Overview

Dr. Chinyere Grace Okafor, poet, playwright and fiction writer is a Professor of English and Women's Studies, Director of the Center for Women鈥檚 Studies and Chair of the Department of Women鈥檚 Studies. An alumnus of University of Sussex (Brighton, UK), University College (Cardiff, UK), and University of Nigeria, (Nsukka, Nigeria), she did postdoctoral work on gender politics and poetics of Masking at Cornell University. Her research is interdisciplinary involving transnational gender, literature and theater, diversity education and mask communication. Her teaching at WSU from 2003 has been in the area of feminism, gender and diversity education. She has faculty experience from Universities of Southern Maine, Benin, Port Harcourt and Swaziland as well as Montgomery College, Rockville, MD.  She has worked with organizations on projects using tales, poetry and skits to engage social issues. Her poem, Sunflower Exclusive, is the creative centerpiece of Wichita鈥檚 Naftzger Park commissioned in 2020. She inaugurated WSU鈥檚 Diverse Women鈥檚 Summit, which she annually organizes with stakeholders, and co-founded the Global Village Assembly 鈥 a forum for student and community engagement.

Okafor鈥檚 credits include two Humanist-in Residence Awards (Cornell University and Hunter College) and  Rockefeller Write-in-Residence (Bellagio, Italy) for research and creative writing as well as Outstanding Faculty, Outstanding Department, Phenomenal Woman, Association of Nigerian Authors鈥 (ANA), South African Literature and other awards and honors. Active in women and international students鈥 mentoring, she is the Vice President of the Association of African Women Scholars (AAWS). She has authored academic and creative works including eight books. For more information, go to: Link

 

Information

Academic Interests and Expertise

Feminisms and diversity education.

Literature and performance for social engagement.

 

Areas of Research Interest

Arts & Humanities in STEMA Education.

Literature and performance for social engagement

Feminisms

Areas of Teaching Interest

Women鈥檚 literature, feminisms, race and diversity.

Publications

Books

(2017) Gender, Performance and Communication. African Ikeji Mask Festivals Aro and Diaspora. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.

(2015) Ikeji Festival Theater of the Aro and Diaspora: Gender, Mask and Communication. Lagos: University of Lagos Press.

(2012) New Toyi Toyi (Nigerian edition) Kraft Books Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria.

2008) It Grows In Winter and Other Poems. Trenton: Africa World Press(2007) The New Toyi Toyi (play). Trenton: Africa World Press.

(1996) He Wants To Marry Me Again and Other Stories. Ibadan: Kraftgriots.

(1996. The Lion And The Iroko. Ibadan: Kraftgriots.

(1996) From Earth鈥檚 Bed Chamber: A Collection of Poems (Ibadan: Kraftgriots.

(1996) Campus Palavar and Other Plays. Ibadan: Kraftgriots.

 

Journal Articles, Chapter Contributions & Creative Works

(2018) 鈥淒ropped Doreen Rides High with Jabulani鈥 鈥 Story in Payback and Other stories. Ed. Toni Adeaga and S. Udoh-Grossfurthner (Zurich: LIT VeVERLAG,):134-146.

(2018) 鈥淢irrors for Class Journal.鈥

(2015) 2015 鈥淓ditorial: Engaging African Gender Inequality Through Formal and Informal Education.鈥 Journal of International Gender Studies (JIGS) 10: vi-x.

(2014) 鈥淒iary of An American Woman: First of a Three-Part Story called This Africa in My Dream鈥 Irinkerindo: a journal of african migration. Issue 7: 76-111

(2013) Omumu Concept of Begetting: A Pro-feminist Lesson from Chinua Achebe鈥檚 Things Fall Apart.鈥 In Words for a Small Planet. Ed. Nanette Norris (New Lanham: Lexington Books): 127-138.

(2013) 鈥淔emale Power: Cornerstone or Central Subject in Igbo Mask Performance.鈥 In A Survey Of The Igbo Nation (Vol. 2). Ed. G. E. K. Ofomata and Chudi Uwazurike. New York: Triatlantic Books. (Also published in 2008 in Emergent Themes, ed., Falola and Hassan).

(2013). Beloved Queen Echo鈥 StoryStar 鈥 Fiction for Adults

(2012) 鈥淲omanhood in Igbo Cosmology: Intersections in Chinua Achebe鈥檚 Things Fall Apart.鈥 In Achebe鈥檚 Women: Imagism and Power. Ed. Helen Chukwuma (Trenton: Africa World Press): 3-24.

(2011) 鈥淏lack Professor, Africa, and Whiteness in Women鈥檚 Studies Classes: Personal Story of Pedagogical Engagement and Conflict Resolution.鈥 In Teaching Gender and Sexuality in the Twenty First Century. Ed. Mirza, M. and David Hussey (C-SAP Monograph No. 14): 237-261.

(2010) In Her Own Voice: Agnes Okafor Tells Her Stories (Collection of Interviews and Stories). (Okafor was the Collector and Primary Author).

(2010) 鈥淣o Rose without Thorns鈥 StoryStar - True Life Fiction

(2008) 鈥Female Power: Corner Stone or Central Subject in Igbo Mask Performance.鈥 Emergent Themes and Methods in African Studies: Essays in Honor of Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo Ed., Falola, T and Adam Paddock (Trenton: Africa World Press): 431-446.

(2008) 鈥淢ilitant Femininity in Southern African Poetry: A Discussion of Selected Poems by Micere Mugo and Gladys Thomas.鈥 In Power and Nationalism. Ed., Falola, Toyin and S. Hassan (Durham: Carolina Academic Press), pp. 435-450.

(2007) 鈥淕lobal encounters: Barbie in Nigerian Agbogho-mmuo mask context.鈥 Journal of African Cultural Studies. Vol. 19, No. 1. 37-54.

(2006) 鈥淭errible Beauty of Masks From Around the World.鈥 Review of MASKS from Around the World by Garth Darl. Vancouver: Granville Island Publishing.

(20003) 鈥淕azing At Wide Country.鈥 Poetry and Prose In National Association of Women Writers Weekly, September 15.

(2003) "Location and Separateness in African and African-American Drama...鈥 Postcolonial Perspective on Women Writers from Africa, the Caribbean, and the US. Ed. Japtok, Martin (Trenton: Africa World Press), pp. 319-343.

(2002) 鈥淟a Litterature africaine et le beauvoirisme: example d鈥 鈥榓ction鈥 de femmes et d鈥檈crivaines.鈥 In Delphy, Christine and Sylvia Chaperon, Cinquantenaire Du Deuxieme Sexe (Paris: Syllepse), pp. 259-268.

(2001) 鈥淏eyond Child Abuse.鈥 In Eye to Eye: Women Practicing Development Across Cultures. Ed. Schench, Celeste, and Susan Perry (London: Zed Press), pp. 259-276.

(2001) 鈥淥gini鈥檚 Choice: A Novella in Ten parts.鈥 Englishes: Literature Inglesi Contemporanee. No 15 ANNO 5, pp. 105-139.

(2001) 鈥淔oreword.鈥 Achebe the Orator by Chinwe Christianan Okechukwu. Westport: Greenwood Press.

(2001) 鈥淪ire That Yells,鈥 鈥淥ne Nation,鈥 and 鈥淥ne Tough Head.鈥 In Englishes:Literature Inglesi Contemporanee (Italy), No 15 ANNO 5, pp. 103-104.

(2000) 鈥淢illenium Note鈥 with republication of 鈥淪ire That Yells,鈥 鈥淥ne Nation,鈥 鈥淥ne Tough Head.鈥 In Englishes: Literature Inglesi Contemporanee (Italy), No 10 ANNO 4, pp. 38-40

(2000) 鈥淥gini鈥檚 Choice,鈥 Also published In The Quest For Democracy: Writings on Nigerian Literature in English. Ed. Rosati, F. (Pescara, Italy: Libreria Dell鈥橴niversita Editrice), pp. 199-237.

(1999) 鈥淢odern African Literature and Beauvoirism: the Example of Selected African Writers.鈥 In Beyond the Marginal land: Gender Perspective in African Writing, ed. Opara, Chioma (Port Harcourt, Nigeria: Belpot), pp. 57-80.

(1999) 鈥淐hains of Light,鈥 and 鈥淢y Love Grows in Winter.鈥 TurfWRITE: A Creative Writing Journal. (South Africa). Vol. 2, pp. 102-103.

(1998) 鈥淰incent Chukwuemeka Ike.鈥 In Postcolonial African Writers: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook. Ed. Parekh, Pushpa and Siga Jagne (Westport: Greenwood), pp. 221-227.

(1998) 鈥淔estus Ikhuoria Ojeaka Iyayi.鈥 In Postcolonial African Writers: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook. Ed. Parekh, Pushpa and Siga Jagne (Westport: Greenwood), pp. 234-240.

(1997) 鈥淕ender Politics in West African Mask Performance.鈥 In Writing African Women: Gender, Popular Culture and Literature in West Africa. Ed. Newell, Stephanie (London: Zed Books), pp. 157鈥169.

(1997) 鈥淩ewriting Popular Myths of Female Subordination: Selected Stories by Theodora Adimora鈥慐zeigbo and May Ifeoma Nwoye.鈥 In Writing West African Women: Gender, Popular Culture and Literature in West Africa. Ed. Newell, Stephanie (London: Zed Books), pp. 81-94.

(1999) 鈥淐hains of Light,鈥 and 鈥淢y Love Grows in Winter.鈥 TurfWRITE: A Creative Writing Journal. (South Africa). Vol. 2, pp. 102-103.

(1997) 鈥淯msenge Tree,鈥 and 鈥淔orests of Guava.鈥 Weekend Observer (Swaziland), p. 10.

(1996) 鈥淐ounter Attack,鈥 and 鈥淢aliyaduma Veld.鈥 Poems in Tyume: Fort Hare Journal of Creative Writing (South Africa), No. 1.

(1996) 鈥淭he Dramatization of Heroism in Igbo Festivals.鈥 UNISWA Research Journal (Univ. of Swaziland), Vol. 10, pp. 56鈥68.

(1996) "Theatrical Negotiation of Transformation in No More The Wasted Breed." In Femi Osofisan: Interpretative Essays I. Ed. Awodiya, Muyiwa (Ibadan: Kraft Books), pp. 119-128.

1995) 鈥淏us Ride With Madam Osaigbovo.鈥 A Story in The Potter and Other Stories (Ibadan: African Studies Publication), pp. 39-51.

(1994) 鈥淭heatrical Construction Of Trial As A Technique in The Trial of Dedan Kimathi." JMLAN: A Publication of the Modern Languages Association of Nigeria, Vol. 2, pp. 58鈥64.

(1994) "From the Heart of Masculinity: Ogbodo Uke Women's Masking." Research in African Literatures (The Ohio State University), Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 7鈥17.

(1994) 鈥淢other and Child.鈥 The Evangelist (Nigeria). December. 2 pages.

(1994) "Potsherds (for Winnie Mandela)" "Crow After Hen," "For Arthur At Coronation (on the eve of Mandela's inauguration). Poems in Africa Update (CCSU African Studies Newsletter, U.S.A.) No. 3. pp. 6鈥7.

(1993) 鈥淪ilver Cross For Dundon.鈥 鈥淭ribute鈥︹ and 鈥淐hristmas in the Rains.鈥 Fathers (Periodical Magazine) (Nigeria).

(1993) "Colors of My Country," "From Charles, the Cloths鈥慚aker," and 鈥淔orced Festival." Poems in Images: The Scholar's Release (Salisbury, U.S.A.), 2: 1鈥3, pp. 26鈥27.

(1993) "A Comparative Study of J. P. Clark's The Masquerade and Efua Sutherland's Foriwa." Commonwealth: Essays and Studies (Universite de Bourgogne, France), Vo l. 16, No. 1. Pp. 89鈥95.

(1993) "Review of Gods, Oracles, and Divinations by Kalu Ogba." Research in African Literatures (The Ohio State University), Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 129鈥132.

(1992) "Power and Empowerment in African Mask Performance." Africa Notes (Cornell University), pp. 8鈥9.

(1992) "The Rejected Corner Stone: Women In Igbo Mask Theater." Africana Studies and Research Center Newsletter (Cornell University), Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 19鈥23, and 27鈥31.

(1992) "The Search for Gold Finger." Short Story in The Literary Review (Fairleigh Dickinson University), Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 551-553.

(1991) 鈥淏ehind the Inscrutable Wonder: The Dramaturgy of the Mask Performer in Traditional African Society.鈥 Research In African Literatures (The Ohio State University), Vol. 22, No. 4. pp. 39-52.

(1990) 鈥淥la Rotimi: The Man, the Playwright, and the producer on the Nigerian Theater Scene.鈥 World Literature Today, Winter, pp. 24-29.

(1989) "Of Spooks and Virile Men: Patterns of Response to Imperialism in Sizwe Bansi is Dead and The Trial of Dedan Kimathi." Commonwealth: Essays and Studies (Universite de Bourgogne, France), Vol. 2, pp. 87鈥93.

(1988) Amankulor, J. N. and Okafor, Chinyere G. "Continuity and Change in Traditional Nigerian Theatre among the Igbo in the Era of Colonial Politics." Ufahamu (University of California, LA), Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 35鈥50 (Okafor was the Principal Investigator and Primary Author).

(1986) "Aro Diaspora: A Cultural and Historical Overview." In Arochukwu History and Culture. Ed. Ijoma, J. O. (Enugu: Fourth Dimension), pp. 113鈥137.

(1986) Okafor, Chinyere G. "Ama Ata Aidoo: Anowa" Okike: Educational Supplement, No. 4., pp. 137鈥146.     

(1983) "Creating Awareness through Shock Drama: The Example of Osofisan's Four Robbers." Journal of Nigerian Theatre Artistes, Vol. I, No. 1, pp. 9鈥16.

(1981) "A Woman Is Not A Stone but A Human Being: Women in the Plays of Aidoo and Sutherland." Medium and Message (University of Calabar), Vol. 1, pp. 165-177.

(1980) "Parallelism versus Influence in African Literature...." Kiabara: Journal of Humanities (University of Port鈥慔arcourt), Vol. 1, pp. 113鈥131.

 

SELECTED CITATIONS

Afolayan, Bosede F. 鈥淣ew Toyi-Toyi Trope: Chinyere Okafor and the Redemption of the African Society.鈥 Ihafa: A Journal of African Studies 6.1, 2013.

 Udengwu, Ngozi. Contemporary Nigerian Female Playwrights: A Study in Ideology and Themes. Lambert Saarbr眉cken: Academic Publishing, 2012.

Awodiya, Muyiwa P. 鈥淯ncelebrated Heroes and Heroines of Nigerian Drama.鈥 In African Literature at the Millennium Vol. 13, Ed. African Literature Association, University of Kansas, Lawrence, 2007: 230-233.

Opara, Chioma. 鈥滶choes of the Whip in Chinyere Okafor鈥檚 He Wants To Marry Me Again and Zaynab Alkali鈥檚 Cobwebs and other Stories.鈥  In Opara, C. Her Mother鈥檚 Daughter: the African Writer As Woman. Port Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press, 2005: 117-130.

  1. Dunton, Chris. 鈥淥kafor, Chinyere Grace,鈥 In Nigerian Theater in English: A Critical Bibliography. London: Hans Zell Publishers, pp.162-169.
  2. Cormellini, Carla. 鈥淧ostcolonial Motifs and Themes in Chinyere Grace Okafor鈥檚 Poetry and Ogini鈥檚 Choice鈥 Englishes: Literature Inglesi Contemporane (Italy). No 15 ANNO 5, pp. 91-102, 140-142, 2001.
  3. Schenck, Celeste and Susan Perry, 鈥淓PILOGUE: Resisting Development.鈥  In Eye to Eye: Women Practicing Development Across Cultures. London: Zed Press, 2001, pp. 257-8.
  4. Cormellini, Carla. 鈥淎 Bio-Bibliographical Profile of Chinyere Grace Okafor.鈥 Englishes: Literature Inglesi Contemporanee (Italy). No 10 ANNO 4, 2000, pp. 41-43.
  5. Alakam, Japhet. Okafor unravels the mystery of the Ikeji Mask (Nov. 21, 2015.

 

Working Papers

鈥淚n Touch with Reality: Women Engineers, Equal Rights and the Arts,鈥 Presentation at the Conference Celebrating the Scientific Legacy of NASA and Apollo, 红领巾瓜报 University. Wichita, KS, 10/19

鈥淔eminism, Social Justice and African Drama/Theater (PATCALA),鈥 African Literature Association Columbus,  Ohio, May 15-18

鈥淔eminist Theater in pre-feminist context,鈥 African Literature Association Columbus,    Ohio, May 15-18/19.

鈥淒omestic Violence or Gender Violence: Spousal Homicide among Nigerians in the US,鈥 Presentation at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, 7/18/19.

鈥淏orn in Africa 鈥 Omumu: An Indigenous African concept of female power鈥 African Literature Association Conference, Washington DC, May 23-28/18.

Professional Experience

Professor Intensive Review (2015).

Chair, Women鈥檚 Studies, 红领巾瓜报, Wichita, Kansas (2019-present).

Chair, Women鈥檚 Studies and Religion, 红领巾瓜报, Wichita, Kansas (2015 鈥 2019).

Director, Center for Women鈥檚 Studies, 红领巾瓜报, Wichita, Kansas (2015-present).

Visiting Professor (sabbatical), Dept. of Creative Arts, University of Lagos, Nigeria (Spring 2012).

Full Professor (2009 鈥揚resent).

Tenured Associate Professor. 红领巾瓜报, Wichita, Kansas (20037鈥 2009).            

Tenure-track Associate Professor, 红领巾瓜报, Wichita, Kansas (2003 鈥 2007).                           

Associate Professor, University of Southern Maine, Portland ME (2001 鈥 2002).           

Adjunct Professor, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD (Spring 2001).          

Researcher & Team Writer - Women Practicing Development Across Cultures (1999 鈥 2001).           

Visiting Professor and Coordinator of Literature, Univ. of Swaziland, Swaziland (1996 鈥 1999).        

Associate Professor, University of Benin, Nigeria (1994 鈥 1996).

Awards and Honors

Jan Henri Women Leadership Award (2018)

Leadership Academy Fellow, 2015.

Outstanding WSU Faculty Award (by AAFASA 鈥 African American Faculty and Staff Association), 2012.

Tilford Incentive Grant (for integration of diversity education in my syllabus), 2012.

Phenomenal Woman Award (recognition for being a role-model and mentor of students), 2009.

University Research/Creative Projects Award (URCA), 2008.

Global Learning Most Outstanding Department Award (for connecting WSU classes with classes in other countries), 2004.

International Visitor for research, Colloque International, Ministere de la Culture, Paris, 1999.

Rockefeller Writer in Residence, Bellagio Center, Italy, 1998.

International Visitor for research, 40th Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association (ASA), Columbus, Ohio, 1997.

Outstanding Finalist, The Bertram鈥檚 V. O. Literature of Africa Awards; South Africa (1996).

Special Discovery of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) 1994, for proficiency as a Writer in the three genres of literature - poetry, prose and drama (1994).

2nd Place, Association of Nigerian Authors' (ANA) National Competition for Prose (1994).

Honors, Association of Nigerian Authors' (ANA) National Competition for Poetry (1994).

4th Place, Association of Nigerian Authors' (ANA) National Competition for playwriting (1994).

3rd Prize, Short Story Competition. Women's Research and Documentation Center (WORDOC), University of Ibadan, Nigeria (1992).

Rockefeller Fellowship, Hunter College, State University of New York (1991).

Rockefeller Fellow, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (1991).