Odia Ofeimun to be awarded 2010 Fonlon-Nichols Award

Ofeimun, 60, was one time Personal Secretary to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and is also an essayist. He has worked as a journalist, rising to the editorial board of the Guardian. He has authored several anthologies including Go Tell the Generals, A Boiling Caracas and Other Poems, and I Will Ask Questions With Stones If […]

Ofeimun, 60, was one time Personal Secretary to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and is also an essayist. He has worked as a journalist, rising to the editorial board of the Guardian.

He has authored several anthologies including Go Tell the Generals, A Boiling Caracas and Other Poems, and I Will Ask Questions With Stones If They Take My Voice among others and has a reputation as a social critic who does not shy away from controversial issues and brushes with the law.

The award was instituted in 1992 to honour Cameroonian writers, Bernard Fonlon and Lee Nichols for their contribution to both African literature and freedom of expression.

Past winners of the award include Ken Saro Wiwa, Nuruddin Farah, Mongo Beti and Wole Soyinka among others. Ofeimun will receive the award at the 36th annualALA conference, March 10 – 14 in Tucson, Arizona, United States.