An African Elegy

poetry by Okri

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July 17, 2026

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An African Elegy is a 1992 collection of poems by Ben Okri. The poems in this collection urge Africans to overcome the chaotic forces within their nations. An elegy, in general, is a composition that expresses grief over a loss. Okri, a Nigerian novelist, short-story writer, and poet, is known for using magic realism to depict social and political turmoil. His works often convey urgent messages about the need for Africans to redefine their identities.123

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Ben Okri
Okri’s other works included An African Elegy (1992), a collection of poems that urges Africans to overcome the forces of chaos within their countries, and the long poem Mental Flight (1999). Other volumes of poetry included Wild (2012), Rise Like Lions: Poetry for the Many (2018), and A Fire…
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Okri’s other works included An African Elegy (1992), a collection of poems that urges Africans to overcome the forces of chaos within their countries, and the long poem Mental Flight (1999). Other volumes of poetry included Wild (2012), Rise Like Lions: Poetry for the Many (2018), and A Fire…
Read More