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Omotoso grew up during the rising tide of radical nationalism and was enamored by the potential that lay in the future of his country. His fiction ranges widely over the human condition, and themes include intergenerational and interracial relationships. Recalling taking on
Omotoso's first two books
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fiction. Fiction was an avenue that exists apart from the decay of real life and where deep reconstructions about life and ideas come true. It was also an avenue to experiment on social and political ideas for societal change and advancement. Omotoso's non-fiction is wide-ranging in subject matter.
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as the organisation's president (1986–1988). During his tenure, Omotoso "demonstrated unwavering dedication to ANA's mission of fostering a dynamic community of creative writers, founded on the principles of free expression and ethical integrity."
175:. He was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents after the death of his father. The events of his early childhood contributed a great deal to his development as a man and also as a writer. Omotoso was educated at
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observes: "Each piece of his work thoroughly analyses the human condition by digging into topics such as personal identity, cultural dynamics, and the intricacies inherent in post-colonial
African society."
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415:(1994), "a searing political and intellectual reminiscence on the historic emergence of the Nigerian Diaspora in Africa and the rest of the world." Other titles considered significant include
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355:, South Africa. With his first wife, the late Marguerita Rice – an architect and urban planner, originally from Barbados – he had three children: engineer Pelayo Omotoso, filmmaker
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252:(Spectrum Books), was controversial and led Omotoso to leave his native country. After visiting professorships in English at the
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said: "His writing had style and elegance and gave one hopes that here was a new voice from Africa." Omotoso's 1974 novel
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Omotoso also wrote a number of columns in
African newspapers, most notably the "Trouble Travels" column in the Nigeria's
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In the mid-1990s and 2010s, Omotoso appeared as the "Yebo Gogo man" in a number of television advertisements for
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147:. His written work is known for its dedication and commitment to fusing a socio-political reappraisal of
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Ali Ahmad Ba-Kathir, a contemporary conservative Arab writer - an appraisal of his main novels and plays
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The
Theatrical Into Theatre: a study of the drama and theatre of the English-speaking Caribbean
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233:) in the 1970s and was well known among Nigeria's literate elites. His major themes include
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to lecture in the department of Arabic and
Islamic studies (1972–1976), then moved to the
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Kole
Omotoso died after a long period of illness on 19 July 2023, at the age of 80, in
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1049:"'He leaves behind a rich legacy': Vodacom CEO mourns the death of Prof Kole Omotoso"
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1080:(1). Ann Arbor, Michigan: MPublishing, University of Michigan Library. December 2004
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Africa Writes Back: The
African Writers Series and the Launch of African Literature
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in 1969. He won a scholarship to study for a doctorate in Arabic
Literature at the
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241:, and the human condition—as exemplified in friendship between the Yoruba and the
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822:"Kole Omotoso, the Nigerian writer, scholar and actor who inspired a continent"
280:. Omotoso then returned to Nigeria, continuing his academic career teaching at
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276:(1991–2000). From 2001 to 2003, he was a professor in the Drama Department at
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689:
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874:
554:
Shadows in the
Horizon: A Play about the Combustibility of Private Property
796:"UPDATED: Kole Omotoso, foremost Nigerian professor and author, is dead"
678:"A Man is Known by His Cup: Signaling Commitment via Costly Conformity"
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407:(1988), characterised as a "masterpiece of the hybrid genre of 'faction
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to work in drama (1976–1988). He was founding general secretary of the
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1208:"Famous Vodacom 'Yebo Gogo' uncle, Professor Kole Omotoso, has died"
1372:"Omotoso’s Works Will Continue To Speak For Him, Say Ezeigbo, Agoi"
942:
The
Columbia Guide to West African Literature in English Since 1945
1180:"Celebrated Nigerian Author Prof. Kole Omotoso Passes On, Aged 80"
164:
48:
467:(Heinemann African Writers Series, 1972; Penguin Classics, 2008,
1325:"Kole Omotoso (1943–2023): A Chemistry of Fiction and Faction"
591:
Season of Migration to the South: Africa's crises reconsidered
219:(ANA), established in 1981, and subsequently took over from
1074:"Yebo Gogo: Visibility and Culture in the New South Africa"
1299:"Bankole Ajibabi Omotoso: We did not permit you to go!"
1101:"'Yebo Gogo' ads legend Kole Omotoso passes away at 80"
789:
787:
677:
1022:"2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature Longlist Revealed"
982:"Sustainability of literary prizes, as new one debuts"
151:
and respect for human dignity into most of his works.
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Academic staff of the University of the Western Cape
901:"ANA mourns former President Professor Kole Omotoso"
227:
He became a writer for various magazines (including
330:mobile phones, which led him to being described by
245:and in relationships between children and parents.
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102:
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988:. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013
1028:. The Single Story Foundation. 12 November 2015
567:The Form of the African Novel: A Critical Essay
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139:(21 April 1943 – 19 July 2023), also known as
1127:"On the Passing of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela"
8:
1412:Academic staff of Obafemi Awolowo University
1153:"Kole Omotoso finally rests trouble travels"
363:. His second marriage was to Bukky Omotoso.
299:. From 2013 to 2016, he was a patron of the
722:"The Legend of Yebo Gogo Man: Kole Omotoso"
1234:"BREAKING: Professor Kole Omotoso is dead"
944:, Columbia University Press, 2008, p. 147.
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268:, he became a professor of English at the
191:, Egypt, writing his thesis on the modern
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1151:Nwakunor, Gregory Austin (23 July 2023).
928:, Spectrum Books, 1988, via Google Books.
248:His 1988 historical novel about Nigeria,
548:The Curse: A One Act Play in Four Scenes
637:
481:(short stories) (Onibonoje Press, 1973)
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487:(Ethiope Publishing Corporation, 1974)
1427:English-language writers from Nigeria
1422:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
1259:Adegbamigbe, Ademola (19 July 2023).
403:Among Omotoso's best known works are
179:, going on to earn a degree from the
7:
1447:Nigerian expatriates in South Africa
1432:International Writing Program alumni
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1442:Nigerian dramatists and playwrights
1261:"Professor Kole Omotoso dies at 80"
1099:Tiwane, Bonginkosi (20 July 2023).
820:Oyegbile, Olayinka (31 July 2023).
751:(Thesis). University of Edinburgh.
720:Uzoatu, Uzor Maxim (29 July 2023).
1293:Ogunbiyi, Yemi; John Ohiorhenuan;
1206:Keteyi, Oluthando (19 July 2023).
173:Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
53:Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
14:
1278:Currey, James (31 October 2022).
1125:Omotoso, Kole (6 December 2013).
794:Okafor, Chiamaka (19 July 2023).
556:(Sketch Publishing Company, 1977)
1178:Ghosh, Kuhelika (21 July 2023).
1047:Ramalepe, Phumi (20 July 2023).
676:Kim, Minjae (3 September 2017).
447:Heinemann African Writers Series
413:Season of Migration to the South
391:is an early example of Nigerian
381:Heinemann African Writers Series
292:, until his retirement in 2017.
113:Season of Migration to the South
1407:20th-century Nigerian novelists
899:Adedoyin, Wole (21 July 2023).
879:Association of Nigerian Authors
848:Omotoso, Kole (22 March 2013).
370:, as reported by his son Akin.
344:, Mandela's fellow prisoner on
217:Association of Nigerian Authors
1323:Falola, Toyin (21 July 2023).
652:"SA could become like Nigeria"
650:Segar, Sue (26 October 2014).
270:University of the Western Cape
258:National University of Lesotho
1:
1232:Isawade, Isa (19 July 2023).
980:Terh Agbedeh (26 June 2013).
706:"Kole Omotoso", Africultures.
614:(Hans Zell Publishers, 1995,
493:(Onibonoje Press, 1974, 1978)
301:Etisalat Prize for Literature
159:Kole Omotoso was born into a
90:Kole Omotoso; Bankole Omotoso
1437:King's College, Lagos alumni
189:American University in Cairo
1462:University of Ibadan alumni
509:Memories of Our Recent Boom
451:Heinemann Educational Books
98:Writer, public intellectual
16:Nigerian writer (1943–2023)
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1026:African Literary Magazines
955:"Remembering Kole Omotoso"
503:To Borrow a Wandering Leaf
1402:20th-century male writers
1006:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
850:"Chinua Achebe 1930-2013"
747:Omotosho, A.A.D. (1972).
239:Biafran-Nigerian conflict
1282:. Ohio University Press.
959:George Padmore Institute
155:Early life and education
1452:Nigerian male novelists
940:, in Oyekan Owomoyela,
529:(Spectrum Books, 1988,
499:(Onibonoje Press, 1976)
278:Stellenbosch University
237:, comic aspects of the
185:University of Edinburgh
137:Bankole Ajibabi Omotoso
35:Bankole Ajibabi Omotoso
612:? A Study in Contrasts
550:(New Horn Press, 1976)
340:, Omotoso was cast as
262:Talawa Theatre Company
254:University of Stirling
690:10.31235/osf.io/93krj
177:King's College, Lagos
337:Mandela and de Klerk
235:interracial marriage
207:Omotoso returned to
181:University of Ibadan
260:and a spell at the
926:"Just Before Dawn"
593:(Tafelberg, 1994,
353:Centurion, Gauteng
282:Elizade University
1457:People from Akure
905:Periscope Nigeria
393:detective fiction
351:Omotoso lived in
213:University of Ife
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1297:(20 July 2023).
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63:19 July 2023
25:Kole Omotoso
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1376:Independent
1105:The Citizen
626:Woza Africa
569:(1979 etc.)
561:Non-fiction
443:The Edifice
417:The Edifice
359:and writer
342:Govan Mbeki
303:(alongside
286:Ilara-Mokin
230:West Africa
79:Nationality
1386:Categories
1351:Uko Atai,
1267:. Nigeria.
757:1842/18513
661:27 October
633:References
497:The Scales
465:The Combat
421:The Combat
290:Ondo State
203:Later life
169:Ondo State
163:family in
41:1943-04-21
1240:. Nigeria
1159:. Nigeria
728:. Nigeria
491:Sacrifice
321:Zakes Mda
1265:The News
1078:Passages
1002:cite web
965:1 August
910:1 August
884:1 August
859:1 August
833:1 August
732:1 August
726:Vanguard
682:SocArXiv
579:, 1982,
515:, 1982,
479:Miracles
453:, 1971,
379:for the
256:and the
187:and the
120:Children
111:(1988);
82:Nigerian
1334:24 July
1308:24 July
1244:20 July
1238:PM News
1217:20 July
1191:24 July
1163:24 July
1136:20 July
1110:21 July
1084:20 July
1058:24 July
1032:23 July
992:20 July
805:20 July
610:Soyinka
513:Longman
437:Fiction
411:", and
328:Vodacom
195:writer
145:Vodacom
1053:News24
776:6 July
628:(1997)
618:
606:Achebe
597:
583:
533:
519:
505:(1978)
471:
457:
423:, and
374:Themes
266:London
209:Ibadan
193:Arabic
161:Yoruba
149:Africa
123:Incl.
115:(1994)
542:Drama
432:Works
397:about
165:Akure
49:Akure
1336:2023
1310:2023
1246:2023
1219:2023
1193:2023
1165:2023
1138:2023
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1086:2023
1060:2023
1034:2023
1008:link
994:2023
967:2023
912:2023
886:2023
861:2023
835:2023
807:2023
778:2010
734:2023
663:2014
616:ISBN
595:ISBN
581:ISBN
531:ISBN
517:ISBN
469:ISBN
455:ISBN
419:and
319:and
243:Igbo
127:and
60:Died
31:Born
1212:IOL
753:hdl
686:doi
608:or
323:).
272:in
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