Nigerian Speculative Fiction

Chukwunonso Ezeiyoke’s PhD is from Manchester Metropolitan University. His research focuses on the impact of postcolonial theory on the evolution of African SF. His recent publications include a collection of his short stories, Haunted Grave and Other Stories.

• Part One - Strictures and Constraints 1. The Evolution of African SF: Contemporary Debates 2. The Canon of Nigerian Literature from the 1960s and the place of Nigerian SF 3. Voices Left Behind: Exploring the Pre-existing Nigerian SF Tradition before the Makerere Conference Part Two - Possibilities of Emergency 4. Aliens as an archetype of estrangement and the double heritage of emerging Nigerian SF 5. Capitalism and the politics of love: mutual interdependence as the onto-ethical revisions within Nigerian SF Conclusion

‘The Euro-American formation of African and Nigerian literary canons favoured writers and works most consonant with the ideology and goals of capitalist neo-colonialism, marginalising and excluding African languages, literatures of Négritude – and speculative fiction. By reconnecting contemporary Nigerian sf (Nnedi Okorafor, Tade Thompson, Chigozie Obioma, Akwaeke Emezi) to its forebears (D.O. Fágúnwà, Amos Tutuola), Ezeiyoke powerfully demonstrates that the twenty-first century ‘emergence’ of African sf was actually a making-visible of something much older and more deeply rooted. An essential intervention.’—Mark Bould, Professor of Film and Literature, UWE Bristol, UK‘The key thing to realize here is that this book hasn't really been written yet. When we think of competition, there isn't any. This is a needed text, and I recommend it enthusiastically.’—Ian P. MacDonald, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English; Vice Chair, Faculty Assembly, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters and Faculty Senator, Florida Atlantic University