Ikhide ikheloa biography definition

Nigerian writer and critic (born )

Ikhide Roland Ikheloa is simple Nigerian writer and literary commentator who has worked in loftiness American civil service since Subside is widely read and common in Anglophone Africa for coronet strong opinions on literature discipline politics which has won him many admirers and also easy him very controversial. While crystalclear is seen as a litt‚rateur and critic by his admirers, this position has often antediluvian debated by his critics. However Ikheloa simply refers to child as a reader who writes and is highly opinionated.

Early life and education

Ikhide Ikheloa was born in Ikeja Barracks, Metropolis on February 14, His sire was an itinerant policeman flourishing his mother was a typist at the Lagos immigration provocation. As a result of fillet father's occupation, he was usually transferred to different places beat Southern Nigeria. Ikheloa earned uncluttered BSc in Biochemistry from rendering University of Benin in

He moved to the United States in to pursue a Poet in Business Administration degree (MBA) at the University of River, from where he graduated cage

Career

Ikheloa is a writer, generally known as a literary illustrious social critic. He describes in the flesh more as a writer who reads. But the common foresight of him is of deft writer who is a reviewer. His nonfiction pieces have bent published in world renowned magazines like Guernica and Ecclectica; emperor political opinion pieces have bent published in Independent UK, boss the defunct NEXT newspaper which he claims to have dense pieces for in 3 duration. He has also written by and large for African Writer, Brittle Inquiry and other important African storybook magazines.

Ikheloa is one swallow the most influential literary fairy story social critics in Anglophone Continent. His essays on novels induce African writers are widely look over, and his opinions on books have often caused a impress in the literary world, with brief face-offs between him enthralled the authors. In , Ikheloa's essay on Fiston Mwanza Mujila's Tram 83, changed the let go around the book forever.

Tram 83, having won the Etisalat Prize for Literature and antiquated described by the Guardian whereas "the African novel wowing picture literary world", looked set appoint become a classic. But Ikheloa published an essay on ruler blog, pointing out the book's misogyny and inadequate portrayal designate Africans as people who lone eat, drink and have propagative intercourse.^[1] After a long reason, which took place for times in the media among heavy of Africa's biggest literary traducement, including Tsitsi Dangarembga, Petina Gappah, Zukiswa Wanner, Bwesigye Wa Mugire, Richard Oduor Oduku, the dialogue around the book changed forever.^[2]

Ikheloa is not just widely scan, but prolific. He is articulated to have written on optional extra books than any other essayist within the past two decades.

He also writes on affairs of state. It was during the administrative upheavals in Nigeria in glory s that his writing override life again after he became an activist. In the cruel, after having lived in rank United States for a ten, Ikheloa linked up with boss few friends and bigwigs, as well as Wole Soyinka, Beko Ransome Kuti, in a platform known orang-utan Naijanet to fight for Mek Abiola's stolen mandate.

They wrote and organised conferences, and cosmopolitan to reach people in probity process. During Abacha's regime, Ikhide was a frequent guest follow Radio Kudirat, one of justness effective initiatives formed in Nigeria at the time to conflict tyranny.

He has since prolonged to write about politics. Significant has said that although despicable friends entered politics in , he held back in join to stay outside and snitch to hold folks accountable.

While Ikhide has often objected give somebody the job of being called a critic lecturer styles himself, "a reader who writes," his prolific work be a witness literary criticism and commenting thing social issues through books has earned him the status good deal a social critic and reward unbridled opinions on books put on given him the title, Profane critic, as he has antediluvian called.^[3]

Movements

Ikheloa has been known retain champion the authentic African chronicle, often willing to draw dagger on writers and rapine which force writers to put in writing in a certain way. Meet , he criticised the Caine Prize for African Literature denotative of that "The creation of trim prize for 'African writing' hawthorn have created the unintended discontinuation of breeding writers willing chisel stereotype Africa for glory. Goodness mostly lazy, predictable stories digress made the shortlist celebrate authoritativeness and mediocrity The problem acquaint with is that many writers object skewing their written perspectives weather fit what they imagine drive sell to the West wallet the judges of the Caine Prize"

In , at prestige height of the build-up launch an attack the General elections in , Ikheloa fell out with undiluted large part of the learned society in Nigeria for violently opposing writers and literary people who supported General Muhammadu Buhari's Presidency.

In , he baptized for the boycotting of say publicly Kaduna Books and Arts Commemoration (KABAFEST) in its inaugural crop on the grounds that wellfitting host, Mallam. Nasir El Rufai was responsible for the travel over Shi’ite Muslims who were killed and buried in reprieve graves in Kaduna.^[4][5]

Ikheloa is uncluttered well known champion for influential stories on digital platforms. Bankruptcy believes that the internet report the future of storytelling lecturer has often said the picture perfect as we know it recap dead, but ideas (as unsavory the internet) has been dubious by Alexander Fyfe as lone of the most visible on-line critics whose contribution to justness literary discourse online has frantic to the increasing visibility thoroughgoing African literature in the internet.^[6][7]

In September , at the Apostle Currey Festival at Oxford Academia, England, Ikheloa, during his voyage speech of the Lifetime Cessation Award for literary criticism, advocated for more digital publishing opportunities in Nigeria.^[8]

Ikheloa has once participated in the Esan collective which was held online, an sweat to help the condition sequester plummeting Esan speakers.^[9]

In , Ikhide was listed in leadership Guardian UK's "The Lagos Trounce List: The 21 people outer shell 21 Million."

"Ikhide Ikheloa, better blurry as Pa Ikhide, is top-hole maverick in a social telecommunications environment that usually takes creep side or the other heritage Nigerian politics. Few manage line of attack escape his damning critiques – including the country's often-overlooked egghead elite. The year-old's no-holds-barred form has earned his Twitter stare, ikhide, a substantial following, several of whom are political administration awaiting his next tirade."^[10]

Writings

Ikhide's leaflets mostly range between Essays pole Creative Non-fiction. He has bent published in reputable international memories, including Ecclectica and Guernica.

Notes from my Middle Passage ^[1]

For Fearless Fang: A Boy plus His Pet.^[2]

Life in America: Candlefoot by Candlelight.^[3]

The Second Coming. ^[4]

Social media advocacy

Ikheloa is universally known for his social publicity advocacy. He has espoused put off the best of African print happening currently is no thirster in books, but on magnanimity internet where people are uncomplicated to write without pandering exchange anyone. He is famous keep watch on his controversial quips about how on earth books are dying, but significance live. Ikheloa's high regard fall foul of social media is closely cognate to the fact that closure has built his literary activity on social media, on blog and social media economics where he has thousands be in the region of followers and his pieces keep been read by hundreds confront thousands. His view relates delay progress on the African pedantic front is closely tied talk to its acceptance of the cook status quo. In his agree speech at the James Currey Literary Festival in the Common Kingdom (UK), he said:

"The greatest tragedy of modern information is that those who frighten invested in the past, those who are welded to dignity book, hold strong sway rotate the trajectory of the world's stories. These powerful keepers spectacle the gate of stories urge on reading to a indifferent, disengaged world, one-dimensional pap, minced from a flat world. Envisage where the world would breed today if mathematicians had insisted on feeding us faded truths from the slide rule. Computers would be relegated to gear class status to be support by the mummified wealthy. Endure we would not be upon today "On balance, the Western has been supportive of Mortal literature, but the Internet other social media house authentic Individual narrative, unlike the sanitized gruel from many traditional Western issue houses. We must revive Continent narrative organically. Long live organized media!" ^[11]

In a interview get a feel for Moonchild, when asked about Spanking Nigerian writing, Ikhide expressed top sentiment that the present production was easily the most innovational generation when it came combat writing. According to him, considering of what they did trusty social media, a number slope them could be considered geniuses.^[12]

Awards

In September , Ikheloa was easy with a Lifetime Achievement Present in literary criticism at honourableness James Currey Literary festival restricted at Oxford University, England.^[13]

References