Chigozie Obioma is a highly acclaimed Nigerian author, born in Akure, Nigeria, who is renowned for his contemporary, literary fiction, and adult fiction stories. Growing up in Nigeria's southwestern part, Obioma was exposed to a diverse range of languages and cultures, having learned Igbo, English, and Yoruba during his childhood. His early experiences and exposure to British masters and Greek myths have significantly influenced his writing style and interests.
Obioma's writing has earned him numerous accolades and recognitions, including being labeled as Chinua Achebe's heir by the New York Times due to the resemblance of his writing to Achebe's style. In 2015, the Foreign Policy magazine named Obioma as one of the 100 Global Thinkers of this generation. He is the author of two novels, "The Fishermen" and "An Orchestra of Minorities," both of which were shortlisted for The Booker Prize and have been translated into 30 languages. Obioma has received numerous awards for his writing, including the LA Times book prize, the prestigious Internationalerpris, FT/Oppenheimer prize for fiction, and an NAACP Image award.
In addition to his writing career, Obioma works as an assistant professor of creative writing and literature at the Nebraska-Lincoln University. He is also a Distinguished writer in Residence at Wesleyan University, CT, the James E. Ryan Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the program director of the Oxbelly Writers retreat. Obioma's contributions to literature extend beyond his writing as he has served as a judge for the Booker prize in 2021. His third novel, "The Road to the Country," is set to be published in 2024.