Background
Ogbaa, Kalu was born on August 21, 1945 in Umuchiakuma, Abia, Nigeria. Son of Stephen and Ogonna (Uche) Ogbaa. came to the United States, 1977.
( Things Fall Apart is the most widely read and influenti...)
Things Fall Apart is the most widely read and influential African novel. Published in 1958, it has sold more than eight million copies and been translated into fifty languages. African culture is not familiar to most American readers however, and this casebook provides a wealth of commentary and original materials that place the novel in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Ogbaa, an Igbo scholar, has selected a wide variety of historical and firsthand accounts of Igbo history and cultural heritage. These accounts illuminate the historical context and issues relating to the colonization of Africa by European powers, in particular Britain's colonization of Nigeria. Fascinating materials bring to light the novel's cultural context―folkways, language and narrative customs, and traditional Igbo religion. Among the documents included are a slave narrative, interviews, journal and magazine articles, and historical essays. Each chapter is followed by questions for class discussion and ideas for student paper topics. A selection of maps and photos of Igbo culture complement the text. Following a literary analysis, historical documents trace the European powers' partition of Africa and the creation and colonization of Nigeria, home of the Igbo people. Several chapters on Igbo cultural harmony feature materials that explain the Igbo view of the world of humans and the world of the spirits, Igbo language, and traditional Igbo religion and material customs. Selections on the African novelists' novel place Things Fall Apart in the context of African literature and emphasize the difference between African and Western elements of fiction. A concluding chapter examines the debate on writing African novels in ex-colonizers' languages. This casebook will greatly enhance the reader's appreciation of the novel and understanding of Igbo history, society, culture, and civilization.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0313302944/?tag=2022091-20
( A collection of 11 chapters by Nigerian professors, thi...)
A collection of 11 chapters by Nigerian professors, this book covers such issues as the dignity of intellectual labor; how colonial writings on Africa helped Africans decide to become the interpreters of their cultures; what Nigerian playwrights and poets have in common with authors from other parts of the world; the need to write literature in indigenous Nigerian languages; and critical examinations of the themes of victimization, bad governance, and Igbo social behavior as they are handled in select African and Nigerian literary texts. In discussing the issues, the contributors maintain a historical perspective which allows them to examine very critically the achievements of the founding fathers of Modern African Literatures, and the progress made in the development of African literatures. Also, they suggest what needs to be done to develop the national and ethnic literatures of Africa, as well as indigenous African languages that not only promote further development of the literatures, but also make it easier for Africans to read and appreciate their literatures more fully. Because of its content and developmental perspectives, The Gong and the Flute is a useful reference book for teachers and students of African literatures, and for research institutes and libraries interested in African, Nigerian, and Igbo Studies.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0313292817/?tag=2022091-20
( Nigerians first came to the United States to attend Ame...)
Nigerians first came to the United States to attend American universities, intending to return home. Successive waves of Nigerian students began to stay, and now Nigerian Americans are the largest African immigrant group in the country. Pursuing education to attain professional careers remains the cornerstone of the new Nigerian American families. This book gives students and general readers a clear view of where these immigrants came from, examining the Nigerian values and way of life that have been adapted to American culture, the inroads they have made economically, their relations with other Americans, and their contributions to American society. The author, a Nigerian immigrant, has experienced the process firsthand and represents his community as an insider. He portrays the people as hard working, religious adherents who value family and education above all, and maintain deep ties and keen interest in current events in Nigeria. Tables, photos, and biographical sketches of noted Nigerian Americans accompany the narrative.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0313319642/?tag=2022091-20
English literature educator book reviewer
Ogbaa, Kalu was born on August 21, 1945 in Umuchiakuma, Abia, Nigeria. Son of Stephen and Ogonna (Uche) Ogbaa. came to the United States, 1977.
Bachelor in English with honors, University Nigeria, Nsukka, 1973. Master of Arts in Black Studies, Ohio State University, 1977. Doctor of Philosophy in English, University Texas, 1981.
Assistant lecturer, Alvan Ikoku College Education, Owerri, Nigeria, 1974-1976; teaching associate, Ohio State University, Columbus, 1977; assistant instructor, University Texas, Austin, 1978-1981; lecturer English, University Texas, Austin, 1981; assistant professor, Imo State University, Okigwe, Nigeria, 1982-1985; associate professor, Imo State University, Okigwe, 1985-1989; associate professor, Oral Roberts U., Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1989-1990; associate professor, Clark Atlanta U., 1990-1992; associate professor, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, 1992-1995; Professor of English, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, since 1995. Acting director general studies program Imo State University, Okigwe, 1987-1989.
( A collection of 11 chapters by Nigerian professors, thi...)
( Nigerians first came to the United States to attend Ame...)
(Things Fall Apart is the most widely read and influential...)
( Things Fall Apart is the most widely read and influenti...)
Member Modern Language Association, College Language Association, African Literature Association, African Studies Association, Commonwealth Literature Association, Association Graduate Students English (executive), Imo State University Faculty Asembly (secretary 1982-1989), Phi Kappa Phi.
Married Clara Nwankwo, April 5, 1975 (divorced March 1994). Children: Ikenna, Ndubuisi, Emeka, Nneka, Enyinna, Kelechi. Married Glory Eke Uche, December 27, 1996.
Children: Uchenna, Adanne, Ekeoma.