By Henry Akubuiro
Two Nigerians, Mitterand Okorie, a writer, scholar and international development consultant, and Nigerian investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, have been awarded The Distinguished James Currey Fellowship 2022/23 and residence as Academic Visitors at the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, by the Management of the University of Oxford, and The Distinguished James Currey Fellowship, 2023 and residence in Cambridge as Academic Visitor at the Centre of African Studies in the University of Cambridge, respectively.
The James Currey Fellowship is the brainchild of the Oxford-based James Currey Society, in cooperation with the African Studies Centre at University of Oxford. The James Currey Society was founded by Nigerian writer, filmmaker and publisher, Onyeka Nwelue. The Society is focused on making the works of James Currey known globally, and accessible to as many people as possible.
The inaugural James Currey Fellowship was awarded to South-African writer, Stephen Embleton. Being a member of the James Currey Society offers you the chance to participate in both academic and performative workshops held by leading publishers and authors. Members of the James Currey Society undertake research projects about funding publishing and empowering writers.
Okorie holds a PhD in Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies from UKZN, South Africa, and studied International Relations at Aberystwyth University, United Kingdom. He is author of three books: All That Was Bright and Ugly (Fiction), Onyeka Nwelue: A Troubled Life (Non-Fiction) and co-edited the anthology, Wole Soyinka: Encounters With The Grey Maverick.
In announcing Hundeyin a Cambridge Fellow, Dr. Bronwen Everill, the Director of the Centre for African Studies, said: “I am pleased to confirm that Mr Hundeyin has been appointed to a Distinguished James Currey Fellowship at the Centre of African Studies from 30 January to 1 March 2023.”
David Hundeyin is a writer, investigative journalist and broadcaster whose work has appeared on CNN, The Africa Report, Al Jazeera and The Washington Post, among others.