Lola shoneyin biography

Nigerian poet and author (born 1974)

Lola Shoneyin (born Titilola Atinuke Alexandrah Shoneyin; 26 February 1974 in Ibadan, Nigeria) is a Nigerian poet and author^[1] who launched her debut novel, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, in the UK in May 2010.^[2] Shoneyin has forged a reputation as an adventurous, humorous and outspoken poet (often classed in the feminist mould), having published three volumes of poetry.^[3] Her writing delves into themes related to female sexuality and the difficulties of domestic life in Africa.^[4] In April 2014 she was named on the Hay Festival's Africa39 list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers aged under 40 with potential and talent to define trends in African literature.^[5] Lola won the PEN Award in America^[6] as well as the Ken Saro-Wiwa Award for prose in Nigeria.^[7] She was also on the list for the Orange Prize in the UK for her debut novel, The Secret of Lola Shoneyin - Ouida Books DUCA