Renowned Ghanaian author Ama Ata Aidoo dies at 83
Prominent Ghanaian poet and author Ama Ata Aidoo has passed away following a brief illness, as confirmed by her family in an announcement today. The highly prolific writer died on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at the age of 83.
In a statement released by the family, they expressed their deep sorrow while holding onto the hope of resurrection, revealing that their beloved relative and writer passed away early in the morning on Wednesday, May 31st, 2023, after a short period of illness.
The family spokesperson, Kwamena Essandoh Aidoo, shared a brief statement, stating that funeral arrangements would be communicated at a later time, and requested privacy during this difficult period.
Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo was widely acclaimed for her award-winning novels, plays, short stories, children’s books, and poetry, which left a profound impact on generations of African women writers. Her influence was also documented in the remarkable 2014 film, “The Art of Ama Ata Aidoo,” directed by Yaba Badoe.
Her accomplishments were celebrated in the book “Essays in Honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70: A Reader in African Cultural Studies,” edited by Anne V. Adams.
Ama Ata Aidoo, born Christina Ama Ata Aidoo on March 23, 1940, in Abeadzi Kyiakor near Saltpond, Ghana’s Central Region, grew up in a Fante royal family as the daughter of Nana Yaw Fama, the chief of Abeadzi Kyiakor, and Maame Abasema. She experienced the resurgence of British neocolonialism during her upbringing in Ghana.
The tragic murder of her grandfather by neocolonialists led her father to realize the importance of educating the village’s children and families about their history and the events of that time. Consequently, he established the first school in their village, which inspired Aidoo’s desire to become a writer.
Aidoo attended Wesley Girls’ Senior High School in Cape Coast from 1961 to 1964. After completing her secondary education, she enrolled at the University of Ghana, Legon, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. It was during this time that she wrote her first play, “The Dilemma of a Ghost,” which was published by Longman the following year, marking her as the first published African woman dramatist.