Elechi Amadi, Nigerian writer, Died at 82

Elechi Amadi was born on May 12, 1934, and died on June 29, 2016.

He was a Nigerian author of plays and novels that are generally about African village life, customs, beliefs and religious practices, as they were before contact with the Western world.

He was best known for his 1966 first novel, The Concubine, which has been called “an outstanding work of pure fiction”.

Elechi worked for a time as a land surveyor and later was a teacher at several schools, including the Nigerian Military School, Zaria (1963–66).

Elechi Amadi served in the Nigerian army, remained there during the Nigerian Civil War, and retired at the rank of Captain.

Elechi Amadi has been writer-in-residence and lecturer at Rivers State College of Education, where he has also been Dean of Arts, head of the literature department and Director of General Studies.

There was a symposium was held, on May 13, 198 at the University of Port Harcourt to celebrate Amadi’s 55th birthday.

During May 2004, a conference was organized by the Association of Nigerian Authors, Rivers State Branch, to mark Elechi Amadi’s 70th birthday.

He was kidnapped at his home in Aluu town, Ikwerre, on January 5, 2009, by unknown gunmen.

Elechi Amadi was released on the evening of January 6, 23 hours later.

He died at the Good Heart Hospital in Port Harcourt.

Elechi Amadi passed away at 82 yrs old.