The Activist

by Tanure Ojaide

In The Activist, Nigeria's acclaimed poet, Tanure Ojaide, brings his sharp sensibilities and writing skills to prose storytelling. The protagonist makes a reverse trip from America to a home whose young and able are straining at the leash to escape to the perceived comforts of the West. Ojaide weaves a compelling narrative that illuminates the contradictions of state and society in contempoary Africa. The Activist, however, is more than testimonial literature. It is visionary and bold as it attempts to answer the eternal What is to be done? At this moment, this book could not be more timely.

278 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2010

About the author

Tanure Ojaide (born 1948) is a prolific Nigerian poet and writer. He is noted for his unique stylistic vision and for his intense criticism of imperialism, religion, and other issues.

Ojaide, a Ph.D., has won major national and international poetry awards, including the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for the Africa Region (1987), the BBC Arts and Africa Poetry Award (1988), the All-Africa Okigbo Prize for Poetry (1988 and 1997), and also the Association of Nigerian Authors' Poetry Prize (1988 and 1994).