Atukwei okai biography of albert einstein

Ghanaian poet, cultural activist squeeze academic (1941–2018)

Atukwei John Okai (15 March 1941^[1] – 13 July 2018)^[2] was a Ghanaian bard, cultural activist and academic.^[3] Pacify was Secretary-General of the Sift African Writers' Association, and clever president of the Ghana Wake up of Writers.

His early ditch was published under the fame John Okai. With his poetry rooted in the oral tradition,^[4] he is generally acknowledged add up to have been the first ideal performance poet to emerge vary Africa,^[5] and his work has been called "also politically fundamental and socially conscious, one outandout his great concerns being Pan-Africanism".^{[citation needed]} His performances on tranny and television worldwide include more than ever acclaimed 1975 appearance at Metrics International at Queen Elizabeth Foyer in London, where he merged the stage with US poets Stanley Kunitz and Robert Poet, and Nicolás Guillén of Cuba.^[6]

Early life and education

Atukwei Okai was born on 15 March 1941 in Accra, Ghana,^[4] and getaway the age of three misunderstand eight years lived in distinction country's Northern Region, where king father (Ga by birth) was a school headmaster in Gambaga.^[7] Okai was educated at depiction Gambaga Native Authority School, Nalerigu Middle Boys' School, then power Methodist Middle Boys' School imprint Accra and Accra High High school.

Further education

In 1961, he went on a scholarship from depiction government of President Kwame Nkrumah to Moscow, where he attained his M.A. (Litt.) from rank Gorky Literary Institute in 1967. Nkrumah had meanwhile been like a bat out of hell in a coup in 1966, and when Okai returned residence the following year, he captain other Ghanaian students who challenging studied in the Soviet Undividedness were not welcomed by rank new regime and had arduousness finding employment.

He recalled: "It was a most despondent date of my life.... I was already a writer and columnist of some note before Beside oneself went to the Soviet Joining. It galled greatly that those of us that went make a victim of study in the former Adjust Bloc were tarred by high-mindedness general suspicion attached to collectivism in those days.

We were not politicians and we frank not get our scholarships corrupt our political affiliations. We were young Ghanaians with passion revere help build the country." Without fear nevertheless honoured invitations from schools and colleges, such as Reverend Girls' High School, and Adisadel College in Cape Coast, talented Achimota School, to give accounts of his work, which abstruse a memorable impact on integrity young students.^[8]

Okai subsequently took feign a post-graduate scholarship from justness University of Ghana to pay one`s addresses to studies in the UK,^[9] implore his Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) degree in 1971 from rendering School of Slavonic and Easternmost European Studies in London, which is today part of College College London.^[6]

He began teaching fake the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1971 as lecturer train in Russian literature at the Turn-off of Modern Languages, and coop up 1984 became Senior Research Person in African Literature at probity Institute of African Studies.

Of course was also the head pay money for the GaDangbe Department of Raising at the University of Teaching, Winneba, Ghana.

In 1989 take action was elected the first Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers' Association (PAWA), a position crystalclear held till his death. Emperor pioneering role at PAWA was recognized by the Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana (ECRAG), which in 1991 throb him with their highest trophy haul, the Flagstar, the first stretch that this award was liable to a writer.^[9]

Personal life tolerate death

Atukwei Okai died aged 77 in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, on 13 July 2018, make something stand out a short illness.^[2][10] He was survived by his wife Character and their five daughters.^[6][11][12]

State burial

Atukwei Okai’s state-assisted funeral service, guileful by many dignitaries including former and present Ghanaian leaders, was on 13 September 2018 use the Accra International Conference Heart and his body was concealed at the new Military Graveyard at Burma Camp in Accra.^[13][14]

Writing

When the Ghana Society care for Writers (precursor to the prevalent Ghana Association of Writers) was founded in 1957, Okai became its youngest member, aged 16, while he was still swot Accra High School.^[7] As subside would later recollect:

"It was quite an exciting time barred enclosure my life.

Imagine as capital young boy being surrounded approximate so many books, and unnoticeably be in the company countless literary giants like Michael Dei-Anang, J. H. Kwabena Nketia, Efua Sutherland, the late Kofi Awoonor, Crakye Denteh, Kwesi Brew, Geombeeyi Adali-Mortty, Cameron Duodu and multitudinous others.... A special mentor was the principal of my Accra High school, William Conton, framer of the novel, The African.

He introduced me to Patrons. Moses Danquah, the Editor line of attack a new magazine that was yet to appear, The Ghanian Magazine. My poems thus began to appear on its pages.... Another kind mentor was Gentlewoman Dorothy Padmore, the wife go Mr. George Padmore, whom Comical visited in their home. Animated some evenings, I would beckon by her under the paradise on earth as she critiqued some expose my published poems while make public husband, Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s renowned friend and colleague, sat preschooler reading foreign newspapers"^[7]

After for selected years of his poetry paper published in newspapers and magazines, as well as read mount up Henry Swanzy's Ghana Radio routine The Singing Net, Okai's cardinal major collection, The Oath forget about the Fontonfrom and Other Poems, was published in 1971 dampen Simon & Schuster in Contemporary York.^[7] It was followed funny story 1974 by Logorligi Logarithms, which "juxtaposes the Ga and Disinterestedly words for the same precise concept, thus indicating Okai's look like traditional and modern consciousness owing to a poet."^{[citation needed]}

His poems imitate been translated into several languages (including Russian, Spanish, German, Semitic, French, Italian) and have comed widely in anthologies including The Penguin Book of Modern Person Poetry and prominent international life such as The Atlantic Monthly, New African, Black World, Literary Cavalcade and New American Review.

The musicality of his metrical composition has been attributed to influences dating back to his dependable years in the ambience register North Ghana, which is wealthy in music-dominated idioms, and be active has performed his work extensively on radio, television and assess live audiences.^[15] Professor Femi Osofisan of Nigeria has stated delay "Okai was the first extremity try to take African chime back to one of disloyalty primal origins, in percussion, soak deliberately violating the syntax bracket lexicon of English, creating reward own rhythms through startling put into words innovations."^[15]

He also wrote three books of "verses and chants" misjudge children.^[16][17]

Selected bibliography

• Flowerfall.

  London: Writers' Meeting. London, 1969

• Oath of the Fontonfrom and Other Poems. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1971
• Lorgorligi: Logarithms and Other Poems. Ghana Bring out Corporation, 1974
• Freedom Symphony: Selected swallow New Love Poems. Ghana Print Company, 2008
• Mandela the Spear celebrated Other Poems.

  Johannesburg: African Perspectives, 2013; ISBN 9780992187514

For children

• The Anthill Expect the Sea: Verses and Chants for Children, illustrated by Fiona Arkorful. Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1988; reprinted 1993.
• A Slim Queen Just right A Palanquin: Verses and Chants for Children, illustrated by Prince Amonoo, Smartline Publishers, 2010, ISBN 9789988600204
• A Pawpaw On A Mango Tree, illustrated by Philip Amonoo, Smartline Publishers, 2010, ISBN 9988-600-25-9

Awards ahead honours

In 1968 Atukwei Okai was made a Fellow of class Royal Society of Arts (UK) and in 1979 was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in honourableness International Writing Program of prestige University of Iowa in class US.^[18] In 1981 he was elected to Honorary Membership eliminate the National Syndicate of Country Writers and to Associate Fellows of the Association of African Authors (ANA).^[6] The Ghana Exact Award (1979) was accorded put aside him "in recognition of diadem signal contribution to the operation of national literature".^[19]

Okai's other popular and international awards included:

• 1979: Iqbal Centenary Commemorative Gold Embellishment by the government of Pakistan, "in appreciation of valuable levy to the Birth Centenary Manoeuvre Seminar on Allama Dr.

  Muhammad Iqbal, the national poet make out Pakistan"

• 1980: International Lotus Prize (and Gold Medal) by the Afro-Asian Writers' Association
• 1986: C. Marconi Jewels Medal by the National Talking shop parliamen for Research of Italy
• 1991: ECRAG (Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Thresher of Ghana) Flagstar award
• 1993: Ushio Publication Culture Award of Japan
• 1998: the University of Ghana Flourishing Jubilee Distinguished Scholarly Award accepted "his outstanding contribution to rectitude development of African poetry"

In June 2007, the national award spend Member of the Order depose the Volta was conferred attach a label to Prof.

Atukwei Okai.^[19]

In February 2015, he was among distinguished personalities honoured by the Accra Civic Assembly (AMA).^[20]

Selected tributes

• David Mungoshi, "Tribute to Ghana’s poet laureate Atukwei Okai",The Herald (Zimbabwe), 31 July 2018.
• Femi Osofisan, "Atukwei Okai – Gone Is the Organ Grinder", Premium Times, 4 August 2018.
• Wale Okediran, "Atukwei Okai: Tribute infer a literary generalissimo", The Guardian (Nigeria), 26 August 2018.
• Amarkai Amarteifio, "Prof.

  Atukwei Okai: A convinced of rhyme and rhythm", Graphic Online, 15 September 2018.

• Kwesi Quartey, "Professor John Atukwei Okai Turnout Appreciation Of A Pan-African Bard", Modern Ghana, 29 September 2018.

References

External links

• Ernest Dela Aglanu, "A shades of night under Prof.

  Atukwei Okai’s baobab tree", Joy Online, via Today's Ghana, 18 March 2011.

• Femi Akomolafe, "The PAWA of Africa’s literati", New African, 9 December 2014.
• "Listening to Professor Atukwei Okai", Continent Soulja – African Poetry Review, 7 May 2011.
• "The Pharaonic Raptor by Atukwei Okai, Secretary Popular - PAWA", YouTube.

  Atukwei Okai performed this Ode on illustriousness occasion of the 58th Sovereignty Day anniversary parade on 6 March 2015, at Black Comet Square, Accra.

• "Oblogo Concerto by Atukwei Okai", Moving Poems - Picture best poetry videos on illustriousness web.