Prof. E. Nolue Emenanjo
Portrait of Prof. Emmanuel Nolue Emenanjo in 2001
Born	Emmanuel Nwanolue Emenanjo (1943-04-21)April 21, 1943 Katsina, Nigeria
Died	September 2, 2016(2016-09-02) (aged 73)
Nationality	Nigerian
Occupations	Academic scholar writer university professor and educator
Academic work
Institutions	University of Port Harcourt
Main interests	Igbo language and culture

E. Nolue Emenanjo (born Emmanuel Nwanolue Emenanjo; 21 April 1943 – 2 September 2016) was a Nigerian academic scholar, professor, writer and critic who is regarded as a central figure of Igbo literature. His book, A Grammar of Contemporary Igbo: Constituents, Features and Processes (2015), strongly added input to research of Igbo literature and culture. Along with his publications, his Igbo Language and Culture (1975) and Elements of Modern Igbo Grammar (1978). Later books include Auxiliaries in Igbo Syntax (1985) and Multilingualism, Minority Languages, and Language Policy in Nigeria (1990). In the 21st century, Emenanjo is often referred to as the "father of Igbo literature", alongside Tony Ubesie and others.^[1]

Born in Katsina State to Igbo parents, his early career and childhood was influenced basically on post colonial Igbo traditional culture.^{[A 1]} He was birthed in Nigeria and worked in University of Port Harcourt. He relocated to Port Harcourt, Rivers after his primary and secondary education, he served as the executive director of the National Institute of Nigerian Languages, Aba and hence, became a professor of linguistics. Known for his critical acclaims of Igbo culture, he would further publish books on Igbo culture and tradition.^{[A 2]}

Over the years, he has had a multifarious career in publishing, teaching, writing and criticism particularly dealing with the promotion of the Igbo language that he was named alongside other Igbo Language writers like Tony Ubesie.^[2] He sought to depict African language and was influenced by Kay Williamson, a British linguist.^{[A 3]}

Early life and career

Emenanjọ called the first Professor of Igbo language, was from Ụmụeze Igbuzo, Delta state.^[3] He was the keynote speaker at the 5th edition of the authors forum held at Kakanfo Conference Centre, Ibadan, Nigeria.^[4] After graduating from the University of Ibadan, He proceeded to the University of Port Harcourt in 1983 as a visiting fellow. In 1984, He became a professor of Linguistics as well as heading the department of Linguistics and African Languages.

Afterwards, he became the dean of the Faculty of Humanities for two terms. He left the deanship at his second term for his national service at Warri in Delta state where he served as the provost of the Warri College of Education. He also moved to Aba where he pioneered as the Executive Director of the National Institute For Nigerian Languages, an organisation for fostering Nigerian Languages. In 1988, He started working at Uni Port where he gave his debut inaugural lecture titled; Linguistics, Language and the Nation and was adapted into a book.^[5]

Style

Writing tradition

The style of Emenanjọ's books was mainly based on Igbo literature expressing the diversity of the people's culture and traditions.^[7] He uses Igbo proverbs. Joseph Atubokiki Ajienka, the former vice chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt praised Emenanjo stating, "Any society that has a linguist like Professor Emenanjo, who can develop language and give it depth has something great that it must cherish." Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, a professor also described him as his supervisor and academic father.

Use of English language

In his writings, he was diverse about African languages and culture. He said,

I set up the Department of Nigerian Languages for teaching and producing teachers in the languages of the immediate environment—Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Izon. That Department still survives there. Indeed, I made time to teach some of the linguistic and practical courses at Warri.^[8]

Thus, in a valedictory lecture disclosed how working as the Executive Director of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINL), Aba helped him in his field of linguistics;

I had the whole of Nigeria and her languages to practise as a language engineer. Working with native speakers, we developed or systematized the orthographies of many Nigerian languages and got native speakers to write structured and graded school texts in their languages. We also developed curricula and trained manpower for quite a good number of Nigerian languages.^[8]

Writings