Ben Okri

Ben Okri is one of Africa's most prominent and celebrated authors of today. He is best known for his Booker Prize-winning novel The Famished Road, and has written works of fiction, poetry, and essays that explore themes of exile, identity, and African and universal spirituality. He was born in Nigeria in 1959 and is recognized as a Nigerian and African writer of international acclaim.

Okri's books have been translated into over 25 languages and have been praised by authors and critics worldwide, such as Wole Soyinka, who described Okri as "among the most talented writers of his generation". Born to a family of the Igbo tribe, Okri was raised in a politically unstable environment. His mother and grandmother were Roman Catholic, while Okri himself identifies as a Yoruba Traditionalist.

Okri published his first collection of poems, Incantations, in 1982. His first novel, Flowers and Shadows, was released in 1986. In 1991, Okri released his most famous novel, The Famished Road. This work won the 1991 Booker Prize and solidified Okri’s position as an important African author of international renown.

The Famished Road is set in a modern Nigeria and is a lyrical, dream-like story of a young boy's journey into adulthood. This mystical story weaves through the landscape of African tradition and modernity, and explores timeless themes like identity, exile, death, transformation, and spirituality. The novel is split into three parts, with the first devoted to the stories of the boy's childhood, the second to his adventures in the realm of the spirit, and the third to his struggles in adulthood.

Okri's later novels, such as Songs of Enchantment and Astonishing the Gods, continue to explore these themes of identity, exile, spirituality, and transformation. His essays, such as An African Elegy, explore the theme of exile in a different light, emphasizing the importance of remembering one's past in order to embrace one's future.

Okri is also well known for his poetry and short stories that are often anthologized and praised. His poems explore the same themes as his novels, such as identity, exile, spirituality, and transformation; and his poetry often has a mysterious and dreamlike quality to it. Okri is also a playwright and has recently started working in film, with his feature film Eye of the Mirror.

Okri is Commodore of the Incarnation International Cultural Festival, a nonprofit organization focused on African culture. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and is the recipient of numerous awards, such as the Commonwealth Writer's Prize, the African Literature Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the OBE. In addition to his writing, Okri is an active political advocate for African literature, for the empowerment of African writers, and for African rights.

Okri’s works have been praised for their lyrical beauty and spiritual depth, and for examining the complexities of African culture and identity. He continues to explore and write about aspects of his culture, his country, and his own life experience in his novels and essays, and his works have established him as one of the most influential and celebrated African authors alive.