EFS Writer-in-Residence 2021-22

It is our pleasure to announce the arrival and assumption of duty of our 2021-2022 Writer-in-Residence, Ms. Ifeoma Chinwuba, a Nigerian born poet and novelist. Writing used to be Ifeoma’s side hustle when she pursued a career in diplomacy, which culminated in her appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire (2014-2017). The foreign service career led Ifeoma to visit sixty countries worldwide. In her spare time during this period, Ms. Chinwuba penned three novels: Merchants of Flesh, which won the Prose Prize of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA (2004); Fearless; and Waiting for Maria, (ANA Prose Prize 2008). Waiting for Maria was also nominated for the Commonwealth Writers Prize (2008). Her African Romance (2013), is a poetry in dialogue.
Since leaving the foreign service, Ifeoma has embraced writing fulltime. She is available for exchange of ideas, online and in-person; for class presentations, book club meets, guest speaker, workshops, etc.

Due to the pandemic, she will consider virtual and on-line meetings, workshops, guest speaking, inter alia, for exchange of ideas.

What themes occupy our WiR?
‘A writer from the developing world, is first and foremost, a vox populi,’ Ms. Chinwuba opines, ‘who speaks for the people. Secondly, (s)he is a chronicler of the zeitgeist.’
Ms. Chinwuba’s books have addressed human trafficking, women on death row, sexism, ageism, tribalism and other -isms afloat out there, diminishing people. Her books have been translated into Arabic.

You can reach Ms. Chinwuba at ichinwub@ualberta.ca.
Her office hours are Tuesday and Thursday 11:00hrs -14:00hrs, by appointment.

For more information visit our current Writer-in-Residence webpage.