Chioma Okereke facts for kids

Chioma Okereke ⁱ// is a talented writer from Nigeria. She writes poems, short stories, and novels. Her first novel, Bitter Leaf, was very popular. It was even nominated for a special award called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2011.

About Chioma Okereke

Chioma Okereke was born in Benin City, Nigeria. When she was six years old, she moved to Britain. She went to different boarding schools there. Later, she studied at the University College London. She earned a special degree in law.

Her Early Writing Journey

Chioma is a poet and short story writer. She has shared her work all over the world. Some of her early writings appeared in magazines like Callaloo. She also entered writing contests. In 2006, she was a finalist in the Undiscovered Authors Competition. The next year, she was a finalist in a "Write a Novel in a Year" contest.

Published Works and Awards

Her first novel, Bitter Leaf, came out in 2010. It was published by Virago Press. This book was nominated for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. This award celebrates the best new books from different countries.

Chioma also writes amazing short stories. Her story "Trompette de la Mort" won second place. This was for the first-ever Costa Short Story Award in 2012. Her writing was also featured in a special book. This book was called Virago is 40 in 2013.

Helping Others with Her Stories

Her newest novel is called Water Baby. It was released in April 2024. This book tells the story of a young woman growing up. The story takes place in a real community called Makoko. Makoko is a floating settlement in Lagos, Nigeria. The book shows the challenges a young woman faces. She tries to find her own path in life.

Chioma was very touched by the people of Makoko. Because of this, she started a charity. It is called Makoko Pearls. This charity helps people in Makoko. It works to reduce poverty there. It also brings positive changes to the community.