Renowned novelist, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike has died at 88

Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike, a renowned Nigerian Novelist has died at the age of 88.

The traditional ruler of Ndikelionwu community in Orumba, Anambra, fictive works mirrored the African and Igbo societies and some of them include From Toads for Supper, his first work published in 1965, The Naked Gods (1970), The Potter’s Wheel (1973), Sunset at Dawn (1976), Expo ’77 (1980), The Bottled Leopard (1985), Our Children Are Coming (1990) among others.

Before being appointed as the monarch of the Anambra community in 2008, Prof Ike served as an academic in various roles including as a registrar at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and a visiting professor at the University of Jos (UNIJOS). He was also the first Nigerian to become the registrar of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

Immediate past president of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Denja Abdullahi who confirmed the death of Prof Chukwuemeka Ike, said;

“He was a socially committed writer of a satiric streak. His works satirise the foibles of the society and they are delightful to read with striking titles. He was by nature also a very humble and genial person who stood out in his contributions, far beyond just being a writer, to the development of the Nigerian book industry.”