Renowned Ghanaian author, Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo, has suddenly passed away on the early morning of Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at the age of 81 years old.
Her family statement released on May 31, 2023, confirmed the death of the renowned author.
After a brief illness, Professor Ama Ata Aidoo, who made significant contributions to African literature, passed away. Her writing talents went beyond the realm of fiction and into the realms of poetry, theatre, and essays.
Prof. Ata Aidoo impacted generations of African women authors with her award-winning novels, plays, short tales, children’s literature, and poetry.
Prof. Aidoo, was born on March 23, 1942, in Abeadzi Kyiakor, in the Volta Region of Ghana, became famous for her novel “Our Sister Killjoy” and the play “Anowa.”
She influenced many people across many decades with her writing about gender roles, African identity, and post-colonialism.
Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo’s contributions to the literary world have been widely lauded, and she has received several awards and honours for them.
Her novel, “Changes,” won the 1992 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best Book in Africa. In 2018, she was honoured for her lifelong contributions to Ghanaian and African writing by receiving the prestigious Ghanatta Award for writing.
Besides all of her published works, Prof. Aidoo was an enthusiastic educator and supporter of women’s rights. She taught at Ghana’s University of Cape Coast and advocated for the country’s academic and cultural communities.
