Fiche Personne
Théâtre
Littérature / édition
Poésie / Conte
Esiaba Irobi
Dramaturge, Poète
Nigeria
Français
.
English
The literary world has reacted with shock to news of the death of the poet, Esiaba Irobi. The poet, dramatist, and scholar passed on in Berlin, Germany on Monday, May 4, at the age of 49. Unconfirmed reports suggest he had been battling cancer.
A reference to the disease is found in his poem’Jazz (for James Ndukaku Amanklulor)’: « I have also been diagnosed with nasal pharyngeal/ Cancer. I have received treatment and responded well/ To both radiation and chemotherapy. We do not know/ how things will turn out eventually, » the poem reads.
Irobi, who studied at universities in Nsukka, Sheffield, and Leeds, was adept at cinema, literature and theatre, and will be remembered for his contribution to scholastic knowledge in all the three areas.
His creative works include plays and poetry collections such as’The Colour of Rusting Gold’,’Hangmen Also Die’,’Why the Vulture’s Head is Naked’,’What Song do Mosquitoes Sing? »Inflorescence: Selected Poems, 1977- 1988′,’Nwokedi: A Play’, and’Why I Don’t Like Philip Larkin.’
In 1992, he received the World Drama Trust Award for playwriting for his drama’Cemetery Road’.
He taught at New York University, Towson University, and Ohio University, where he was Associate Professor of International Theatre/Cinema. Also a director of stage productions, his work on the’Acting for the International Stage Workshops for Professional Actors’ took him to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
A trained actor, Irobi also played himself in the 2007 Jeff Rosenberg film’Relative Obscurity,’ about youths struggling to make a mark in society. The film won the Silver Chris Award at that year’s Columbus International Film and Video Festival.
Irobi, who was born at the dawn of Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, would have celebrated his 50th birthday along with the country’s anniversary, later this year.
He leaves behind a wife and a body of work that will stretch his influence beyond his passage.
Esiaba, sun re o.
Funmilayo
Aderinsola Ajao
A reference to the disease is found in his poem’Jazz (for James Ndukaku Amanklulor)’: « I have also been diagnosed with nasal pharyngeal/ Cancer. I have received treatment and responded well/ To both radiation and chemotherapy. We do not know/ how things will turn out eventually, » the poem reads.
Irobi, who studied at universities in Nsukka, Sheffield, and Leeds, was adept at cinema, literature and theatre, and will be remembered for his contribution to scholastic knowledge in all the three areas.
His creative works include plays and poetry collections such as’The Colour of Rusting Gold’,’Hangmen Also Die’,’Why the Vulture’s Head is Naked’,’What Song do Mosquitoes Sing? »Inflorescence: Selected Poems, 1977- 1988′,’Nwokedi: A Play’, and’Why I Don’t Like Philip Larkin.’
In 1992, he received the World Drama Trust Award for playwriting for his drama’Cemetery Road’.
He taught at New York University, Towson University, and Ohio University, where he was Associate Professor of International Theatre/Cinema. Also a director of stage productions, his work on the’Acting for the International Stage Workshops for Professional Actors’ took him to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
A trained actor, Irobi also played himself in the 2007 Jeff Rosenberg film’Relative Obscurity,’ about youths struggling to make a mark in society. The film won the Silver Chris Award at that year’s Columbus International Film and Video Festival.
Irobi, who was born at the dawn of Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960, would have celebrated his 50th birthday along with the country’s anniversary, later this year.
He leaves behind a wife and a body of work that will stretch his influence beyond his passage.
Esiaba, sun re o.
Funmilayo
Aderinsola Ajao
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