The writing career of Dillibe Onyeama, a
Nigerian, has straddled five decades - though he was only born in 1951. Author
of the famous book, Nigger at Eton,
Onyeama was reputed to be the first Black African to study at that institution
(Eton College). He went on to publish over twenty books and has contributed
prodigiously to African publishing after returning back to Nigeria.
His other published books, over the decades,
include John Bull’s Nigger (1974), African Legend, The Return, Juju (novel)
Secret Society, Boomerang (short stories), Notes of a so-called Afro-Saxon,
Godfathers of Voodoo, Female Target, The Night Demon, The New Man, Revenge of
the Medicine Man, Book of Black Man’s Humour; and God, Sex and the English man
(2012). Readers of Onyeama’s books insist that in works like Juju, he matches the best of Eurocentric
mystery/thriller fiction.
Studies:
Bearing Witness: Readers, Writers, and the Novel
in Nigeria by Wendy Grisworld
I love eee Juju!! I have been searching for a copy of it since I misplaced mine almost 10 years ago . Do you have any idea how I can get another one?
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine someone talking about Dellibe Onyeama's works without mentioning SEX IS A NIGGER'S GAME. That is the most popular of his works. Our hypocrisy sef na wa.
ReplyDeleteI read it too, among his many books, when I was growing up and it was hilarious and titillating for a young man just discovering sex. I do miss Juju a lot as I would have loved to read it again. It was a real thriller; I lent out mine decades ago and didn't get it back. Where is Dillibe Onyeama now?
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ReplyDeleteYes, Dillibe Onyeama is one of the all time greats of African creative writing. We tend to forget them as time goes on in Africa, but we should never do so. Onyeama, Obi Egbuna, Es'kia Mphahlele, Emecheta etc - we must celebrate them forever. Like Shakespeare is still a literary god 400 years or so after his death!
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