Zulu Sofola

Zulu Sofola
Born
Nwazuluwa Onuekwuke Sofola

(1935-06-22)June 22, 1935
Bendel State, British Nigeria
DiedSeptember 5, 1995(1995-09-05) (aged 60)
Alma materVirginia Union University; The Catholic University of America; University of Ibadan
OccupationsPlaywright, dramatist, academic
Known forFirst published female Nigerian playwright; first female Professor of Theatre Arts in Africa
Notable workWedlock of the Gods (1972), The Sweet Trap (1977)

Nwazuluwa Onuekwuke "Zulu" Sofola Listenⓘ (22 June 1935 – 5 September 1995)[1] was the first published female Nigerian playwright and dramatist.[2] Sofola was also a university teacher and became the first female Professor of Theater Arts in Africa.[3]

Biography

Nwazuluwa Onuekwuke Sofola[4] was born in the former Bendel State to Nwaugbade Okwumabua and Chief Ogana Okwumabua who were Igbo from Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area, presently Delta State in the south-southern region of Nigeria. She attended Federal Government Primary School in Asaba and the Baptist Girls High School in Agbor all in Delta State.[5] Due to her outstanding performance in school, she was awarded a scholarship to complete her high school education in Nashville, Tennessee.[6][5] Spending her adolescence and early womanhood in the US, she studied at Southern Baptist Seminary, earned a BA in English at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia in 1959.[7] She obtained her MA in Drama (Play writing and Production) from The Catholic University of America in Washington DC in the year 1965.[1] She returned to Nigeria in 1966, and became a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, where she obtained a PhD in Theatre Arts (Tragic Theory) in 1977.[8]

Career

Her plays "range from historical tragedy to domestic comedy and use both traditional and modern African setting".[9] She uses "elements of magic, myth and ritual to examine conflicts between traditionalism and modernism in which male supremacy persists."[10] She was considered one of the most distinguished women in Nigerian literature.[11] She remains a source of inspiration to young African writers. Sofola's most frequently performed plays are Wedlock of the Gods (1972) and The Sweet Trap (1977).[10] She died in 1995 at the age of 60.[12]

Achievements

  • Scholarly awards and distinctions both nationally and internationally.[13]
  • Recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship.[14]
  • Represented Nigeria at the first International Women Playwrights Conference.[15]

Selected works

  • The Deer Hunter and The Hunter's Pearl (1969), London: Evans Brothers.[16]
  • The Disturbed Peace of Christmas (1971), Ibadan: Daystar Press.[16][17]
  • Wedlock of the Gods (1972), Ibadan: Evans.[18]
  • The Operators, Ibadan: Ibadan University, 1973.
  • King Emene: Tragedy of a Rebellion (1974), Heinemann Educational Books.[19][20] ISBN 0-435-92860-0
  • The Wizard of Law (1975), Evans Bros.[21][22] ISBN 0-237-49951-7
  • The Sweet Trap (1977); Ibadan: Oxford University Press.[23] ISBN 0-19-575386-0
  • Old Wines Are Tasty (1981), Ibadan: Oxford University Press.[24][25] ISBN 978-154-499-6
  • Memories in the Moonlight (1986), Ibadan: Evans Brothers.[26]
  • Queen Omu-ako of Oligbo, Buffalo: Paul Robeson Theatre, 1989.[27]
  • Eclipso and the Fantasia, Illorin, Nigeria: 1990.[28]
  • The Showers, Illorin, Nigeria: 1991.[29]
  • Song of a Maiden: A Play, Illorin, Nigeria: Heinemann, 1992.[30][31]
  • Lost Dreams and Other Plays, Ibadan: Heinemann, 1992.[29]

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 Biography Archived 30 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine, ′Zulu Sofola official website.
  2. ↑ "Nigeria's female writers have arrived" Archived 25 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Sun newspaper (Nigeria), 11 December 2005.
  3. ↑ "Zulu Sofola: A legacy of creativity and generosity -". The NEWS. 20 June 2021. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  4. ↑ Ifeanyi Iyegbu, "Nwazuluwa Onuekwuke Sofola", Issele-Uku Association of North America.
  5. 1 2 "LIFE OF ZULU SOFOLA – Official Website of Zulu Sofola". Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Sun 18 May 2014". The Guardian. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "Zulu Sofola | Black Plays Archive". www.blackplaysarchive.org.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Zulu Sofola". ZODML. 23 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  9. ↑ Margaret Busby, Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent, London: Jonathan Cape, 1992, p. 450.
  10. 1 2 "Sofola, Zulu", in Martin Banham, Errol Hill & George Woodyard (eds), The Cambridge Guide to African & Caribbean Theatre, Cambridge University Press, 1994; p. 82.
  11. ↑ Africa Database Archived 17 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Rubies, Women of (3 April 2020). "This is Zulu Sofola, The First Female Professor Of Theatre Arts In Africa". Women of Rubies. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Woman.NG (23 December 2017). "First Women: Zulu Sofola - The First Female Professor Of Theatre Arts In Africa". Woman.NG. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  14. ↑ "bookshy: 56 Years of Nigerian Literature: 'Zulu Sofola". bookshy. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  15. ↑ Fitzsimmons, Linda (May 1989). "First Women Playwrights Conference". New Theatre Quarterly. 5 (18): 123. doi:10.1017/s0266464x00003018. ISSN 0266-464X. S2CID 193205106.
  16. 1 2 "Nigeria—The Challenge of (and for) the Female Playwright". Critical Stages/Scènes critiques. 25 June 2017. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  17. ↑ Eni, Kenneth Efakponana (2012). "Zulu Sofola and the Nigerian Theatre Influences and Traditions". Creative Artist: A Journal of Theatre and Media Studies: 154–169. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  18. ↑ Fuchs, Anne (1999). New Theatre in Francophone and Anglophone Africa: A Selection of Papers Held at a Conference in Mandelieu, 23-26 June, 1995. Rodopi. ISBN 978-90-420-0725-3. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  19. ↑ "King Emene: Tragedy of a rebellion (Heinemann secondary readers) - Zulu Sofola; 'Zulú Ṣofọla: 9780435928605 - AbeBooks". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Ṣofọla, 'Zulú (1974). King Emene: tragedy of a rebellion. London: Heinemann Educational. ISBN 978-0-435-92860-5.
  21. ↑ Ṣofọla, 'Zulú (1975). The wizard of law. London: Evans Bros. ISBN 978-0-237-49951-8.
  22. ↑ https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2634635
  23. ↑ Sofola, Zulu (1977). The Sweet trap. Ibadan, Nigeria: Oxford University Press.
  24. ↑ Ṣofọla, 'Zulú (1981). Old wines are tasty: a play. Ibadan: University Press Ltd. in association with Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-978-154-499-6.
  25. ↑ "Old wines are tasty: A play - Ṣofọla, 'Zulú: 9789781544996 - AbeBooks". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  26. ↑ Sofola, Zulu. (1986). Memories in the moonlight. Ibadan: Evans Brothers. ISBN 978-978-167-176-0. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  27. ↑ "PAUL ROBESON THEATRE NOISY 'QUEEN OMU-AKO' OFFERS A LOOK AT WEST AFRICAN CULTURE". The Buffalo News. 3 May 1989. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  28. ↑ "SOFOLA, 'Zulu". Encyclopedia.com. 29 May 2020. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  29. 1 2 Publications, Europa (2003). International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-1-85743-179-7.
  30. ↑ WonderClub. "Song of a Maiden: a Play - University Press". WonderClub. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  31. ↑ https://openlibrary.org/books/OL1319202M/Song_of_a_maiden
  32. ↑ Ezenwamadu, Nkechi Judith; Ojiakor, Chinyere Theodora (21 September 2020). "Proverbs and Postproverbial Stance in Selected Plays of Emeka Nwabueze and Zulu Sofola". Matatu. 51 (2): 432–447. doi:10.1163/18757421-05102015. ISSN 0932-9714. Archived from the original on 6 May 2025.
  33. ↑ "Encyclopedia of African Literature". Taylor & Francis. 2 September 2003. doi:10.4324/9780203361269/encyclopedia-african-literature-simon-gikandi. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023.
  34. ↑ Gilbert, Helen (1 January 1996). Post-colonial Drama: Theory, Practice, Politics.
  35. ↑ Gilbert, Helen (1996). Post-colonial drama : theory, practice, politics. Internet Archive. London ; New York : Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-09023-0.
  36. ↑ "Zulu Sofola: Her Life & Her Works by Modupe Kolawole, Mary E.: Very Good Soft cover (1999) 1st Edition | Jackson Street Booksellers". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  37. ↑ BooksRun. Zulu Sofola: Her Life & Her Works (Paperback) by Mary E. Modupe Kolawole - BooksRun. ISBN 978-978-33187-9-3.
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