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Elechi Amadi

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surprising trajectory that this short but profoundly memorable booklet by the late Elechi Amadi represents. Although the two narrative treatises contained in this work were described by the author as an excursion into the medium of science fiction it would really be more accurate to define them as philosophical allegories. Their contents contemplate the human condition and the limits of the potential for human achievement based on the concept of the supernatural rather than simply being exercises in the conceptualisation of events of an otherworldly nature, which popular science fiction often is. ... In the final analysis these works read like fables from the future that the author must have had immense enjoyment creating. Amadi’s love for literature and his prolific output in his early years overshadowed his scientific background especially after the Civil War when he settled down to work as an educationist and public administrator in Rivers State. It was in this period that he embarked on the experiments in new forms of writing of which this work is a slight but unforgettable example."
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wrote: "When an author has attained the status of an icon in his profession, based on the publication of works that have been declared iconic masterpieces from the earliest period of his career, it is unusual to find him engaging in experimentation in the latter stages of that career. This is the
123: 175:(1955–59), where he obtained a degree in Physics and Mathematics. While in university, he adopted the name Elechi Amadi, which he felt reflected his Ikwerre heritage more than his birth name, Emmanuel Elechi Daniel. 133:. He was an author of plays and novels that are generally about African village life, customs, beliefs, and religious practices prior to contact with the Western world. Amadi is best regarded for his 1966 211:
He was a writer-in-residence and lecturer at Rivers State College of Education, where he has also been Dean of Arts, head of the literature department and Director of General Studies.
1279: 271:, was published. It records his personal experiences in the Nigeria-Biafra war, and according to Niven "is written in a compelling narrative form as though it were a novel". 1244: 961: 1017: 1249: 1219: 1127: 779: 363: 260: 1239: 248: 1160: 1254: 1036: 281:
In May 2004, a conference was organized by the Association of Nigerian Authors, Rivers State Branch, to mark Elechi Amadi's 70th birthday.
373: 264:, published in 1969, is pre-colonial Eastern Nigeria, and is about the battle between two village communities over possession of a pond. 109: 27: 1274: 658: 214:
Amadi has said that his first publication was in 1957, a poem entitled "Penitence" in a University of Ibadan campus magazine called
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He worked for a time as a land surveyor and later was a teacher at several schools, including the Nigerian Military School,
1259: 1209: 1122: 920: 203:: Permanent Secretary (1973–83), Commissioner for Education (1987–88) and Commissioner for Lands and Housing (1989–90). 1269: 1264: 1214: 510: 497: 484: 455: 442: 429: 886: 674: 416: 235:
in his critical study of the novel wrote: "Rooted firmly among the hunting and fishing villages of the Niger delta,
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A Celebration of J. P. Clarke's 50 Years of Artistry, A Presentation by Elechi Amadi – 13 August 2010.
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paid tribute to Amadi as "a soldier and poet, captive of conscience, human solidarity and justice."
856: 1234: 200: 129:(12 May 1934 – 29 June 2016) was a Nigerian author and soldier. He was a former member of the 662: 598: 403: 362:
2003 – honorary doctorate, Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Education, honoris causa, awarded by
307: 231:, was published in London in 1966 and was hailed as a "most accomplished first performance". 227: 139: 130: 95: 1060: 1199: 1194: 978: 172: 8: 339: 752: 983: 727: 196: 936: 1161:"Conversation with Elechi Amadi: When I wrote The Concubine, I thought it was a joke" 1094: 670: 604: 506: 493: 480: 451: 438: 425: 412: 219: 1004: 974: 115: 310:, by unknown gunmen. He was released on the evening of 6 January, 23 hours later. 288:, Elechi turned for the first time to the genre of science fiction. Reviewing it, 949: 890: 827: 783: 715: 289: 327: 232: 152: 199:, and retired at the rank of captain. He then held various positions with the 1188: 1132: 1098: 1022: 594: 343: 67: 239:
nevertheless possesses the timelessness and universality of a major novel."
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was made into a film, written by Elechi Amadi and directed by accomplished
156: 50: 639: 134: 564:, Port Harcourt: Pearl Publishers/Association of Nigerian Authors, 2008. 820: 708: 643: 244: 168: 319: 893:, Port Harcourt: Pearl Publishers/Association of Nigerian Authors. 1123:"Rivers government renames Port Harcourt Poly after Elechi Amadi" 950:"Nigeria: Novelist, Elechi Amadi Kidnapped, Freed After 23 Hours" 921:"Fables From The Future: Elechi Amadi’s Philosophical Allegories" 160: 1018:"‘Adieu Soldier and Poet,’ Soyinka pays tribute to Elechi Amadi" 389:, is dedicated to him. Port Harcourt Polytechnic was renamed to 306:
On 5 January 2009 Amadi was kidnapped at his home in Aluu town,
143:, which has been called "an outstanding work of pure fiction". 669:. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press (published 2012). 252: 195:
Amadi served in the Nigerian army, remained there during the
184: 467:(plays, combined volume), Ibadan: Onibonoje Publishers, 1977 530:(ed. Seiyifa Koroye), Port Harcourt: Pearl Publishers, 2004 524:(essays and poems), University of Port Harcourt Press, 2003 492:(philosophy), London: Heinemann Educational Books, 1982, 1280:
Academic staff of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education
904:"Late Elechi Amadi’s Final Work Of Art, ‘When God Came’" 1005:"Nigeria's Elechi Amadi, author of The Concubine, dies" 437:(war diary), Heinemann African Writers Series, 1969, 424:(novel), Heinemann, 1969; Macmillan Education, 1976, 851: 849: 369:
2003 – Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Education.
846: 841:A Critical View on Elechi Amadi's "The Concubine" 809:A Critical View on Elechi Amadi's "The Concubine" 699:, Heinemann Educational Books, 1983; pp. 350-351. 665:; Akyeampong, Emmanuel; Niven, Steven J. (eds.). 505:(novel), Heinemann African Writers Series, 1986, 479:(novel), Heinemann African Writers Series, 1978, 364:Rivers State University of Science and Technology 1245:People of Rivers State in the Nigerian Civil War 1186: 973: 794:Eustace Palmer, "Elechi Amadi and Flora Nwapa", 190: 359:1992 – Rivers State Silver Jubilee Merit Award. 151:Born in 1934, in Mbodo-Aluu in what is now the 580:Eldred Jones, "African Literature 1966-1967", 1250:Military personnel of the Nigerian Civil War 1220:Members of the Order of the Federal Republic 695:Hans M. Zell, Carol Bundy, Virginia Coulon, 557:, Ibadan: Heinemann Educational Books, 1994. 267:In 1973 Amadi autobiographical non-fiction, 587: 374:Member of the Order of the Federal Republic 274:On 13 May 1989 a symposium was held at the 146: 697:A New Reader's Guide to African Literature 518:(play), Port Harcourt: Gitelle Press, 2002 473:(play), Ibadan: Onibonoje Publishers, 1978 1116: 1114: 656: 603:. Taylor & Francis. pp. 26–27. 1240:Rivers State Commissioners of Education 1120: 967: 948:Jimitota Onoyume and Samuel Oyadongha, 593: 411:, 1969; Ibadan: Heinemann Books, 1993, 16:Nigerian author and soldier (1934–2016) 1187: 728:"Literary icon, Elechi Amadi, is dead" 553:Willfried Feuser and Ebele Eko (eds), 1121:Onoyume, Jimitota (5 December 2016). 1111: 1084: 883:Critical Perspectives on Elechi Amadi 629: 562:Critical Perspectives on Elechi Amadi 550:, Yaba, Lagos: Kraft Books Ltd, 1991. 258:The setting of Amadi's second novel, 1255:International Writing Program alumni 278:to celebrate Amadi's 55th birthday. 636:Books and Writers (kirjasto.sci.fi) 338:On 29 June 2016, Amadi died at the 13: 600:Encyclopedia of African Literature 548:Elechi Amadi: The Man and his Work 540: 301: 14: 1291: 1275:Government College Umuahia alumni 1149: 1037:"Elechi Amadi | Encyclopedia.com" 937:"Gunmen kidnap Nigerian novelist" 346:at the age of 82. Nobel laureate 657:Ochiagha, Terri (January 2011). 409:Heinemann African Writers Series 391:Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic 114: 1230:21st-century Nigerian novelists 1225:20th-century Nigerian novelists 1078: 1053: 1029: 1010: 998: 955: 942: 930: 913: 896: 874: 833: 814: 801: 788: 667:Dictionary of African Biography 396: 1085:Niven, Alastair (2016-08-22). 770: 745: 720: 702: 689: 650: 642:Public Library. Archived from 623: 574: 296: 1: 1156:Elechi Amadi official website 568: 191:Military service and politics 952:, AllAfrica, 7 January 2009. 7: 1260:Educators from Rivers State 1210:University of Ibadan alumni 939:, BBC News, 6 January 2009. 881:Preface to Seiyifa Koroye, 387:University of Port Harcourt 385:The Faculty of Humanity in 313: 276:University of Port Harcourt 165:Government College, Umuahia 10: 1296: 927:(Nigeria), 21 August 2016. 753:"Elechi Amadi (1934-2016)" 490:Ethics in Nigerian Culture 318:In 2014 he was a judge of 206: 167:(1948–52), Survey School, 1270:21st-century male writers 1265:20th-century male writers 1215:Writers from Rivers State 1175:"Elechi Amadi, a tribute" 1061:"Elechi Amadi dies at 82" 1007:, BBC News, 30 June 2016. 979:"Elechi Amadi dies at 82" 796:African Literarture Today 709:Elechi Amadi website, CV. 450:(play), Heinemann, 1973, 380: 353: 178: 155:local government area of 90: 82: 74: 57: 34: 21: 1167:(Nigeria), 16 July 2016. 782:26 February 2013 at the 333: 163:, Elechi Amadi attended 147:Early life and education 1205:Nigerian male novelists 1087:"Elechi Amadi obituary" 201:Rivers State government 908:The Cerebral Lemon Co. 663:Gates, Henry Louis Jr. 584:, vol. 3, no. 1, p. 5. 471:Dancer of Johannesburg 38:Emmanuel Elechi Daniel 857:"Elechi Amadi dies -" 811:(London, 1981), p. 7. 798:, no. 1, 1969, p. 56. 251:, which premiered in 225:Amadi's first novel, 131:Nigerian Armed Forces 1041:www.encyclopedia.com 821:Elechi Amadi website 522:Speaking and Singing 516:The Woman of Calabar 173:University of Ibadan 962:"Imagine the World" 646:on 25 January 2015. 340:Good Heart Hospital 284:For his last book, 171:(1953–54), and the 902:Aderonke Adeleke, 889:2013-02-20 at the 826:2011-07-26 at the 714:2013-03-26 at the 630:Liukkonen, Petri. 555:Elechi Amadi at 55 197:Nigerian Civil War 919:Lindsay Barrett, 610:978-1-134-58223-5 407:(novel), London: 220:John Pepper Clark 103: 102: 1287: 1144: 1143: 1141: 1139: 1118: 1109: 1108: 1106: 1105: 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Machine 819: 815: 806: 802: 793: 789: 784:Wayback Machine 775: 771: 762: 760: 757:The Sun Nigeria 751: 750: 746: 737: 735: 726: 725: 721: 716:Wayback Machine 707: 703: 694: 690: 681: 679: 677: 659:"Amadi, Elechi" 655: 651: 628: 624: 615: 613: 611: 592: 588: 579: 575: 571: 543: 541:Further reading 528:Collected Plays 422:The Great Ponds 399: 383: 356: 336: 316: 304: 302:2009 kidnapping 299: 290:Lindsay Barrett 261:The Great Ponds 255:in March 2007. 209: 193: 181: 149: 121: 120: 113: 108: 66: 62: 48: 42: 40: 39: 30: 25: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1293: 1283: 1282: 1277: 1272: 1267: 1262: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1235:Ikwerre people 1232: 1227: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1183: 1182: 1181:, 4 July 2016. 1168: 1158: 1151: 1150:External links 1148: 1146: 1145: 1110: 1077: 1052: 1028: 1026:, 4 July 2016. 1016:Ben Ezeamalu, 1009: 997: 966: 954: 941: 929: 912: 910:, 1 July 2016. 895: 873: 845: 832: 813: 800: 787: 769: 744: 734:. 29 June 2016 719: 701: 688: 675: 649: 632:"Elechi Amadi" 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Finland: 546:Ebele Eko, 297:Later years 187:(1963–66). 135:debut novel 83:Nationality 47:12 May 1934 1189:Categories 1104:2020-05-26 1071:2020-05-26 1046:2020-05-26 867:2020-05-26 763:2020-05-26 738:2020-05-26 682:2022-10-27 616:2018-11-20 569:References 461:Peppersoup 75:Occupation 43:1934-05-12 1138:4 January 1099:0261-3077 830:, videos. 477:The Slave 393:in 2016. 245:Nollywood 70:, Nigeria 53:, Nigeria 1179:The News 1128:Vanguard 984:Vanguard 887:Archived 861:The NEWS 824:Archived 780:Archived 712:Archived 597:(2003). 465:The Road 320:Africa39 314:Africa39 216:The Horn 86:Nigerian 78:Novelist 1165:The Sun 990:30 June 839:Niven, 448:Isiburu 372:2003 – 308:Ikwerre 207:Writing 161:Nigeria 153:Ikwerre 1097:  673:  607:  536:, 2011 509:  496:  483:  454:  441:  428:  415:  381:Legacy 376:(MFR). 354:Awards 179:Career 99:(1966) 49:Aluu, 661:. In 334:Death 253:Abuja 185:Zaria 119: 1140:2023 1095:ISSN 992:2016 671:ISBN 605:ISBN 507:ISBN 494:ISBN 481:ISBN 463:and 452:ISBN 439:ISBN 426:ISBN 413:ISBN 326:and 58:Died 35:Born 342:in 169:Oyo 110:MFR 28:MFR 1191:: 1177:, 1173:, 1163:, 1131:. 1125:. 1113:^ 1093:. 1089:. 1063:. 1039:. 1020:, 981:. 923:, 906:, 859:. 848:^ 755:. 730:. 634:. 330:. 222:. 159:, 137:, 116:// 1142:. 1107:. 1074:. 1049:. 994:. 870:. 766:. 741:. 685:. 619:. 366:. 45:) 41:(

Index

MFR
Rivers State
Port Harcourt
The Concubine
MFR
//

Nigerian Armed Forces
debut novel
The Concubine
Ikwerre
Rivers State
Nigeria
Government College, Umuahia
Oyo
University of Ibadan
Zaria
Nigerian Civil War
Rivers State government
John Pepper Clark
The Concubine
Alastair Niven
Nollywood
Andy Amenechi
Abuja
The Great Ponds
University of Port Harcourt
Lindsay Barrett
Ikwerre
Africa39

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