Lola Shoneyin: A Bold Voice in African Literature
Lola Shoneyin (born Titilola Atinuke Alexandrah Shoneyin; 26 February 1974 in Ibadan, Nigeria) is a Nigerian poet and author who released her first novel, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, in the UK in May 2010. Shoneyin has built a reputation as a bold, witty, and outspoken poet, often associated with feminist themes, with three poetry collections to her name. Her work frequently explores subjects like women’s sexuality and the struggles of domestic life in Africa. In April 2014, she was named to the Hay Festival’s Africa39 list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers under 40 who have the potential to shape the future of African literature. Lola has won several awards, including the PEN America Award and Nigeria’s Ken Saro-Wiwa Award for prose. In 2010, her debut novel was shortlisted for the UK’s Orange Prize. She currently lives in Lagos, Nigeria, where she manages the annual Aké Arts and Book Festival. In 2017, she was honoured as African Literary Person of the Year by Brittle Paper.
Biography
Early Life
Born in Ibadan in 1974, Titilola Atinuke Alexandrah Shoneyin is the youngest of six children and the only girl, to parents Chief Tinuoye Shoneyin and Mrs. Yetunde Shoneyin (née Okupe), both from Remo, Ogun State. Her upbringing significantly influenced her literary work, especially her debut novel’s focus on polygamy. Her maternal grandfather, Abraham Olayinka Okupe, the traditional ruler of Iperu Remo, had five wives.
Education and Career
At six, Shoneyin attended boarding schools in the UK, including Cargilfield School, Edinburgh, The Collegiate School in Bristol, and Fettes Junior School in Edinburgh. She returned to Nigeria after her father’s imprisonment by the military regime and completed her secondary education at Abadina College before earning her BA (Hons) from Ogun State University in 1994/95.
Her early works were largely poetry and short stories, with one of her stories published in Post Express in 1995 sparking conversations about homosexuality within the Nigerian context. Her first poetry collection, So All the Time I Was Sitting on an Egg, was published by Ovalonion House, Nigeria, in 1998. She attended the prestigious International Writing Program in Iowa in 1999 and was a Distinguished Scholar at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, the same year.
Her second poetry collection, Song of a Riverbird, was published in 2002. After moving to England, she earned a teaching degree from London Metropolitan University in 2005. Shoneyin’s first novel was completed in 2000, followed by her unpublished second novel, Harlot. Her third, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, was published in 2010 and adapted for stage by Rotimi Babatunde, performed at the Arcola Theatre in London.
In 2010, Cassava Republic Press published Shoneyin’s third poetry collection, For the Love of Flight, and her children’s book, Mayowa and the Masquerades. She has also written for major publications such as The Scotsman, The Guardian, and The Times, addressing issues like racism, polygamy, Boko Haram, and the elections of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Shoneyin is the founder and director of the Book Buzz Foundation, which promotes arts and culture. She co-founded Infusion, a monthly gathering for music, art, and culture in Abuja, and served as a judge for the 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing. She also manages Ouida Books, a publishing imprint and bookshop in Nigeria.
Personal Life
Shoneyin’s first marriage lasted just 40 days, but she has since been married to Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, the son of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, for over 22 years. They live in Lagos with their four children (two boys and two girls).
Source: Historical Africa Yoruba
(https://www.facebook.com/share/p/uGxYcC3zf121dgTj/?mibextid=oFDknk).
