Meet Uwem Akpan, who is a writer from Nigeria who wrote a book called Say You’re One of Them. The book is made up of five stories, each set in a different African country.

It was published by Little, Brown & Company and became very popular. The book won many awards, including the Commonwealth Writers Prize, the Open Book Prize, and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award.

It was also a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller and was translated into 12 languages. Uwem Akpan’s second book, called New York, My Village, was published in November 2021 by W. W. Norton.

It was chosen by Strand Bookstore as their Pick of the Month for November 2021. Let’s read his full Wikipedia biodata, net worth and full biography below.

Uwem Akpan Biography

Uwem Akpan was born in Ikot Akpan Eda, which is in the state of Akwa Ibom. He wrote “Say You’re One of Them,” a book of five short stories that was published by Little, Brown & Company.

His short stories and pieces about his life have been published in a number of places. ((uwemakpan.com)) Uwem was inspired to write by the people around him in Ikot Akpan Eda, where he grew up under a palm-wine tree.

Both of his parents were teachers, and he went to college to study humanities and philosophy at Creighton and Gonzaga.

Age | Date of Birth

Uwem Akpan was born on May 19, 1971, in Ikot Akpan Eda, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. As of March 2023, he is 51 years old.

Nationality | State of Origin

Uwem Akpan was born in a town in southern Nigeria called Ikot Akpan Eda. ((bookbrowse.com)) He is a writer from Nigeria, and his home state is Akwa Ibom State. But there is no information about his tribe or Village.

Net Worth

As of 2023, it is thought that Uwem Akpan’s net worth is between $1 million and $5 million. But ((allfamousbirthday.com)) says that as of January 9, 2023, his net worth is $5 million.

Parents | Father | Mother

Both of Uwem Akpan’s parents worked as teachers. ((encyclopedia.com)) His father is from the village of Ikot Akpan Eda in the south of Nigeria. No information is known about where his mother came from.

Children | Wife | Family

No information is known about Uwem Akpan’s wife or children[1]. But in “An Ex-Mas Feast,” one of his stories, he writes about a family made up of Bwana Marcos Wako and his wife, Cecilia. ((oprah.com))

In another story, “My Parents’ Bedroom,” he tells the story of a young girl whose mother is Tutsi, and her father is Hutu. ((newyorker.com))

Education Background | Qualifications

Uwem Akpan grew up in Nigeria and went to several primary schools before attending Queen of Apostles secondary school. He loved listening to Annang folktales from his family and learned to read in primary school, which made him love books.

He studied humanities and philosophy at Creighton and Gonzaga universities and got a theology degree from the Catholic University of East Africa. He became a Jesuit priest in 2003 and also has a graduate degree from the University of Michigan.

Career

Uwem Akpan’s book “Say You’re One of Them” was recommended by Oprah Winfrey in 2009 and became her 63rd book club selection. The collection of short stories tells the stories of African children facing difficult situations.

Uwem was a Fellow at several institutions between 2010 and 2017 and left the Catholic priesthood in 2015 to focus on his writing. He now lives in Gainesville, Florida, and teaches writing at the University of Florida.

Awards

Uwem Akpan has won several awards for his writing, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, PEN Open Book Award, and Hurston/Wright Legacy Award.

He was also a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Los Angeles Times Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction.

His work has been nominated for the Guardian First Book Award, Caine Prize for African Writing, and the Story Prize.

Books

• Say You’re One of Them. Hachette. 2008. ISBN 978-0-316-11378-6.
• New York, My Village. W. W. Norton, Nov 2021. ISBN 978-0-393-88142-4

Say You’re One of Them is a collection of five short stories by Uwem Akpan. It was published by Little, Brown & Company. He also wrote “New York, My Village.” ((thriftbooks.com))

In addition to these books, his short stories and autobiographical pieces have been published in The New Yorker, Oprah magazine, Hekima Review, and the Nigerian Guardian.