Onyeka Nwelue

Onyeka Nwelue
Nwelue in 2011
Born
Onyekachukwu George Nwelue

(1988-01-31) 31 January 1988
Ezeoke Nsu, Imo State, Nigeria
Occupations
  • Novelist
  • filmmaker
  • editor
  • poet
Writing career
Period2000–present

Onyeka Nwelue (listenⓘ; born 31 January 1988) is a Nigerian author, filmmaker, publisher, and talk-show host. He has written over 40 books, including The Strangers of Braamfontein, which won a Crime Fiction Lovers Award and was described by Wole Soyinka as "raunchy".[1] His book, Hip-Hop Is Only for Children, won Non-Fiction Writer of the Year at the 2015 Nigerian Writers Awards.[2] He adapted his novella Island of Happiness into the Igbo-language film, Agwaetiti Obiụtọ.[3] The film won Best Feature Film by a Director at the 2018 Newark International Film Festival and was nominated for Best First Feature Film by a Director at the Ousmane Sembene Award.[4] The film received a nomination for Best Film in an African Language at the 2018 Africa Movie Academy Awards. Nwelue was involved in controversy over misrepresenting himself as a professor at the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, and has gained notice for controversial views.

Early life

Nwelue was born in Ezeoke Nsu, Imo State, Nigeria, son of Chukwuemeka Samuel Nwelue (1945–2022), who ran a motel and was a record shop owner, having been formerly employed at a construction company as a cashier and wages supervisor; he was later involved in local community politics. Nwelue's mother Catherine, née Ona, was a social scientist.[5][6] He began writing and painting in primary school and led school drama and debating societies. He attended Umunohu Primary School and Mount Olives Seminary.[7]

He studied Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, but did not take a degree through "personal choice",[8] before earning a scholarship to study Film Directing at the Prague Film School in the Czech Republic.[9][10] Despite his connection with academic institutions, by his own admission Nwelue has no degree, calling it a "personal choice"; he took a diploma in scriptwriting from the Academy of Film & TV, India in 2013.[11]

Career

Writing and Publishing

Nwelue has authored at least twenty two books, twenty of which have been self-published or published through companies owned by him; the majority received no critical, nor public, attention.[12]

Nwelue’s debut novel The Abyssinian Boy (2009) gained critical attention in Nigeria and India.[13] His later works include Hip-Hop is Only for Children (Creative Non-Fiction Book of the Year, 2015), The Beginning of Everything Colourful,[14] The Lagos Cuban Jazz Club, and The Nigerian Mafia series. In 2018, the Association of Nigerian Authors shortlisted The Beginning of Everything Colourful and The Lagos Cuban Jazz Club for their Annual Fiction Prize and Annual Poetry Prize respectively.[15] In 2021, Nwelue was again shortlisted in both the categories, respectively for The Strangers of Braamfontein and An Angel on the Piano.[16][17] His latest work titled The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai is the first in a ten-book series set across ten countries.[18][19]

In 2026, he published the novel Kito, a crime thriller chronicling murder and abuse. It's set to be adapted in 2027 by Nigerian screenwriter and director Collins C. Okoh.[20]

Film and Television

Nwelue's documentary House of Nwapa was shortlisted in the Best Documentary category at the 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards.[21][22] The next year, Nwelue adapted his novella Island of Happiness into an Igbo film, Agwaetiti Obiụtọ, which was shortlisted in the Best First Feature Film and Best Film in an African Language categories at the 2018 Africa Movie Academy Awards.[23] He directed The Distant Light and documentaries on social themes including sex work (A Night with the Angels).[24][25]

He also hosts The Onyeka Nwelue Show, a talk show featuring African creatives.[26][27]

Teaching and Scholarships

Nwelue has been a Visiting Research Fellow at Ohio University[28], a Visiting Assistant Professor at Manipur University[29], and a Visiting Lecturer of African Studies at the University of Hong Kong. He previously served as Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg.[30]

James Currey Society

In 2021, Nwelue established the James Currey Society, an organization promoting research and recognition of British publisher James Currey[31]. The Society organizes lectures, fellowships and awards, including the James Currey Prize for African Literature, first awarded in 2021 to Ani Kayode Somtochukwu[32].

Misrepresentation of academic position

Nwelue was an Academic Visitor at the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford from 2021 until 2023.[12] During this span, he claimed to be a professor at both Oxford and the University of Cambridge, even using their logos to market a range of commercial events; he also falsely claimed to be a Research Associate at SOAS University of London.[12]

SOAS rejected Nwelue's claims outright, while both Oxford and Cambridge launched their respective investigations, upon which Nwelue's association was terminated for "persistent unacceptable breaches of its terms".[12][33] It was clarified by both the universities that Academic Visitorship was not even a form of employment — neither the university remunerated Nwelue nor he had any responsibilities to the university.[12][34] Journalists note that he was charged with £9000 by Cambridge for holding the position.[35]

James Currey Fellowship

Nwelue also instituted a James Currey Fellowship, sometime in 2022, supposedly to sponsor African authors who wish to attend both Oxford and Cambridge; he claimed the fellowship to have been set up in collaboration with the University of Oxford.[12] The fellowship awarded the James Currey Prize for African Literature to the best unpublished work of fiction in English from African authors eithers living in Africa or the diaspora.

The university denied any involvement with the fellowship.[12] It was later reported to have been set up to benefit Nwelue's financial associates.[35] Its two recipients were David Hundeyin, who had signed a book deal with Nwelue's publishing house a month before the conferral, and Mitterand Okorie, who had co-founded a literary agency with Nwelue and published multiple books with his publishing house including Nwelue's biography.[35][36][37]

Views

During his time at Oxford, Nwelue posted racist, classist, and misogynistic content on Twitter, including about China being filthy and overpopulated, Arabs having a flair for slavery, Eastern Europe producing only pickpockets and scammers, poor people being of "no value", and African women who use wigs and makeup coming across as "masquerades".[12] Nwelue apologized and described his tweets as "a social experiment to get feedback for an [upcoming] book."[12]

In January 2023, he held a book launch by Nigerian blogger David Hundeyin, where students alleged both of them to have mocked the prevalence of sexual harassment in journalistic circles and suggested that women slept their way to the top.[12]

Allegations of retracted AI-generated articles

In a September 2025 Washington Post investigation, Nwelue was linked to a series of retracted articles published at Business Insider and Wired under the name “Margaux Blanchard,” who used an address associated with a number of Nwelue's businesses.[38][39] The articles all bore hallmarks of generative AI, including references to fictitious locations. When reached for comment, Nwelue told The Post in an email: “I haven’t written any article for any platform. I am too busy. Don’t mention my name in your stupid article.” [38] He responded to another duped editor with an expletive.[40]

Bibliography

Awards and Recognition

    • Creative Non-Fiction Book of the Year — Nigerian Writers’ Awards (2015)
    • TM Aluko Prize for First Book — Abuja Writers’ Forum[42]
    • Best Feature Film by a Director — Newark International Film Festival (2018)[43]
    • ANA Prose Fiction Prize nomination — The Beginning of Everything Colourful (2018)[44]
    • ANA Poetry Prize nomination — The Lagos Cuban Jazz Club (2018)[45]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Owolabi, Adekunle (29 July 2025). "Onyango, Nwelue and Ezeigbo to lead Tokyo African lit fest". Independent News Eswatini. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "Hip-Hop is Only for Children by Onyeka Nwelue". 18 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Nigeria, Guardian (16 October 2018). "Onyeka Nwelue's Agwaetiti Obiụtọ: Pushing for Africa's socioeconomic and political emancipation". The Guardian. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  4. ↑ 'Jakpor, Kevin (4 February 2025). "I might die any moment, the only kidney I have is failing — Onyeka Nwelue - Diaspora Digital Media (DDM News) - Nigeria Breaking News, Africa and World News and Updates". Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  5. ↑ https://thelagosreview.ng/obituary-sir-chukwuemeka-samuel-nwelue
  6. ↑ "Obituary: Sir Chukwuemeka Samuel Nwelue". 18 September 2022.
  7. ↑ "A Tale Of 2 Onyekas And One Birthday". Daily Trust. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  8. ↑ Onyeka Nwelue [@officialonyekanwelue]; (29 August 2025). "My name is Onyeka Nwelue. I do not hold a DEGREE". Retrieved 15 April 2025 – via Instagram.
  9. ↑ "Litvo: An Interview with Onyeka Nwelue by Isaiah Adepoju - Literature VoicesLitvo: An Interview with Onyeka Nwelue by Isaiah Adepoju".
  10. ↑ Bankole, Idowu (January 2022). "Amazing story of Onyeka Nwelue, Nigerian youth who founded James Curreý Society in UK". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria.
  11. ↑ Onyeka Nwelue [@officialonyekanwelue]; (29 August 2025). "My name is Onyeka Nwelue. I do not hold a DEGREE". Retrieved 15 April 2025 – via Instagram.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Fake professor dismissed from Oxford apologises for misogyny at fraudulent book launch". Cherwell News. 2 March 2023. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  13. ↑ The Trent (19 July 2015). "BOOK REVIEW: Onyeka Nwelue's 'The Abyssinian Boy', By Evans Ufeli". thetrentonline.com. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  14. ↑ BellaNaija.com (14 June 2017). "Award-winning Nigerian Writer & Filmmaker Onyeka Nwelue Shares Pictures to Celebrate the Release of his New Novel – The Beginning of Everything Colourful". BellaNaija. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Adebisi, Yemi (7 October 2018). "ANA Releases Shortlist Of 2018 Literary Prizes". Independent. Nigeria. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  16. ↑ Phenomenal (21 October 2021). "Onyeka Nwelue, Kehinde Akano, others make ANA prizes short list". Phenomenal. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "The Strangers of Braamfontein". Have You Read This. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  18. ↑ Editor_Kitaab (16 October 2023). "New Release: The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai – A Gripping Crime Thriller by Onyeka Nwelue". KITAAB. Retrieved 22 July 2025. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ↑ "The Nigerian Mafia: Mumbai". Goodreads. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  20. ↑ I, Admin (23 August 2026). "Okoh appointed to adapt Onyeka Nwelue's 'Kito' for the Screen - Blueprint Newspapers Limited". Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Odunsi, Wale (16 May 2017). "AMAA 2017: Nollywood movies top nominations [Full list]". Daily Post. Lagos, Nigeria. Archived from the original on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  22. ↑ Nwelue, Onyeka (28 August 2016), The House of Nwapa (Documentary), Uzoma Nwakuche, Mabel Segun, Wole Soyinka, Blues and Hills Pictures, retrieved 22 July 2025
  23. ↑ "Photos | Wole Soyinka Hosts Private Screening of Onyeka Nwelue's AMAAs-Nominated Film, Agwaetiti Obiụtọ". brittlepaper.com. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  24. ↑ "Read Onyeka Nwelue's ode to his greatest inspiration in filmmaking". Pulse Nigeria. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  25. ↑ Onyeka Nwelue (13 November 2012). Onyeka Nwelue - "A Night with the Angels". Retrieved 15 April 2026 – via YouTube.
  26. ↑ "The Onyeka Nwelue Show is back!". 7 February 2021.
  27. ↑ Esomnofu, Emmanuel (12 February 2021). "The Onyeka Nwelue Show Returns with Lidudumalingani Episode". Open Country Mag. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  28. ↑ "Nigerian Filmmaker Onyeka Nwelue Speaks Today at Ohio University". 23 September 2016.
  29. ↑ Bankole, Idowu (January 2022). "Amazing story of Onyeka Nwelue, Nigerian youth who founded James Curreý Society in UK". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria.
  30. ↑ Arthur, Benson (11 October 2025). "Literature as bridge-building: Onyeka Nwelue's Portrait of Japan-Africa connections". The Business & Financial Times. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  31. ↑ "Meet Onyeka Nwelue: The Nigerian who established James Currey Fellowship at Oxford". 2 January 2022.
  32. ↑ "On the Uses of African Literature: Onyeka Nwelue and a Phantom Cancel Culture Mob". 13 March 2023.
  33. ↑ Clarence-Smith, Louisa (3 March 2023). "Author who claimed to be professor at Oxford and Cambridge loses academic visitor status". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  34. ↑ Yeomans, Emma (8 August 2023). "Oxford drops academic accused of masquerading as visiting professor". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  35. 1 2 3 "Dismissed academic visitor ran unofficial "Oxbridge fellowship" scheme for financial associates". Cherwell. 15 March 2023. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  36. ↑ "Mitterand Okorie named University of Oxford Fellow". This Is Lagos. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  37. ↑ Rapheal (27 October 2022). "Oxford, Cambridge universities welcome Mitterand Okorie". The Sun. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  38. 1 2 "Business Insider yanked 40 essays with suspect bylines. Are they related?". The Washington Post. 6 September 2025.
  39. ↑ dept, EditorDavid from the not-human (6 September 2025). "Wired Retracts Article By 'AI Freelancer' - and Business Insider Retracts 38 - Slashdot". news.slashdot.org. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  40. ↑ Herrera, Tim (25 August 2026). "Your next pitch could be over the phone. Thank AI". Freelancing With Tim. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  41. ↑ Gata, Awaal (1 August 2026). "The machinery of vengeance: A review of Onyeka Nwelue's "Kito" - Blueprint Newspapers Limited". Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  42. ↑ https://dailynigerian.com/nwelue-literary-rebel-on-a-mission-to-colonise-america/
  43. ↑ "Nwelue Wins a Film Director Prize at Newark Film Festival". 25 September 2018.
  44. ↑ "Winners of ana Literary prizes 2018". The Nation. Lagos, Nigeria. 3 November 2018.
  45. ↑ "ANA announces 2018 shortlists of literary prizes". 7 October 2018.
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