The pioneering Ghanaian author and African literary legend Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo has passed on at the age of 81. She died on May 31, 2023.
The news of her passing was made public by her family earlier today. She reportedly passed after ‘a small illness.’ The African literary community is shocked by the news, as good will messages pour in. Nigerian novelist Chika Unigwe remarks on Facebook: “Grateful for who she was, for what she was, for how she used her voice. May she Rest In Peace.”
Prof. Aidoo’s work is instrumental in shaping African literature as we know it today, so her passing is the indeed the loss of a literary giant. Her writing boldly addressed difficult societal issues such as colonialism and patriarchy. She wrote about African women’s lives and centered their experiences at a time when it was not thought to be important to do so. She has over the decades made space for women writers to flourish. Her life and work have inspired many.
