Chibundu Onuzo
{{Short description|Nigerian novelist (born 1991)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chibundu Onuzo
| honorific_suffix = FRSL
| image = Chibundu Onuzo 2019 (cropped).jpg
| alt = Five speakers sitting on a stage with their names on a screen behind them.
| caption = Onuzo in 2019
| birth_name = Imachibundu Oluwadara Onuzo
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1991}}
| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria
| other_names =
| occupation =
| known_for =
| notable_works = {{plainlist}}
- The Spider King's Daughter (2012)
- Welcome to Lagos (2016)
{{endplainlist}}
}}
Imachibundu Oluwadara Onuzo {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSL}} (born 1991) is a Nigerian novelist. Her first novel, The Spider King's Daughter, won a Betty Trask Award,{{Cite web|title=Event: Chibundu Onuzo's 1991 (13 September)|url=https://africainwords.com/2019/07/10/event-chibundu-onuzos-1991-13-september/|last=Words|first=Africa in|date=2019-07-10|language=en|access-date=2020-05-29}} was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize{{Cite web|title=Dylan Thomas Prize: 'Thunderingly good' shortlist revealed|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/dylan-thomas-prize-thunderingly-good-2021798|last=WalesOnline|date=2012-10-18|website=walesonline|access-date=2020-05-29}} and the Commonwealth Book Prize,{{Cite web|title=Focus: The splendour of female narratives|url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/focus-the-splendour-of-female-narratives/|date=2016-08-27|website=The Sun Nigeria|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}} and was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize{{Cite web|title=DON'T DULL!! If You've Not Read Books From These Amazing Nigerian Writers, Then You're Dulling Yourself|url=http://www.dailyadvent.com/others/2019/03/31/dont-dull-if-youve-not-read-books-from-these-amazing-nigerian-writers-then-youre-dulling-yourself/|date=2019-03-31|website=Daily Advent Nigeria|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}} and the Etisalat Prize for Literature.{{cite web|author=Barbara Kasumu |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10115957/Author-Chibundu-Onuzo-Dont-let-anyone-tell-you-that-youre-too-young-to-contribute.html |title=Author Chibundu Onuzo: 'Don't let anyone tell you that you're too young to contribute' |work=The Telegraph |date=12 June 2013 |accessdate=8 March 2017}}
Biography
Chibundu Onuzo was born in 1991 in Nigeria, the youngest of four children of parents who are doctors, and grew up in Lagos.{{cite web|url=https://www.faber.co.uk/tutors/chibundu-onuzo/ |title=Chibundu Onuzo | Authors | Faber & Faber |website=Faber.co.uk |date= |accessdate=8 March 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/political-science/spp-news/301012/ |title=Chibundu Onuzo: The Spider King's Daughter |website=Ucl.ac.uk |date=30 October 2012 |accessdate=8 March 2017 |archive-date=12 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312035342/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/political-science/spp-news/301012/ |url-status=dead }} She moved to England when she was 14 to study at St Swithun’s school in Winchester, Hampshire, for her GCSEs,Chibundu Onuzo, [https://www.bellanaija.com/2016/10/award-winning-writer-chibundu-onuzo-talks-about-the-empowerment-of-the-girl-child-in-her-piece-when-i-was-fourteen/ "When I Was Fourteen"], Bella Naija, 17 October 2016. and at the age of 17 began writing her first novel, which was signed two years later by Faber and Faber and was published when she was 21.Chibundu Onuzo, [http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/chibundu-onuzo/young-artists_b_7181554.html "Young, Gifted and Valid"], HuffPost UK, 1 May 2015.[https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/writers/chibundu-onuzo "Chibundu Onuzo"], Edinburgh International Book Festival, August 2017. She was the youngest female writer ever taken on by the publisher.Emma Greensmith, [https://www.varsity.co.uk/reviews/4477 "Books: The Spider King's Daughter"], Varsity, 24 February 2012. Reviewing her second book, Welcome to Lagos (2016), Helon Habila wrote in The Guardian: "Onuzo's portrayal of human character is often too optimistic, her view of politics and society too charitable; but her ability to bring her characters to life, including the city of Lagos, perhaps the best-painted character of all, is impressive."{{cite news|first=Helon|last=Habila|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/18/welcome-to-lagos-by-chibundu-onuzo-review |title=Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo review – high hopes, big city|newspaper=The Guardian|date=18 January 2017}}
Onuzo received a first-class bachelor's degree in history from King's College London (2012),{{cite web|url=https://alumni.kcl.ac.uk/page.aspx?pid=4261 |title=Chibundu Onuzo on The Spider King's Daughter - King's Alumni Community |website=Alumni.kcl.ac.uk |date=13 November 2013 |accessdate=8 March 2017}} and went on to earn a master's degree in public policy from University College London. She studied for a PhD at King's College London, researching the West African Students' Union.{{cite news|author=Anita Sethi |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/01/chibundu-onuzo-welcome-to-lagos-interview |title=Chibundu Onuzo: 'I love Lagos, but it is not a place you can romanticise' |newspaper=The Guardian |date=1 January 2017 |accessdate=8 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.georginacapel.com/our-authors/chibundu-onuzo/|title=Chibundo Onuzo|website=Georgina Capel Associates Ltd|access-date=1 December 2022}}
She has written for outlets including The Guardian[https://www.theguardian.com/profile/chibundu-onuzo Chibundo Onuzo] profile at The Guardian. and NPR,{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/08/13/1113576301/my-brother-made-it-in-lagos-and-taught-me-lessons-about-my-life-in-london|title=My brother made it in Lagos — and taught me lessons about my life in London|first=Chibundu|last=Onuzo|website=NPR|date=13 August 2022|access-date=1 December 2022}} and contributed the short story "Sunita" to the 2019 anthology New Daughters of Africa, edited by Margaret Busby.{{cite web|url=https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/books/new-daughters-of-africa-by-margaret-busby-a-review-by-john-stevenson/|title='New Daughters of Africa' by Margaret Busby – A review|first=John |last=Stevenson|website=Black History 365|date=8 November 2019}}
Onuzo's third novel Sankofa was published in the UK by Virago in June 2021,{{cite book|url=https://www.virago.co.uk/titles/chibundu-onuzo/sankofa/9780349013121/|title=Sankofa|date=3 December 2020 |publisher=Virago Books|isbn=9780349013121 |access-date=23 August 2021}} and was reviewed by The Guardian as "[a]n accomplished novel that explores difference and belonging with a cool intensity".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/19/sankofa-by-chibundu-onuzo-review-a-journey-into-heritage|title=Sankofa by Chibundu Onuzo review – a journey into heritage|first=Michael|last=Donkor|author-link=Michael Donkor|newspaper=The Guardian|date=19 June 2021}} Brittle Paper described it as "a love story, a political history, and a father-daughter drama".{{cite web|url=https://brittlepaper.com/2021/11/an-intimate-story-of-self-discovery-and-decolonization-review-of-sankofa-by-chibundu-onuzo/|title=An Intimate Story of Love and Decolonization: Review of Sankofa by Chibundu Onuzo|first=Ainehi|last=Edoro|author-link=Ainehi Edoro|website=Brittle Paper|date=22 November 2021|access-date=1 December 2022}} Sankofa was published by Catapult in the US and by Narrative Landscape in Nigeria.{{Cite web|title=Virago gets third novel from award-winner Onuzo {{!}} The Bookseller|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/virago-gets-third-novel-award-winner-onuzo-1210976|author=Mark Chandler|date=13 July 2020 |access-date=2021-03-02|website=www.thebookseller.com}}{{Cite web|date=2020-07-27|title=Get all the Scoop on Chibundu Onuzo's Highly Anticipated Third Novel|url=https://brittlepaper.com/2020/07/get-all-the-scoop-on-chibundu-onuzos-highly-anticipated-third-novel/|author= Angeline Peterson|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Brittle Paper|language=en-US}}
Bibliography
- The Spider King's Daughter (Faber and Faber, 2012)
- Welcome to Lagos (Catapult, 2016)
- Sankofa (Virago, 2021)
- Mayowa and the Sea of Words (Bloomsbury, 2024)
Awards and recognition
The Spider King's Daughter won a Betty Trask Award (2013),[http://www.societyofauthors.org/Prizes/Fiction/Betty-Trask/Past-winners "Previous winners of the Betty Trask Prize and Awards"], The Society of Authors. and in 2012 was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas PrizeKatie Allen, [http://www.thebookseller.com/news/dylan-thomas-prize-shortlist-announced "Dylan Thomas Prize shortlist announced"], The Bookseller, 19 October 2012. and the Commonwealth Book Prize.{{cite web|first=Ainehi |last=Edoro|author-link=Ainehi Edoro|url=http://brittlepaper.com/2013/05/african-writers-commonwealth-book-prize/|title=Meet The African Writers In The Running For The Commonwealth Book Prize|website=Brittle Paper|date= 6 May 2013}} In addition the novel was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize[http://www.foyles.co.uk/Public/Biblio/Detail.aspx?newsId=2837 "Desmond Elliott Prize longlist announced"], Foyles, 24 April 2012. and for the Etisalat Prize for Literature in 2013.[http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2013/12/23/the-inaugural-etisalat-prize-for-literature-longlist/ "The Inaugural Etisalat Prize for Literature Longslist"], Books Live, Sunday Times, 23 December 2013.
In April 2014 Onuzo was selected for the Hay Festival's Africa39 list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers aged under 40 with potential and talent to define future trends in African literature.{{cite news|first=Margaret |last=Busby|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/apr/10/port-harcourt-world-book-capital-2014-africa-39 |title=Africa39: how we chose the writers for Port Harcourt World Book Capital 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|date= 10 April 2014}}
In June 2018 Onuzo was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in its "40 Under 40" initiative.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jun/28/royal-society-of-literature-40-under-40-fellows|title=Royal Society of Literature admits 40 new fellows to address historical biases|last=Flood|first=Alison|date=2018-06-28|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-07-03}}
At the 2020 American Black Film Festival, the HBO Short Film Competition was won by Dọlápọ̀ Is Fine, for which Onuzo co-wrote the screenplay and which was based on her short story "Sunita".Amanda N'Duka, [https://deadline.com/2020/08/american-black-film-festival-abff-award-winners-virtual-edition-1203027500/ "American Black Film Festival Unveils ABFF Award Winners For Virtual Edition"], Deadline, August 31, 2020.WarnerMedia Entertainment, [https://medium.com/warnermediaent/the-evolution-of-self-acceptance-as-a-black-woman-7dbed3a70296 "The Evolution of Self-Acceptance as a Black Woman"], Medium, August 19, 2020. The film, which was directed by Joan Iyiola, has also been longlisted for the Bafta British short film award.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-04|title=BAFTA Long List Released|url=https://www.awardsdaily.com/2021/02/04/bafta-long-list-released/|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Awardsdaily - The Oscars, the Films and everything in between.|language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- Anita Sethi, [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/01/chibundu-onuzo-welcome-to-lagos-interview "InterviewChibundu Onuzo: 'I love Lagos, but it is not a place you can romanticise{{'"}}], The Guardian, 1 January 2017.
- Ben East, [https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/how-a-dream-gave-chibundu-onuzo-an-idea-to-write-her-new-novel-welcome-to-lagos-1.88523 "How a dream gave Chibundu Onuzo an idea to write her new novel Welcome to Lagos"] The National, 9 January 2017.
- [https://www.npr.org/2022/07/06/1110037614/ourselves-work-home-is-where-the-hustle-is "Ourselves@Work: Home Is Where The Hustle Is"], NPR, 6 July 2022.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Onuzo, Chibundu}}
Category:21st-century Nigerian novelists
Category:21st-century Nigerian women writers
Category:Alumni of King's College London
Category:Alumni of University College London
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature