Sarah Ladipo Manyika
Encyclopedia
Sarah Ladipo Manyika is an Anglo-Nigerian writer. She was raised in Nigeria
and has lived in Kenya
, France
, and England
. Her writing includes published essays, academic papers, book reviews and short stories. Sarah's first novel, In Dependence, was published by Legend Press
in 2008. Her short story Mr Wonder appeared in the 2008 collection Women Writing Zimbabwe.
Sarah inherited her maiden name ("Ladipo") from her father who was born in Ibadan
(South West Nigeria) in the late 1930s. Sarah herself was born in the UK (where her father met and married her mother in the late 1960s) but she spent much of her childhood in the city of Jos
in Plateau State
.
As a young teenager, Sarah also lived for two years in Nairobi
, Kenya before her family moved to the UK. She then studied at the Universities of Birmingham (UK), Bordeaux (France), and Berkeley (California). She was married in Harare
, Zimbabwe
in 1994 and she now divides her time between San Francisco (where she teaches literature at San Francisco State University
), London and Harare.
Sarah's novel In Dependence was chosen by the UK's largest bookstore chain as its featured book for Black History Month
.
In 2009, In Dependence, will be published by Cassava Republic, a literary press based in Abuja, Nigeria with a stable of authors that includes Teju Cole and Helon Habila
.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and has lived in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Her writing includes published essays, academic papers, book reviews and short stories. Sarah's first novel, In Dependence, was published by Legend Press
Legend Press
Legend Press is a small British book publisher founded in 2005 by Tom Chalmers. Specialising in mainstream trade paperback fiction, Legend Press became the youngest-run publisher in the UK trade market. In 2006, the company set out its intention to double the number of titles it publishes each...
in 2008. Her short story Mr Wonder appeared in the 2008 collection Women Writing Zimbabwe.
Sarah inherited her maiden name ("Ladipo") from her father who was born in Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
(South West Nigeria) in the late 1930s. Sarah herself was born in the UK (where her father met and married her mother in the late 1960s) but she spent much of her childhood in the city of Jos
Jos
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....
in Plateau State
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
.
As a young teenager, Sarah also lived for two years in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya before her family moved to the UK. She then studied at the Universities of Birmingham (UK), Bordeaux (France), and Berkeley (California). She was married in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
in 1994 and she now divides her time between San Francisco (where she teaches literature at San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
), London and Harare.
Sarah's novel In Dependence was chosen by the UK's largest bookstore chain as its featured book for Black History Month
Black History Month
Black History Month is an observance of the history of the African diaspora in a number of countries outside of Africa. Since 1976, it is observed annually in the United States and Canada in February, while in the United Kingdom it is observed in October...
.
In 2009, In Dependence, will be published by Cassava Republic, a literary press based in Abuja, Nigeria with a stable of authors that includes Teju Cole and Helon Habila
Helon Habila
Helon Habila is a Nigerian novelist and poet. He won the Caine Prize for African fiction in 2001, and the Commonwealth Writers Prize in 2003....
.
Short Stories
- "Mr Wonder" in Women Writing Zimbabwe (Weaver Press, 2008)
- "Modupe" in African Love Stories (Ayebia Clarke Publishing Ltd, 2006)
- "Girlfriend" in Fathers & Daughters (Ayebia Clarke Publishing Ltd, 2008)
Book Chapters
- "Oyinbo" in Prolematizing Blackness (Routledge, 2003)
Research Reports
- Ph.D. Programs in African Universities: Current Status and Future Prospects. Report to the Rockefeller Foundation. Co-authored with David Szanton (University of Berkeley, California, 2002).