Joe Ushie's Bio

Dr. Joseph Akawu Ushie, known in literary circles simply as Joe Ushie, was born at Akorshi, Bendi, in the present Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. He attended St. Peter’s Primary School, Bendi, and Government Secondary School, Obudu, for his primary and secondary education. He later obtained the B.A in English and Literary Studies at the University of Calabar, Nigeria (where he was the Secretary–General of the Student Union), and subsequently read at Nigeria’s premier University, the University of Ibadan, for the M.A and Ph.D in English.

Dr. Ushie lectures at the Department of English, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. His areas of special interest include English Stylistics, Semantics, Sociolinguistics, African Literature, Literature of the African Diaspora, Oral Literature, English Literature, Creative Writing and Cultural Studies.

He is a fellow of the 2002 Fulbright programme in New York, and a recipient of the year 2000 Cross River State Government Honours Award for his outstanding contributions to the promotion of African Literature and culture. He is a co-editor of Journal of African poetry. His articles have appeared in both local and foreign scholarly publications, and he has also been a foreign examiner of doctoral work in India. In addition, Dr Ushie has presented papers at both national and international academic conferences, and is a regular contributor to the popular media in Nigeria.

Author of five poetry books to date, and editor of a forthcoming poetry anthology, Joseph Ushie’s poetry has received recognition both nationally and internationally, and has been translated into Finnish, Spanish and Italian. He is the current Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Uyo Branch, a member of the Union’s Committee on Freedom Newspaper, and the Secretary of the University of Uyo Chapter of the American Studies Association of Nigeria (ASAN). He has also served in many administrative capacities within the university system, and is a patron of many youth groups and associations.

ADDRESS:
Dr. Joseph A. Ushie
Department of English
University of Uyo
P.M.B. 1017, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State
Nigeria.

E-mail: josephushie@yahoo.com
joseph.ushie@gmail.com

Mobile: +234(0) 803 744 2755.