Christopher Okigbo is Africa’s most celebrated poet. He occupied the poetry chair of the continent’s post-conquest literary academy in the 1960s – with Chinua Achebe in charge of the novel faculty and Wole Soyinka as head of drama. Since then, Okigbo’s poetry has influenced the work of several poets including those of his generation such as brothers Michael and Kevin Echeruo, Pol Ndu, Obiora Udechukwu and Okogbule Wonodi, and the post-Biafra-War generation of poets, especially Sesan Ajayi, Chimalum Nwankwo, Olu Oguibe, Esiaba Irobi, Niyi Osundare, Maik Nwosu, Uche Nduka, Obi Nwakanma, Nnorom Azuonye, Nnamdi Azuonye and Akomaya Oko. Elsewhere, Heavensgate, Okigbo’s 1962 published poetic work, enriches the concluding thoughts in Jay

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First published 26 July 2004

Citation: Ekwe Ekwe, Herbert. "Christopher Okigbo". The Literary Encyclopedia. 26 July 2004.
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3403, accessed 9 February 2010.]