Amarachi Attamah is a Nigerian chant performance artist, poet, broadcaster, and advocate for the preservation of the Igbo language and culture. Born on January 31, 1988, in Bauchi State, Nigeria, she has dedicated her career to promoting indigenous languages and cultural heritage through various artistic and educational endeavors.
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Early Life and Education
Amarachi Attamah was born to แปzแป Chirolu Hyacinth Attamah Nwa Otti and Lแปแปlแป แปคzแปamaka Bridget Attamah (nรฉe Ezema) of Ubogidi, Edem-anแป, Nsukka, Enugu State. She began her primary education at Army Children School, Nasme, Makurdi (1994โ2000), and continued her junior secondary education at Army Day Secondary School, Mogadishu Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja (2000โ2003). She completed her senior secondary education at Universal Comprehensive Secondary School, Nsukka, Enugu State (2003โ2006). Attamah earned a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Enugu State University of Science and Technology in 2012 and a master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2017. She furthered her studies in Museum Studies and Cultural Heritage Preservation at Syracuse University, New York, graduating in May 2023.
Career
As a chant performance artist, Attamah has been instrumental in promoting the Igbo language and culture. Influenced by Professor Anezi Okoro, she has performed at various prestigious events, including the Gendering Africa Symposium at Columbia University, the African Studies annual conference in Philadelphia, and the Shenandoah Valley Juneteenth celebration in Virginia. In 2019, she held a solo chant exhibition in Waterloo, London. Her performances have also been featured in the Syracuse Performance Identities Across Cultures series in 2022 and 2023.
Attamah has served as a judge for the Poetry Translation Centre’s Lagos/London poetry competition and collaborated with organizations such as Dzimbanhete Arts and Culture Interactions Trust in Zimbabwe for the Sounds of the Sacred Web Festival. In 2021, alongside Charles Ogbu, she worked to re-publicize the music of Igbo folklorist Mike Ejeagha.
In recognition of her efforts to preserve the Igbo language, Attamah was appointed as an Igbo language instructor in the African Language Program at Harvard University and the Directed Independent Language Program at Yale University.
Publications
Attamah has contributed to various literary works, including:
- “Immortality- แปnyแปrแปแปnwแปฅ,” published in the African Policy Journal at Harvard University in 2022.
- “Letโs Do It Again,” featured in the Association of Nigeria Journal of Creative Writing in 2015.
- “Anya m,” an Igbo poem published in Praxis Magazine for Arts and Culture in 2015.
She is also the author of several books, such as “Tomorrowโs Twist” (2007), “My Broad Daydream” (2011), “Making a Difference” (2014), and “Akuko Ifo Nnemochie Kooro m” (2014), a collection of short stories in Igbo. In 2021, she co-authored “Elephant Tusk” with Jeff Unaegbu and others.
Filmography
Attamah has produced poetic documentaries focusing on the Biafran War, including:
- “Ogbunigwe: Poetic Documentary of the Biafran War.”
- “Biafuru: Our Story and Survival.”
Personal Life
Amarachi Attamah is married to Ike Ugwu, the author of the novel “Sakabula: The Widowbird.” In a heartfelt gesture, she published her husband’s novel as a wedding surprise.
Awards and Recognitions
In 2023, Attamah received the Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Award from Syracuse University, supporting her independent research on “Museum Mapping of Igbo Masks in the United States and Indigenous Conceptualization.”
Advocacy and Impact
Through her organization, OJA Cultural Development Initiative, Attamah has been a staunch advocate for indigenous language sustainability and cultural preservation. Her work has significantly increased awareness and appreciation for the Igbo language and culture, both within Nigeria and internationally.
References
- “Amarachi Attamah.” Wikipedia. Accessed January 25, 2025.
- “Attamah, Amarachi.” African Studies Association. Accessed January 25, 2025.
- “Amarachi Attamah: It hasn’t been easy, but we have succeeded.” She Leads Africa. Accessed January 25, 2025.
- “Amarachi Attamah-Ugwu.” The African Language Program at Harvard. Accessed January 25, 2025.
- “Nigerian Lady Amarachi Attamah Becomes Igbo Language Instructor at Harvard and Yale Universities.” Blueprint Africa. Accessed January 25, 2025.
- “Amarachi Attamah.” IMDb. Accessed January 25, 2025.
- “Amarachi Attamah.” Facebook. Accessed January 25, 2025.
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