Irenosen Okojie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irenosen Okojie
MBE FRSL
|
|
|---|---|
Okojie leads a discussion for the British Library in 2022
|
|
| Born |
Irenosen Iseghohi Okojie
Nigeria
|
| Nationality |
|
| Alma mater | London Metropolitan University |
|
Notable work
|
|
| Awards |
|
Irenosen Okojie is a talented writer from Nigeria who now lives in London, England. She writes exciting stories that often include fantasy ideas. Her stories also use her West African background.
Her first novel, Butterfly Fish, won a Betty Trask Award in 2016. Her short story "Grace Jones" won the 2020 Caine Prize for African Writing. In 2018, Okojie became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She was also made a vice-chair of the RSL in 2020.
About Irenosen Okojie
Her Early Life and School
Irenosen Okojie was born in Nigeria, a country in West Africa. When she was eight years old, her family moved to the United Kingdom. She went to a boarding school called Gresham's in Holt, Norfolk. Later, she attended St Angela's Convent School in East London. She also went to Stamford Boarding School for girls.
Okojie returned to London to finish her studies. She went to London Metropolitan University. There, she learned about Communications and Visual Culture.
Her Writing Career
Irenosen Okojie works as an arts project manager and curator in London. Her first novel, Butterfly Fish, won an important award in 2016. Her writing has been shared in many famous places. These include The New York Times, The Observer, and The Guardian. Her work has also appeared on the BBC and the Huffington Post.
She also contributed to a book called New Daughters of Africa in 2019. This book was put together by Margaret Busby.
Okojie has been nominated for many awards for her writing. She has also been a judge for other writing competitions. Her 2016 collection of short stories, Speak Gigantular, was nominated for two awards. These were the 2016 Jhalak Prize and the 2017 Edge Hill Short Story Prize.
Her story "Animal Parts" was nominated for a 2016 Shirley Jackson Award. Another short story, "Synsepalum", was played on BBC Radio 4. This was to celebrate the BBC National Short Story Award in 2018.
In 2018, Okojie was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. On May 19, 2020, she was nominated for the Caine Prize for African Writing. She was announced as the winner on July 27, 2020, for her story "Grace Jones".
In 2021, Okojie received a special honor. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This was for her great contributions to literature.
In 2023, Okojie was one of the judges for the Women's Prize for Fiction. She is also the leader and creator of a cool festival called Black to the Future. This festival celebrates Black artists from many different art forms.
Awards and Honors
- 2016: Betty Trask Award (for Butterfly Fish)
- 2018: Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
- 2020: Winner of AKO Caine Prize for African Writing (with "Grace Jones")
