Ama Ata Aidoo, the legendary Ghanaian author whose classics The Dilemma of a Ghost and Changes were taught in West African schools for decades, has died at the age of 81. The death of the playwright and poet who was famous for her feminist ideals was announced on Wednesday in a short statement by her family.
| Article and Schedule Quiz | Start Test! |
Life of Ama Ata Aidoo
Born in a rural village in central Ghana in 1942, Aidoo’s passion for writing emerged at the young age of 15. She pursued her literary interests at the University of Ghana, where she also taught for several years. In 1965, Aidoo achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first African woman to publish a play with her debut work, The Dilemma of a Ghost. This achievement marked the start of her incredible journey as one of the continent's most known writers, serving as an inspiration to successive generations of authors, artists, and feminists.
Aidoo’s influence extended beyond her literary achievements. From 1982 to 1983, she took on the role of Ghana’s education minister, contributing to the development of the country’s educational system. Her novel Changes, which explores the challenges faced by an educated woman in a polygamous marriage, earned her the prestigious Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book. Through her thought-provoking storytelling, Aidoo addressed complex themes and shed light on the experiences of women in African society.
