CURRICULUM VITAE
FULL NAME:
Chinyere
Grace OKAFOR
ADDRESSES:
E-mail
<Chinyere.okafor@wichita.edu
Ph: (316) 978-7164 (w)
EDUCATION
1992
Postdoctoral Research Fellow,
1989
Ph.D. English,
1979
M.A. African Studies,
1977
Pg.D. Theatre Studies,
1975
B.A. English (Second Class Honors, Upper Div.),
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE
2015 –
Chair, Women’s Studies and Religion, Wichita State
University, Wichita, Kansas.
2015 –
Director, Center for Women’s Studies, Wichita State
University, Wichita, Kansas.
2009 –
Full Professor
2003 – 2009
Associate
Professor,
2001 – 2002
Associate
Professor,
2001 (Spring)
Adjunct Professor,
1999 – 2001
Researcher/Writer - Women’s Writing, fiction and Non-fiction.
1996 –
1999:
Visiting Lecturer and Coordinator of Literature, Univ. of
1994 –
1996
Associate
Professor,
1991 –
1992
Research Fellow,
1980 –
1991
Lecturer II ‑ Senior
Lecturer,
1976 –
1980
Graduate Assistant ‑
Lecturer II,
Selected Courses Taught
African and Diaspora Women’s
Writing.
Theories of Feminism.
Multicultural
Perspectives on Women and Gender.
Writing and Drama Workshop.
Introduction to
Women’s Studies.
Survey of African American Lit.
Women in
Literature.
Postcolonial African Literature.
Women In
Folk Literature
and Theater.
Composition.
Comparative Literature (Southern African
and African American).
AWARDS
2012
Outstanding Faculty Award
2011
Tilford
Incentive Grant (teaching of race/ethnicity issues).
2009
Phenomenal Woman Award
2008
University Research/Creative
Projects Award (URPC)
2004
Global Learning Most Outstanding
Department Award
1999
International Visitor, Colloque
International, Ministere de la Culture,
Paris.
1998 Rockefeller Writer in
Residence,
1997 International Visitor, 40th
Annual
Meeting Of the African Studies Association
(ASA);
1996
Outstanding Finalist, The Bertram’s V. O. Literature of
Africa Awards;
South Africa.
1994
Special Discovery of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA)
1994, for
proficiency as a Writer in the three genres of literature - poetry,
prose and
drama.
1994 Honors, Association of
Nigerian
Authors' (ANA) National Competition for Poetry.
1992 3rd Prize,
Short Story Competition. Women's Research and
1991
Rockefeller Fellowship,
1991
Rockefeller Fellow,
1989 Ist Prize, Songs Competition (Solo),
1988
Ist Prize, Songs Competition (Solo),
1975
International Scholarship of Merit,
PUBLICATIONS
Books
1.
(2015) Ikeji Festival Theater
of the Aro and Diaspora: Gender, Mask and
Communication.
Lagos: University of Lagos Press.
- (2012) New
Toyi Toyi
(Nigerian edition) Kraft Books Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria
- (2010) In Her Own Voice: Agnes
Okafor Tells Her Stories. Online
- (2008) It Grows In Winter and
Other Poems. (
- (2007)
The New Toyi Toyi
(play) (
- (1996)
He
Wants To Marry Me Again and Other Stories (
- (1996. The Lion And The Iroko (
- (1996) From Earth’s
Bed Chamber: A Collection of Poems (
- (1996) Campus
Palavar and Other Plays (
Journal
Articles and Chapter Contributions In
Books
First of a Three-Part Story called This Africa in my Dream.2013.”
11.
(2013)
“Female Power: Cornerstone or
Central Subject in
Igbo Mask Performance.” In
A Survey Of The
Igbo Nation (Vol. 2). Ed. G. E. K. Ofomata
and Chudi Uwazurike.
New York: Triatlantic Books. (Also published in 2008 in Emergent
Themes, ed., Falola and
Hassan).
- (2013) Omumu Concept of Begetting: A Pro-feminist
Lesson from Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.” In
Words for a Small Planet. Ed. Nanette Norris (New Lanham:
Lexington Books): 127-138.
- (2012)
“Womanhood in Igbo Cosmology: Intersections in Chinua
Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.” In Achebe’s
Women: Imagism and Power. Ed. Helen Chukwuma
(Trenton: Africa World Press). See a pre-publication version of the article.
- (2011) “Black Professor,
Africa, and Whiteness in Women’s Studies Classes: Personal Story
of Pedagogical Engagement and Conflict Resolution.” In Teaching
Gender and Sexuality in the Twenty First Century. Ed. Mirza, M. and
David Hussey (C-SAP Monograph No. 14): 237-261.
- (2009). “Female Power: Corner Stone or Central
Subject in Igbo Mask Performance.” Emergent Themes and
Methods in African Studies: Essays in Honor of Adiele
Eberechukwu Afigbo
Ed., Falola, T and Adam Paddock. No
compensation. (
- (2008)
“Militant
Femininity in Southern African Poetry: A Discussion of Selected Poems
by Micere Mugo
and Gladys Thomas.” In Power and Nationalism. Ed., Falola, Toyin and
S. Hassan (
- (2007)
“Global encounters: Barbie in Nigerian Agbogho-mmuo
mask context.” Journal of African Cultural Studies. Vol.
19, No. 1. 37-54.
- (2003) "Location and Separateness in African and
African-American Drama...” Postcolonial Perspective on Women
Writers from Africa, the Caribbean, and the
- (2002)
“La Litterature africaine
et le beauvoirisme:
example d’ ‘action’ de femmes et d’ecrivaines”
In Delphy, Christine and Sylvia Chaperon, Cinquantenaire Du Deuxieme
Sexe (
http://soar.wichita.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10057/1266/Beauvoir.pdf?sequence=1
- (2001)
“Beyond Child Abuse.” In Eye to Eye: Women
Practicing Development Across Cultures. Ed. Schench, Celeste, and Susan Perry (
- (2001)
“Ogini’s Choice: A Novella in
Ten parts.” Englishes:
Literature Inglesi Contemporanee.
No 15 ANNO 5, pp. 105-139.
- (2000)
“Ogini’s Choice,” Also
published In The Quest For
Democracy: Writings on Nigerian Literature in English. Ed. Rosati, F. (
- (1998)
“Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike” In Postcolonial
African Writers: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook. Ed.
Parekh, Pushpa and Siga
Jagne (
- (1998)
“Festus Ikhuoria Ojeaka Iyayi.”
In Postcolonial African Writers: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook. Ed. Parekh, Pushpa and Siga Jagne (
- (1997)
“Gender Politics in West African Mask Performance.” Writing
African Women: Gender, Popular Culture and Literature in
- (1997)
“Rewriting Popular Myths of Female Subordination: Selected
Stories by Theodora Adimora‑Ezeigbo and May Ifeoma
Nwoye.” Writing West
African Women: Gender, Popular Culture and Literature in
- (1996) “The Dramatization of Heroism in Igbo
Festivals.” UNISWA Research Journal (
- (1996) "Theatrical Negotiation of Transformation in No
More The Wasted Breed." Femi Osofisan: Interpretative
- (1995) “Bus Ride With Madam
Osaigbovo.” A Story in The Potter and Other Stories (
- (1994) “Theatrical Construction Of
Trial As A Technique in The Trial of Dedan
Kimathi." JMLAN: A Publication of the Modern Languages
Association of
- (1994) "From
the Heart of Masculinity: Ogbodo Uke
Women's Masking." Research
in African Literatures (The
- (1993) "A Comparative Study of J. P. Clark's The Masquerade and Efua Sutherland's Foriwa."
Commonwealth: Essays and Studies (
- (1993) "Review of Gods, Oracles, and Divinations by Kalu Ogba." Research
in African Literatures (The
- (1992) "Power and Empowerment in African Mask Performance." Africa
Notes (
- (1992) "The
Rejected Corner Stone: Women In Igbo Mask
Theater." Africana Studies and
- (1992) "The Search for Gold Finger." Short Story in The Literary Review (
- (1991) “Behind
the Inscrutable Wonder: The Dramaturgy of the Mask Performer in
Traditional African Society.” Research In African Literatures (The
- (1990) “:
The Man, the Playwright, and the producer on the Nigerian Theater Scene.”
World Literature Today Winter
(1990):24-29.
- (1989) "Of Spooks and Virile Men: Patterns of Response to
Imperialism in Sizwe Bansi is Dead and The Trial of Dedan Kimathi." Commonwealth: Essays and
Studies (
- Amankulor,
J. N. and Okafor, Chinyere G. (1988) "Continuity
and Change in Traditional Nigerian Theatre among the Igbo in the Era of
Colonial Politics." Ufahamu (
- Okafor, Chinyere G. (1986) "Aro
Diaspora: A Cultural and Historical Overview." Arochukwu
History and Culture. Ed. Ijoma, J. O. (
- (1986) "Ama Ata Aidoo: Anowa" Okike: Educational Supplement, No.
4., pp. 137-146.
- (1983) "Creating Awareness through Shock Drama: The Example
of Osofisan's Four Robbers." Journal
of Nigerian Theatre Artistes, Vol. I, No. 1.,
pp. 9-16.
- (1981) "A Woman Is Not A Stone
but A Human Being: Women in the Plays of Aidoo
and Sutherland." Medium and Message (
- (1980)
"Parallelism versus Influence in African Literature...." Kiabara: Journal of Humanities (
Other
works and compositions
- (2006)
“Terrible
Beauty of Masks From Around the World.”
Review of MASKS from Around the World by Garth Darl.
- (20003)
“Gazing At Wide Country.” Poetry and Prose In National Association of Women writers Weekly,
September 15.
- (2001)
“Foreword.” Achebe the Orator by Chinwe Christianan Okechukwu.
- (2001)
“Sire That Yells,” “One Nation,” and “One
Tough Head.” In Englishes:Literature
Inglesi Contemporanee
(
- (2001)
Eight Poems published in the “Arts and Columns” section of
The Maine Progressive: a Journal of Politics and Culture.
<http://www.maineprogressive.org/022002/other_poems.html>
- (2000)
“Millenium Note” with republication of “Sire
That Yells,” “One Nation,” “One Tough
Head.” In Englishes:
Literature Inglesi Contemporanee
(
- (1999)
“Chains of Light,” and “My
Love Grows in Winter.” TurfWRITE:
A Creative Writing Journal. (
- (1997)
“Umsenge
Tree,” and “Forests of Guava.” Weekend
Observer (
- (1996)
“Counter Attack,” and “Maliyaduma
Veld.” Poems in Tyume:
- (1994)
“Mother and Child.” The Evangelist (
- 1994)
"Potsherds (for Winnie Mandela)" "Crow After
Hen," "For Arthur At Coronation (on the eve of Mandela's inauguration).
Poems in Africa Update (CCSU African Studies
- “Silver
Cross For Dundon.,’ “Tribute…” and
“Christmas in the Rains.” Fathers (Periodical
Magazine) (
- (1993)
"Colors of My Country," "From Charles, the Cloths‑Maker," and
“Forced Festival." Poems in Images: The Scholar's Release
(
SELECTED
CITATIONS
2015. Alakam, Japhet. Okafor unravels the mystery of the Ikeji Mask (Nov. 21) http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/okafor-unravels-the-mystery-of-ikeji-mask-performance/
2012. Udengwu, Ngozi. Contemporary
Nigerian Female Playwrights: A Study in Ideology and Themes Lambert
Academic
Publishing.
2012 Oluwakoya, Paul. “The
Trouble with Nigeria – Critics". The
Nation Newspaper (May
23)
2008. B. D.
Tharp. “Making A Difference
in the Community.”
Women’s Focus Magazine, Feb. Half page.
2007. Awodiya, Muyiwa P.
“Uncelebrated
Heroes and Heroines of Nigerian Drama.”
In African Literature at the Millennium Vol. 13, Ed.
African
Literature Association, U of
2007. Dean, Jenny.
“Poet shows that scholasticism, art, and
fiery
wrath prove happy companions.” The Colby Echo, April 13.
2 pages. http://www.colbyecho.com/
2007. Hoffman, Marsha.
“Magdalen Family Focus.” Magdalen
Messenger
(Newsletter of the Church of the Magdalen,
2005. Opara, Chioma. "Echoes of the Whip in Chinyere Okafor’s He
Wants To
Marry Me Again and Zaynab
Alkali’s Cobwebs and other Stories.” In Opara, C. Her
Mother’s
Daughter: the African Writer As Woman.
2002. “USM plans to
keep current with a multicultural
world.”
2001. Cormellini, Carla.
(2001). Postcolonial Motifs and Themes in
Chinyere Grace Okafor’s
Poetry and Ogini’s Choice. Englishes:
Literature Inglesi Contemporane
(
2001. Schenck,
Celeste and Susan Perry, “EPILOGUE: Resisting
Development.” In Eye to
Eye: Women Practicing Development Across Cultures.
2000. Cormellini, Carla. “A
Bio-Bibliographical
Profile of Chinyere Grace Okafor.” Englishes:
Literature Inglesi Contemporanee
(
1999. Nnaemeka, Obi. “OKAFOR,
Chinyere Grace.” Encyclopedia
of world Literature in the 20th Century. Vol. 3:
L-R. 2 pages.
1999. “Review
of The
New Toyi Toyi
by Chinyere
Okafor.” Observer Magazine (
1999. Ngcobo, Johnson. “The
Play with
emotions.” The Swazi News (
1998. Dunton, Chris.
“Okafor, Chinyere Grace,” In Nigerian
Theater in
English: A Critical
Bibliography.
1996. “The
Lion and the mighty iroko tree -
Review of
Okafor’s The
Lion and the Iroko.” Nigerian
Tribune. September 4, Living and
Development page.
1996. “Drama
and state of the nation.” Nigerian
Tribune. June 19, Living and
Development page.
1995. Abiola, A. “Theatre
at UNIBEN main
auditorium.” The
Observer (
1995.
“Chinyere Okafor Gets Award.” UNIBENEWS
(
1994.
“Graceful Writer From
the
Fringe.” PMNews(
1994. Ige, Taye.
“Unrepentant
Feminist.” TheWeek
(
1993. Ojo, Godwin. “The
Destiny of this nation
is in our hands” Review of Okafor’s Play
Performance. Kampuswatch
(
1993. Omatseye, Sam, “For A Just Society,”
Arts Magazine(
1991.
“Chinyere Okafor.” Crown Prince (Nigaria). January.
p. 44.
THEATER, CONFERENCES, AND
OTHER SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
2015 “Violence in
Our World” – Global Village Assembly -
community forum organized with Dr. Kabagarama
and Dr.
Fleming-Randle. April 10.
2014. "Nigerian Oil: Boon
or Bane” (with students). Global Learning
Center, Wichita. KS. April 13.
2014 “Reclaiming
Our Humanity” – Global Village Assembly -
community forum organized with Dr. Kabagarama.
September 26.
2014 “World
Peace” - Village Assembly - community forum
organized with Dr. Kabagarama. April 4.
2013 Organized the
“Celebration of Nelson Mandela” and
read poetry. December 8.
2013 “Recruiting
and Retaining Faculty
of African Descent.” Panel Discussion, Nov.
22.
2012 “Nigeria: Exciting and Challenging
(an
account of my sabbatical experience).” Presentation for The
Group, Wichita, Kansas, October 28.
2012 “Feminism in
Nigeria: Castigation, Acceptance and
More?” Panel presentation, Nigerian
International Women’s Day
event, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria, March 8.
2012 Chaired a Panel on
“Gender and Race Across Times.”
Black Heritage Festival & Conference, Lagos, Nigeria, April 4.
(2012) Directed the drama aspect
of the University’s convocation opera, Il Trovatore,
with Anthoni Mereni
directing the music.
2012 “Masculinity
through Omumu
lens: Rereading
of Achebe’s Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart.”
Faculty of Arts Seminar, University of Lagos, May 3.
2011
“Chasing the American Dream.” Novel pitch
presented at The New York Pitch Conference, September 22-25
2010 "The Discrepancy of Black Women and Body
Image," Wichita
State University, Wichita, KS.
2010 “Nigeria: Past, Present & Future.”
Global Learning Center, Wichita, KS. May 16.
2010
"Racial
Profiling of a Good Student."
Panel Discussant,Wichita
State University, Wichita KS.
2010. Panel Discussant. “Christmas and New Year in Nigeria.”
Global Learning Center,
Wichita, KS, December 19.
2009 Poetry
Reading, Abuja, Nigeria, August 4.
2009 Directed a play, “scramble.htmlScramble for Africa 2” by C. Okafor, performed by students of Wichita State University, October 30.
2009
“Introduction to Nigeria” Power Point
presentation at the annual Cultural Event organized by the Nigerian
Association
of Wichita, October 10.
2009
Faculty Facilitator, “Miss Africa”
presentation by students of Wichita State University, April 10.
2009.
“Feminisms in
2009. “Omumu Concept: A Pro-Feminist
Lesson from Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.” Women In
Africa and the African Diaspora (WAAD) conference, August 2-8.
2008 Supervised students’
rehearsals
of excerpts from, The New Toyi Toyi,
and presentation at WSU, March 28.
2008. “Making
the Poet
Making Poetry: The
Process of Poetic Writing.” The
2008
“Heroes from the Margins: Stories of Athletes who
challenged Racism at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.”
2008
Poetry
2008
Poetry Reading, African American Museum, Wichita, KS
May 15 and May 21
2007
“Instructor Positionality and Classroom dynamics” Tilford conference,
2007
“Engaging Race in Women’s Studies’
Classes.” Conference on Teaching Gender in 21st
Century. The
2007
“What is Global? What is Vernacular?
English Education in African and African
Diaspora Women’s Writing.”
2007
“From Prairies of
2007
“On love, war, and place - from the poet’s diary.”
2007 “Wole Soyinka: The Energy Behind
Influences” Featured Speech
at the Symposium on Soyinka: the Man, the Playwright, the
Novelist, the
2006
“Global Perspective, African Views: Perceptions of
2006 “Female
Power: Corner Stone or Central Subject in Igbo Mask Performance.”
Paper
presented at the African Literature Conference.
2006
Women In Higher Education
conference.
2006.
"Terrible Beauty of Masks From Around the
World.”
Review of MASKS from Around the World
by
Garth Darl.
2006 Supervised
“Africana Presents the World” – a variety of dance,
drama, poetry, fashion and
musical shows from different cultures of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
2006
Talk: “New Ambassadors of WSU" Graduation
celebration. May 11.
2005
“Global Encounters: The Case of Agbogho-mmonwu
Mask and Barbie Doll.” Paper presented at the Africa-Europe Group
for
Interdisciplinary Studies conference,
2005
“Femininity and
Globalization.” Power Point Presentation at the
Anthropology Colloquium,
2005
Empire or
Interdependence - A multidisciplinary, international conference on the
Post-Cold War world.
2004 Talk titled,
“International and Cross-Cultural Dialogue Across
the
Atlantic” and facilitation of a conversation between students of
“Women In
Africa” class (WSU) and Dr. Chioma Opara and her students in Portharcourt
(
2004 “Popular
Culture Cross-Culturally: A Comparative Study of Igbo Agbogho-mmonwu
and American Barbie.” Paper presented at the African Literature
Conference.
2004
Guest Speaker at the Annual Charitable Event by Nigerian Women
Association. Olive
Tree Banquet Hall.
2004
Panel Discussant, “Dances with Hip Hop: Debate about
female
identity.”
2004
Lecture, “Multi-Nation,
Multi-culture, and One Country –
2004 My Scholarship –
one-act play by
Chinyere Okafor, performed by WSU students. Olive Tree, Wichita:
October 2.
2003 “Gender
Voices in African Mask Communication.” Paper presented at the
Anthropology
Colloquium,
2003
“Transgressions: Stories of an
African Woman In America,” Story read
at the Southern
California Writers’ conference.
2003
Panel
Speaker. International Women’s Day
Celebration,
2003 Facilitated
Dr. Opara’s visit from University of
Science and Technology, Portharcourt,
Nigeria to talk at WSU on “Bellowing In
Silence: African Women and the Struggle for Identity.” June 3.
2003
Three
Women – one-act play by
Chinyere Okafor performed by WSU students. November 16.
2003. “Contors of Ani -
Poetry and
Story Reading. Hubbard Hall.
2002
Keynote Speaker: International
Women’s Day Banquet. Talk title:
“If I Narrate What they Are Doing To
Me: How national
and global political economic policies play out in the lives of African
women
and children.”
2002
“The Voice of Silence in African Women’s Writing and
Gender Action.” Paper presented at Women’s Studies’
Retreat, Spruce Point, May 16-17.
2002 “An African
Woman in A Women’s Studies Class.” Story read at Maine
Women’s Consortium
Retreat, May 24-25.
2002
Keynote Speaker,
2002 Designed and facilitated Faculty Seminar Series on Gender, Race, and Pedagogy for University of Southern Maine faculty and staff. Sept. 27, Oct. 18, Nov. 15, and Dec. 13.
2002 Designed and
facilitated a seminar and workshop on “Cultural Perspectives in
the Classroom,”
for the College of Nursing, University of Southern Maine, November 7.
2002 Panel
Discussant, “The Role of Higher Education in Globalization: A
Cooperative
Knowledge or Resistance?”
2002 Talk: “Ritual
Authority, Communication, and Empowerment of Women in African
Masking.”
2002
Interview on WMPG’s
“big Talk” by Wendy Hazzard and Michael Hillard about my poetry and plays. February 21.
2002
Initiated and facilitated the
opening of a branch of Women In Need
(WINI) in
2002
Organized African women dancers
that performed at the Annual
Women’s History Month Celebration.
2002 “Poetry
Reading on the Eve of St. Valentine’s Day: Poems of Love and
Life” Luther
Bonney Auditorium,
2002 The Lion
and The Iroko produced by A. Kent,
Theater
Department, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME. March 6.
2001
Co-Facilitated the Riverton Branch community conversation on the
subject of
Sept. 11. Organized by
2001 Oral Poetry
Performance and Introduction of the Convocation Scholar, Nobel Prize
Laureate, Wole Soyinka, at his talk and
opening of the University of
Maine Convocation. September 25.
2000 “Break the
Silence: Women Writers of
1999
“Contemporary African Literature and Beauvoirism.” Colloque
International, Cinqauntenaire Du Deuxieme
Sexe, Ministere
de la
Culture,
1999 The New Toyi Toyi. Play
performance
by students. New Science Theater,
1998 "Post‑Colonial
Literature in English: A View from The
Inside,”
1998
Poems - Earth’s Bed Chamber. Instituto
Emilia-Romangna,
1998 Play - Mosquitoe's Last Card
University of
Swaziland.
..
Hilariously Obamized
- tales from presidential
promaries 1-10
Seasons of Maine - poems and anecdotes
Flipping the pages of her secret
Beloved Queen Echo (see Story Star)
More on stories,
poems and plays at http://www.chiwrite.com/stories.html
Women’s
Writing,
Folk Literature and Performance. Postcolonial African Literature,RESEARCH
INTERESTS
WORK
IN PROGRESS
“Women,
mask, and
Achebe’s
Literature” - Essays in the
merging of written
and oral literatures.
“Zeb Silhouette
…” - Creative
Nonfiction on women, immigration, and development.
“The African
Blonde
…” Poems on
issues across the globe
“Scramble for
Africa
2” Play
PROFESSIONAL
AFFILIATIONS
1998 –
Present:
Vice-President, Association of African Women Scholars (AAWS)
2008 –
2009
Board Chair,
Women In Need Inc. (WINI).
2001 –
2009
Board
Member, Women In Need Inc. (WINI).
2003 – Present
Member,
Global
1990 – Present
Member, African Literature Association (ALA).
2003-
2006
Member, National Association of Women Writers.
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Chinyere G. Okafor |