Okechukwu Ndibe

Okechukwu “Okey” Ndibe, born on May 15, 1960, in Yola, Nigeria, is a critically acclaimed novelist, essayist, and political columnist of Igbo descent. Celebrated for his piercing social commentary and global literary influence, Ndibe is best known for his novels Arrows of Rain (2000) and Foreign Gods, Inc. (2014), both of which explore themes of postcolonial disillusionment, identity, and cultural conflict. His body of work places him among the leading voices in contemporary African literature, often blending satire with political critique to spark public discourse.

Early Life & Personal Background

Okey Ndibe was born on May 15, 1960, in Yola, Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria. He is of Igbo ethnicity and originally hails from Amawbia in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. His family was forced to return to the Southeast due to the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967.

He attended elementary school in Enugu Ukwu and proceeded to St. Michael’s Secondary School in Nimo. He was active in literary pursuits during his youth, serving as editor of his school’s quarterly publication and writing an opinion piece for the Daily Star newspaper.

A pivotal moment in his life occurred when he met the legendary Chinua Achebe at a petrol station. Achebe later invited him to the U.S. to co-found the influential African Commentary magazine in 1988.

Okey Ndibe holds an MFA in Writing and a PhD in Literature from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is married to Professor Sheri Fafunwa, daughter of former Nigerian Education Minister, Prof. Aliyu Babatunde Fafunwa. They reside in the U.S., where Sheri is a Professor of Art at Central Connecticut State University. The couple shares a strong academic and cultural bond. Ndibe is a Christian, raised in a devout family, which occasionally influences the thematic undercurrents of his work.

Career and Academic Contributions

Ndibe’s professional journey began as a journalist and editor in Nigeria. In the U.S., he became founding editor of African Commentary, a magazine praised as “award-winning and widely acclaimed.” His reputation as a political essayist and novelist grew with the publication of Arrows of Rain (2000) and Foreign Gods, Inc. (2014).

He has served as a professor at several U.S. institutions, including Brown University, Trinity College, Connecticut College, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (as Shearing Fellow). From 2001–2002, he was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Lagos.

Ndibe is a regular columnist for major publications such as The New York Times, BBC Online, Al Jazeera, Sahara Reporters, The Guardian, and This is Africa. He has written extensively on Nigerian politics, corruption, identity, and global inequality.

Major Works & Literary Themes

Okey Ndibe’s fiction merges satire, moral inquiry, and postcolonial critique. His first novel, Arrows of Rain, explores authoritarianism, memory, and state violence. Foreign Gods, Inc., his second novel, is a biting critique of materialism and religious commodification, chronicling the return of a Nigerian immigrant who plots to steal a sacred statue from his village to sell in the U.S.

His memoir, Never Look an American in the Eye: Flying Turtles, Colonial Ghosts and the Making of a Nigerian American (2016), won the Connecticut Book Award for Nonfiction in 2017. It chronicles his immigration journey, culture shock, and commentary on American life from a Nigerian lens.

Ndibe has also co-edited Writers, Writing on Conflicts and Wars in Africa (2009) with Zimbabwean author Chenjerai Hove.

Critical Acclaim

Ndibe’s works have received endorsements from Wole Soyinka, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and Janet Maslin of The New York Times. Foreign Gods, Inc. was listed among the best books of 2014 by NPR, Philadelphia Inquirer, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Mosaic Magazine. USAfricaonline.com named him its “African Writer of the Year” in 2014.

Controversies and Criticisms

While Ndibe is widely respected in academic and literary circles, he has not been without criticism:

• Political Provocateur: His columns on Nigerian politics, particularly his outspoken critiques of corruption and poor leadership, have drawn ire from Nigerian political figures and institutions. He has been accused in some quarters of being “too Westernized” or “anti-establishment.”
• Immigrant Commentary: Some of his reflections on Nigerian society—especially in Never Look an American in the Eye—have sparked debate within diaspora circles, with critics suggesting he sometimes views Nigeria through an Americanized or overly critical lens.
• Backlash from Religious Communities: The themes in Foreign Gods, Inc., which satirize the commercialization of religion, were met with disapproval from some conservative religious readers and leaders who felt the novel mocked traditional and Christian faiths.

Despite these controversies, Ndibe has remained unapologetically committed to his truth-telling ethos, positioning literature as a vehicle for political, cultural, and moral discourse.

Selected Works

• Arrows of Rain (2000), Heinemann
• Foreign Gods, Inc. (2014), Soho Press
• Never Look an American in the Eye (2016), Soho Press
• Writers, Writing on Conflicts and Wars in Africa (2009), co-edited with Chenjerai Hove

Current Projects

Ndibe is currently working on:

• A new novel titled Native Tongues
• A sequel memoir tentatively titled Going Dutch and Other American Mis/Adventures

Legacy

Okey Ndibe is considered a leading voice in the third generation of African writers, alongside Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Helon Habila. Through his novels, essays, and teaching, he continues to inspire discourse on identity, justice, and the immigrant experience.

References

• “Okey Ndibe: Writing as Activism.” The Guardian Nigeria, October 27, 2019. https://guardian.ng/art/okey-ndibe-writing-as-activism/
• “Biography Of Okey Ndibe.” Media Nigeria, June 5, 2018. https://www.medianigeria.com/biography-of-okey-ndibe/
• “Guest Talk: Stories That Must Be Told.” Columbia University Library. https://library.tc.columbia.edu/news/guest-talk-okey-ndibe
• “Okey Ndibe Speaks at Asaba Memorial Fundraising.” Nigerian Voice. https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/73411/okey-ndibe-speaks-at-asaba-memorial-monument-parks-fund-r.html
• Wikipedia: https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okey_Ndibe

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