Experts
Uzodinma Iweala
Author
Iweala would like to hear more African voices, not reporters, talking about the good that is happening in Africa. Read More
Iweala wonders why we turn to violence as the arbiter of our disputes. Read More
Iweala talks about why this issue may be misunderstood, as well as the dangers China presents. Read More
Iweala talks about the complexity of Nigeria's oil wealth. Read More
Iweala would rather see as many parties as possible come to the table to look at Africa's problems. Read More
Iweala hopes that more new voices are added to the list of those working on development in Africa. Read More
Iweala would like people to realize that Africa is everyone's problem. Read More
Iweala believes that celebrities can help but that a deeper understanding is needed. Read More
Iweala talks about how Africans are portrayed in media and the lack of acknowledgement that nations are responsible for many of the problems in Africa. Read More
Iweala talks about the legacy of colonialism, US foreign policy and how westerners view other societies. Read More
Iweala talks about living by the principles of equality and striving to be the best. Read More
Iweala talks about Beckket, Malloy, Morrison and Achebe and how our culture is too saturated with information to engage with their works. Read More
Iweala talks about how his interactions with people inspire him and why he thought he could write in the voice of a child soldier. Read More
Iweala talks about the struggle to get published, his advice to other young authors and the impact of his work. Read More
Iweala describes why pigeon-holing identity can be dangerous. Read More
Just as Africa is often looked at a homogenous whole, Black America is too often described as a uniform identity. Read More
About Uzodinma Iweala
Uzodinma (Uzo) Iweala is the author of Beasts of No Nation. The novel, his debut, came out of his undergraduate thesis work at Harvard and was conducted under the supervision of writer Jamaica Kincaid. Iweala, born in 1982, hails from Washington, D.C. and Nigeria. Beasts of No Nation, which depicts a child soldier in an unnamed African country,was published in 2005 to considerable critical acclaim. In 2007, Iweala was named one of Granta magazine's 20 best young American novelists. Iweala's mother, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is the former Finance Minister and Foreign Minister of Nigeria. Iweala is now a medical student at Columbia University.