Echezonachukwu Nduka

Echezonachukwu Nduka
Echezonachukwu Nduka on set of Console Me, his first short film shot in Kingston upon Thames, England in 2015.
Born	(1989-07-19) July 19, 1989 Onitsha, Nigeria
Occupation	Author, Academic
Ethnicity	Igbo
Citizenship	Nigerian
Education	University of Nigeria, Kingston University London
Genre	Poetry, Short story
Notable awards	Bronze Prize of the 4th Korea-Nigeria Poetry Feast

Echezonachukwu Nduka (born Echezonachukwu Chinedu Nduka on July 19, 1989) is a Nigerian poet, short story writer, musicologist, and Founder of Apotheosis Art House.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Early life and Education

Nduka was born in Onitsha, Nigeria to an Anglican clergyman and a school teacher. He attended several mission schools as a result of his parents' vocation as church ministers who were often transferred to various stations. As a child who spent most of his time in the vicarage and church premises, he developed interest and joined The Boys Brigade, a paramilitary and charity organization founded in Glasgow, Scotland by Sir William Alexander Smith. Afterwards, he became a choir boy singing soprano and later, tenor.

Nduka attended Bishop Crowther Seminary, Awka. In 2006, he gained admission into the University of Nigeria to study Music. Four years after, he proceeded to Kingston University London, United Kingdom where he studies as a postgraduate student in music with research interest in Popular music, Songwriting and Comparative musicology.

Career

Academic and Literary Career

Nduka has worked in Nigeria as an Assistant Lecturer in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri where he taught History of Western Music, Basic Keyboard Studies and Piano Music Performance. In addition, he has worked as a freelance writer and columnist for The Nigerian Telegraph. He is one of the contributors on African Hadithi, a Pan-African online media platform where his essays and poetry have been published.^[4] His essay titled Preserving Igbo Cultural Dogmas via Literature: From Chinua Achebe to Onyeka Nwelue garnered lots of readership and debates.^[5] Nduka's collection of poems titled Echoes of Sentiments is set to be released in Nigeria and the United Kingdom in 2015.^[6]

Speaking at the 2nd Anambra Book & Creativity Festival Held in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria in 2014.

Writings and Publications

Primarily influenced by works of foremost Nigerian poet Christopher Okigbo, Nduka's practice of combining influences from both Western romantics and contemporary/post-modern styles present him as a distinct and notable poet in his generation of Nigerian poets. His poem Etude won him the Bronze Prize at the 4th Korea-Nigeria Poetry Feast.^[7] One of his spoken word poems titled We Wear Purple Robes is a reflection on terrorism.^[8] His writings have been published in several literary journals and anthologies including Sentinel Nigeria, Kalahari Review, Saraba Magazine, BrittlePaper, Tuck Magazine, The New Black Magazine, Black Communion: Poems of 100 New African Poets, From Here to There: A Cross Cultural Poetry Anthology, A Thousand Voices Rising: An Anthology of Contemporary African Poetry, The Solace of Nature: An Anthology of International Poetry.^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14] Some of his poems have been translated into Norwegian and French.

Selected Filmography

2014: We Wear Purple Robes (Poetry film)