Ama Ata Aidoo

From Wikipedia
Ama Ata Aidoo
human
Sex anaa genderfemale Edit
Country wey e be citizenGhana Edit
Name in native languageAma Ata Aidoo Edit
Given nameAma Edit
Family nameAidoo Edit
Date of birth23 March 1942 Edit
Place dem born amAbeadzi Kyiakor Edit
Date of death31 May 2023 Edit
Place dem dieAccra Edit
Manner of deathnatural causes Edit
Cause of deathdisease Edit
Native languageFante Edit
Languages dem dey speak, wrep anaa signEnglish, Fante Edit
Occupationpoet, novelist, playwright, politician Edit
Field for workpoetry, drama, fiction literature Edit
EmployerBrown University Edit
Position dem holdMinister for Education Edit
Educate forWesley Girls' High School, University of Ghana Edit
Work locationZimbabwe Edit
Work period (start)1964 Edit
Political party ein memberProvisional National Defence Council Edit
Award dem receiveCommonwealth Writers' Prize Edit
Personal pronounL484 Edit

Ama Ata Aidoo, née Christina Ama Aidoo (23 March 1942– 31 May 2023)[1] be Ghanaian author, poet, playwright den academic.[2][3] Na she be de Minister of Education for Jerry Rawlings ein tym. For 2000 insyd, she establish de Mbaasem Foundation so say she go take promote den support de work of African women writers.[2][4]

Ein early life[edit | edit source]

Dem born Aidoo for 23 March 1942[5] insyd Abeadzi Kyiakor, for Saltpond wey dey Central Region for Ghana insyd. Sum sources (wey dey include Megan Behrent, Brown University, den Africa Who's Who) state say dem born am for 31 March 1940.[6][7] She get twin bro, Kwame Ata.[8][9]

Ein education[edit | edit source]

Aidoo attend Wesley Girls' Senior High School wey dey Cape Coast[10][11] from 1961 dey go 1964. Afta ein high school, she enrol for de University of Ghana, Legon wer she get degree of Bachelor of Arts for English insyd wey she san rep ein first play, De Dilemma of a Ghost, for 1964 insyd.[2] Longman publish de play de following year, wey e make Aidoo de first published African woman dramatist.[12]

Ein film[edit | edit source]

She be de subject of sam 2014 documentary film, De Art of Ama Ata Aidoo, made by Yaba Badoe.[13][14][15]

Ein awards den recognition[edit | edit source]

Aidoo receive chaw awards wey dey include de Mbari Club prize insyd 1962 for ein short story "No Sweetness Here",[16] den de 1992 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book (Africa) for ein novel Changes.[17]

For 2012 insyd, na de volume Essays in honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70 wey Anne V. Adams, plus contributors wey dey include Atukwei Okai, Margaret Busby, Maryse Condé, Micere Mugo, Toyin Falola, Biodun Jeyifo, Kofi Anyidoho, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Naana Banyiwa Horne, Nana Wilson-Tagoe, Carole Boyce Davies, Emmanuel Akyeampong, James Gibbs, Vincent O. Odamtten, Jane Bryce, Esi Sutherland-Addy, Femi Osofisan, Kwesi Yankah, Abena Busia, Yaba Badoe, Ivor Agyeman-Duah, Chikwenye Okonjo Ogunyemi, Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Kinna Likimani, den odas publish, edit am.[18][19][20]

De Aidoo-Snyder book prize, de Women's Caucus of de African Studies Association award am for outstanding book woman publish wey dey prioritize African women demma experiences, dem name am in honor of Ama Ata Aidoo den of Margaret C. Snyder, wey na be de founding director for UNIFEM.[21]

For 2016 insyd, dem include Aidoo ein plays The Dilemma of a Ghost den Anowa as African Drama selections for de Cambridge International Examinations insyd.[22]

Dem launch for March 2017 insyd, dem name Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing (Aidoo Centre), wey dey under de auspices for de Kojo Yankah School of Communications Studies for de African University College of Communications (AUCC) insyd Adabraka, Accra, for ein honour insyd[23]—ebe de first centre of ein kind insyd West Africa, plus Nii Ayikwei Parkes as ein director.[24][25]

Death[edit | edit source]

Aidoo die for 31 May 2023, for de age of 81.[26][27][28][29] According to ein family, she die peacefully for home after sam short illness.[30]

Ein works dem select[edit | edit source]

  • The Dilemma of a Ghost (play), Accra: Longman, 1965. New York: Macmillan, 1971.[31][32][33][34]
  • Anowa (ebe play wey dey base for Ghanaian legend top), London: Longman, 1970. New York: Humanities Press, 1970.[35]
  • No Sweetness Here: A Collection of Short Stories, Longman, 1970. New York: Doubleday[36][37]
  • Our Sister Killjoy: or Reflections from a Black-eyed Squint (novel), Longman, 1977.[31][38]
  • Someone Talking to Sometime (a poetry collection), Harare: College Press, 1986.[37][39]
  • The Eagle and the Chickens and Other Stories (for children), Tana Press, 1986.[37]
  • Birds and Other Poems, Harare: College Press, 1987.[39]
  • An Angry Letter in January (poems), Dangaroo Press, 1992.[40]
  • Changes: a Love Story (novel), The Women's Press, 1991. New York: Feminist Press at the City University of New York, 1993.[31][41]
  • The Girl Who Can and Other Stories, Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers, ISBN 978-0435910136; Heinemann African Writers Series, 1997.
  • Diplomatic Pounds & Other Stories, Ayebia Clarke Publishing, 2012, ISBN 978-0956240194.

As editor[edit | edit source]

Further reading[edit | edit source]

  • Aditya Misra, "Death in Surprise: Gender and Power Dynamics in Ama Ata Aidoo's Anowa". Journal of Drama Studies, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2012, pp. 81–91.
  • Anne V. Adams (ed.), Essays in Honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70: A Reader in African Cultural Studies. Ayebia Clarke Publishing, 2012.
  • Ada Uzoamaka Azodo and G. Wilentz, Emerging Perspectives on Ama Ata Aidoo, Africa Research & Publications, 1999.
  • Vincent O. Odamtten, The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo: Polylectics and Reading Against Neocolonialism. University Press of Florida, 1994.
  • Esther Pujolràs-Noguer, An African (Auto)biography. Ama Ata Aidoo's Literary Quest: Strangeness, nation and tradition, Lap Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012.
  • Nafeesah Allen, "Negotiating with the Diaspora: an Interview with Ama Ata Aidoo", Scholar & Feminist Online, 2009.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Danquah, Nana-Ama (2 June 2023). "We are here: In memory of Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo". The Africa Report. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Ama Ata Aidoo | Ghanaian writer". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  3. ↑ Hugon, Anne (31 August 2021). "Aidoo, Ama Ata". African History. Oxford Research Encyclopedias. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190277734.013.469. ISBN 978-0-19-027773-4. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  4. ↑ "Welcome to Mbaasem". Mbaasem Foundation. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  5. ↑ "Late Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo to be honoured with state-assisted burial". Modern Ghana. 15 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Behrent, Megan. "Ama Ata Aidoo: Biographical Introduction". www.postcolonialweb.org. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  7. ↑ Uwechue, Raph (1996). Africa Who's Who. London: Africa Books Limited. pp. 80-81. ISBN 9780798303446.
  8. ↑ Odamtten, Vincent Okpoli (26 April 2000). " 'For Her Own (Works') Quality' The Poetry of Ama Ata Aidoo". Matatu. 21-22 (1): 209-216. doi:10.1163/18757421-90000320.
  9. ↑ Okoampa-Ahoofe, Kwame Jr (6 September 2016). "Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo's action is about principles, not sheer human foibles". GhanaWeb. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  10. ↑ Innes, Lyn (11 June 2023). "Ama Ata Aidoo obituary". The Guardian.
  11. ↑ Liukkonen, Petri. "Ama Ata Aidoo". Books and Writers (Authors Calendar). Finland.
  12. ↑ Naana Banyiwa Horne, "Aidoo, Ama Ata", Who's Who in Contemporary Women's Writing, 2001, Routledge.
  13. ↑ "Home". The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  14. ↑ Ellerson, Beti (7 December 2013). "AFRICAN WOMEN IN CINEMA BLOG: Yaba Badoe talks about the documentary film project "The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo"". AFRICAN WOMEN IN CINEMA BLOG. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Art of AMA ATA AIDOO: Documentary Film Launch - The African Women's Development Fund". 26 September 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  16. ↑ "Aidoo, (Christina) Ama Ata 1942–". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  17. ↑ Verge, Violetta Jojo (2015). The Re-Presentation of Africa and the African in Anglophone West African Literature: Buchi Emecheta and Ama Ata Aidoo (PDF). San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain.
  18. ↑ Adams, Anne V., ed. (2012). Essays in Honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70 : A Reader in African Cultural Studies. Ayebia. ISBN 9780956930705.
  19. ↑ "Ama Ata Aidoo At 70 – New African Magazine". newafricanmagazine.com. March 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Essays in Honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70: A Reader in African Cultural Studies | Table of Contents". Barrnes & Noble. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  21. ↑ "Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize By-Laws" Template:Webarchive, ASA Women's Caucus.
  22. ↑ Haffar, Anis (28 September 2016). "The literary genius of Ama Ata Aidoo". Education Matters with Anis Haffar. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  23. ↑ "AUCC Launches Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing", Modern Ghana, 15 March 2017.
  24. ↑ "Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing opens in Accra, Ghana" Template:Webarchive, James Murua Blog, 22 March 2017.
  25. ↑ Tandoh, Kwamina/Winifred Zuur, "Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing inaugurated", Ghana News Agency, 16 March 2017.
  26. ↑ "Renowned Ghanaian writer Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo is dead". GhanaWeb. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  27. ↑ "Ghanaian writer Prof Ama Ata Aidoo is dead". Graphic Online. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  28. ↑ "Ama Ata Aidoo: Ghana's famous author and feminist dies". BBC News. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  29. ↑ Kubi, Vincent (31 May 2023). "Celebrated Playwright Prof Ama Ata Aidoo Is Dead". Daily Guide Network.
  30. ↑ "Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo passes on aged 81 - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 "Her Story". BBC World Service Service. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  32. ↑ Owomoyela, Oyekan (2008). The Columbia Guide to West African Literature in English. p. 64.
  33. ↑ Dodgson-Katiyo, Pauline (1 November 2016). "Ama Ata Aidoo, Dilemma of a Ghost". The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  34. ↑ Thompson, Clifford, ed. (1999). World Authors 1990–1995. H.W. Wilson. p. 6.
  35. ↑ Haffar, Anis (15 September 2016). "Ghana's precious playwright, Ama Ata Aidoo". Education Matters. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  36. ↑ Killam, G. D. (1971). "Modern Black African Writing in English: A Selected Bibliography". Twentieth Century Literature. 17 (1): 37–47. ISSN 0041-462X. JSTOR 606803.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 "Anglophone and Lusophone African Writers (A Bibliography of Anglophone Women Writers)". University of Exeter. Archived from the original on 22 April 2003.
  38. ↑ Kern, Anita, "Ama Ata Aidoo. Our sister killjoy. London: Longman, 1977" (review), World Literature Written in English, Volume 17, 1978 – Issue 1, pp. 55–57; via Taylor & Francis Online.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Warren, Crystal (2007). "A Bibliography of Zimbabwean Poets". English in Africa. 34 (2): 111–121. ISSN 0376-8902. JSTOR 40239082.
  40. ↑ Aidoo, Ama (11 June 2019). "Poems". Kunapipi. 14 (1). ISSN 0106-5734.
  41. ↑ Simpson, Waleska Saltori. Template:"'What Fashion of Loving Was She Ever Going to Consider Adequate?' Subverting the 'Love Story' in Ama Ata Aidoo's Changes". English in Africa, 34.1 (2007): 155–71. Print.
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