Lola Shoneyin: Difference between revisions

'''Lola Shoneyin''' (born Titilola Atinuke Alexandrah Shoneyin; 26 February 1974 in [[Ibadan]], [[Nigeria]]) is a Nigerian [[poet]] and author<ref name="BBCWH">{{Cite web | title = Lola Shoneyin | accessdate = 2012-12-08 | work= BBC World Service - Arts & Culture | publisher = BBC | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/2010/04/100409_strand_lolashoneyin.shtml |date= 9 April 2010}}</ref> who launched her [[debut novel]], [[The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives (novel)|''The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives'',]], in the UK in May 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Popular Nigerian Literary Icon, Lola Shoneyin, Clocks 45|url=http://www.publicfacesmagazine.com.ng/popular-nigerian-literary-icon-lola-shoneyin-clocks-45/|last=Mary|first=Aborele|date=2019-02-26|website=Welcome To PublicFace Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> Shoneyin has forged a reputation as an adventurous, humorous and outspoken poet (often classed in the feminist mould), having published three volumes of poetry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=An Interview with Lola Shoneyin, African Writing Online [many literatures, one voice]; Issue No. 9|url=https://www.african-writing.com/nine/lolashoneyin.htm|website=www.african-writing.com|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> Her writing delves into themes related to female sexuality and the difficulties of domestic life in Africa.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-24 |title=Lola Shoneyin |url=https://www.casafrica.es/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Casafrica |language=es}}</ref> In April 2014 she was named on the [[Hay Festival]]'s [[Africa39]] list of 39 [[Sub-Saharan Africa]]n writers aged under 40 with potential and talent to define trends in African literature.<ref>[http://www.hayfestival.com/artistlist-q-t.aspx Africa39 list of artists], Hay Festival.</ref> Lola won the [[PEN Award for Poetry in Translation|PEN Award]] in America<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lola Shoneyin|url=https://pen.org/user/lola-shoneyin/|date=2015-01-07|website=PEN America|language=en|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> as well as the Ken Saro-Wiwa Award for prose in Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lola Shoneyin|url=https://www.davidhigham.co.uk/authors-dh/lola-shoneyin/|website=David Higham Associates|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> She was also on the list for the [[Orange Prize]] in the UK for her debut novel, ''The Secret of Baba Segi's Wives'', in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://guardian.ng/life/on-the-cover/lola-shoneyin-writer-thinker-creator/|title=Lola Shoneyin: Writer, Thinker, Creator|last=Muoka|first=Chidera|date=26 November 2017|access-date=23 May 2018}}</ref> She lives in [[Lagos]], Nigeria, where she runs the annual [[Aké Arts and Book Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ake Arts and Book Festival moves online|url=https://www.blueprint.ng/ake-arts-and-book-festival-moves-online/|last=III|first=Editorial|date=2020-04-10|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> In 2017, she was named African Literary Person of the Year by ''[[Brittle Paper]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Edoro |first1=Ainehi |title=The 2017 Brittle Paper African Literary Person of the Year Is Lola Shoneyin |url=https://brittlepaper.com/2017/12/lola-shoneyin-2017-brittle-paper-person-year/ |accessdate=20 August 2019 |publisher=Brittle Paper |date=30 December 2017}}</ref>

Shoneyin completed her first novel in 2000. Her second novel, ''Harlot'', received some interest, but the story of a young girl growing up in colonial Nigeria to make a fortune as a "Madame" remains unpublished. {{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} Shoneyin moved on to her third novel, ''[[The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’sSegi's Wives (novel)|The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives]]'', which was published in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lola Shoneyin|url=https://www.pandeliterary.com/lola-shoneyin|website=APL|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> It was adapted as a [[The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives (play)|stage play]] by [[Rotimi Babatunde]] and it showed in tethe [[Arcola Theatre]] in London.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Hitchings|first=Henry|date=2018-06-19 June 2018 |title=The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives is enjoyably clamorous|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/the-secret-lives-of-baba-segis-wives-review-enjoyably-clamorous-and-unflinchingly-serious-a3866296.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-08|website=[[Evening Standard]]|language=en}}</ref>

She is the founder and Director of [https://bookbuzzfoundation.org/ Book Buzz Foundation], a [[non-governmental organization]] established in 2012 for the promotion of arts and culture within local and global spaces.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Book Buzz Foundation Archives - Premium Times Nigeria|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/tag/book-buzz-foundation|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-30}}</ref> She co-founded ''Infusion'', a popular monthly gathering for music, art and culture in [[Abuja]], Nigeria.<ref name=YNaija>{{Cite web|url=https://ynaija.com/dami-ajayi-profiles-lola-shoneyin-the-cultural-activist-promoting-african-literature-y-ynaija-com-person-of-the-year-nominee/|last=Ajayi | first=Dami| title=Dami Ajayi Profiles Lola Shoneyin: the Cultural Activist Promoting African Literature (Y!/Ynaija.Com Person of the Year Nominee)|last=Editor |date=16 December 2017|access-date=24 May 2018}}</ref> Shoneyin served as a judge of the 2018 [[Caine Prize for African Writing]].<ref name=YNaija /> She also runs the publishing imprint and bookshop Ouida Books in Nigeria.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ouidabooks.com/team/lola-shoneyin/|title=Lola Shoneyin|publisher=Ouida Books}}</ref>

*''[[The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives (novel)|The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives]]'', London: [[Serpent’sSerpent's Tail]], May 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives |url=https://serpentstail.com/work/the-secret-lives-of-baba-segis-wives/ |access-date=2020-05-30 |website=Serpent's Tail |language=en}}</ref>