The author of the literary classic “The Last Duty” and “The Victims" died at a hospital in Binghamton, a town in Upstate New York where he had lived and taught since 1991, according to a statement released by his family.

Prominent figures ranging from Okey Ndibe to The African Literature Association  paid homage to the author on Twitter, citing the influence his work had on their lives.

Also, a two-time Vice-Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, said: “This is terrible news. Oh, that is a pity. I thought he was recovering from his illness. He was a very good personal friend of mine. Outside of the classroom, he was an excellent tennis player; we played together.”

Okpewho was born on November 9, 1941 in Agbor, Delta State. Okpewho grew up in Asaba, his maternal hometown, where he attended St. Patrick’s College, Asaba. He proceeded to the University College, Ibadan, for his university education.

He graduated with a First Class Honours in Classics, and moved on to launch a glorious career: first in publishing at Longman Publishers, and then as an academic after obtaining his Ph.D from the University of Denver, U.S. He crowned his certification with a D.Litt from University of London.

Prof. Okpewho also served as President of the International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA).

For his creative writing work, Okpewho won the 1976 African Arts Prize for Literature and 1993 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Best Book Africa. His four novels, The Victims, The Last Duty, Tides, and Call me by my Rightful Name are widely studied in Africa and other parts of the world, with some of them translated into major world languages.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Obiageli Okpewho; his children: Ediru, Ugo, Afigo, and Onome, as well as members of his extended family.

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