Ama Ata Aidoo

**Ama Ata Aidoo**, *née* **Christina Ama Aidoo** (23 March 1942– 31 May 2023) be Ghanaian author, poet, playwright den academic. Na she be de Minister of Education for Jerry Rawlings ein tym. For 2000 insyd, she establish de Mbaasem Foundation so say she go take promote den support de work of African women writers.

## Ein early life
Dem born Aidoo for 23 March 1942 insyd Abeadzi Kyiakor, for Saltpond wey dey Central Region for Ghana insyd. Sum sources (wey dey include Megan Behrent, Brown University, den *Africa Who's Who*) state say dem born am for 31 March 1940. She get twin bro, Kwame Ata.

## Ein education
Aidoo attend Wesley Girls' Senior High School wey dey Cape Coast from 1961 dey go 1964. Afta ein high school, she enrol for de University of Ghana, Legon wer she get degree of Bachelor of Arts for English insyd wey she san rep ein first play, *De Dilemma of a Ghost*, for 1964 insyd. Longman publish de play de following year, wey e make Aidoo de first published African woman dramatist.

## Ein film
She be de subject of sam 2014 documentary film, *De Art of Ama Ata Aidoo*, made by Yaba Badoe.

## Ein awards den recognition
Aidoo receive chaw awards wey dey include de Mbari Club prize insyd 1962 for ein short story "No Sweetness Here", den de 1992 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book (Africa) for ein novel *Changes*.

For 2012 insyd, na de volume *Essays in honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70*  wey Anne V. Adams, plus contributors wey dey include Atukwei Okai, Margaret Busby, Maryse Condé, Micere Mugo, Toyin Falola, Biodun Jeyifo, Kofi Anyidoho, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Naana Banyiwa Horne, Nana Wilson-Tagoe, Carole Boyce Davies, Emmanuel Akyeampong, James Gibbs, Vincent O. Odamtten, Jane Bryce, Esi Sutherland-Addy, Femi Osofisan, Kwesi Yankah, Abena Busia, Yaba Badoe, Ivor Agyeman-Duah, Chikwenye Okonjo Ogunyemi, Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Kinna Likimani, den odas publish, edit am.

De Aidoo-Snyder book prize, de Women's Caucus of de African Studies Association award am for outstanding book woman publish wey dey prioritize African women demma experiences, dem name am in honor of Ama Ata Aidoo den of Margaret C. Snyder, wey na be de founding director for UNIFEM.

For 2016 insyd, dem include Aidoo ein plays *The Dilemma of a Ghost* den *Anowa* as African Drama selections for de Cambridge International Examinations insyd.

Dem launch for March 2017 insyd, dem name Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing (Aidoo Centre), wey dey under de auspices for de Kojo Yankah School of Communications Studies for de African University College of Communications (AUCC) insyd Adabraka, Accra, for ein honour insyd—ebe de first centre of ein kind insyd West Africa, plus Nii Ayikwei Parkes as ein director.

## Death
Aidoo die for 31 May 2023, for de age of 81. According to ein family, she die peacefully for home after sam short illness.

## Ein works dem select

* *The Dilemma of a Ghost* (play), Accra: Longman, 1965. New York: Macmillan, 1971.
* *Anowa* (ebe play wey dey base for Ghanaian legend top), London: Longman, 1970. New York: Humanities Press, 1970.
* *No Sweetness Here: A Collection of Short Stories*, Longman, 1970. New York: Doubleday
* *Our Sister Killjoy: or Reflections from a Black-eyed Squint* (novel), Longman, 1977.
* *Someone Talking to Sometime* (a poetry collection), Harare: College Press, 1986.
* *The Eagle and the Chickens and Other Stories (for children)*, Tana Press, 1986.
* *Birds and Other Poems*, Harare: College Press, 1987.
* *An Angry Letter in January* (poems), Dangaroo Press, 1992.
* *Changes: a Love Story* (novel), The Women's Press, 1991. New York: Feminist Press at the City University of New York, 1993.
* *The Girl Who Can and Other Stories*, Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers, ISBN 978-0435910136; Heinemann African Writers Series, 1997.
* *Diplomatic Pounds & Other Stories*, Ayebia Clarke Publishing, 2012, ISBN 978-0956240194.

### As editor

* *African Love Stories: An Anthology*, Ayebia Clarke Publishing, 2006. ISBN 978-0-9547023-6-6

## Further reading

* Aditya Misra, "Death in Surprise: Gender and Power Dynamics in Ama Ata Aidoo's Anowa". *Journal of Drama Studies*, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2012, pp. 81–91.
* Anne V. Adams (ed.), *Essays in Honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70: A Reader in African Cultural Studies*. Ayebia Clarke Publishing, 2012.
* Ada Uzoamaka Azodo and G. Wilentz, *Emerging Perspectives on Ama Ata Aidoo*, Africa Research & Publications, 1999.
* Vincent O. Odamtten, *The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo: Polylectics and Reading Against Neocolonialism*. University Press of Florida, 1994.
* Esther Pujolràs-Noguer, *An African (Auto)biography. Ama Ata Aidoo's Literary Quest: Strangeness, nation and tradition*, Lap Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012.
* Nafeesah Allen, "Negotiating with the Diaspora: an Interview with Ama Ata Aidoo", *Scholar & Feminist Online*, 2009.

## References