel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Okara, Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Nigerian writer
DATE OF BIRTH April 21, 1921 or April 24, 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH Bomoundi , Niger Delta
DATE OF DEATH March 25, 2019
Place of death Yenagoa , Bayelsa