Melatu Uche Okorie

Melatu Uche Okorie was born in 1975 in Enugu, Nigeria.[1][2] She grew up in a household with her mother and several siblings, and obtained a degree in English before leaving Nigeria.[3] Okorie moved to Ireland in 2006 with her infant daughter and lived in the direct provision system, which was when she began writing.[3][4] Okorie obtained an Mphil in creative writing from Trinity College Dublin and is studying for a PhD in the college of Education.[3]

In 2009, Okorie won the Metro Éireann Writing Award for the story "Gathering Thoughts".[5] Okorie's first book, This Hostel Life, was published by Skein Press in Ireland in May 2018.[6] The book features an invented Nigerian pidgin English patois.[7] It was launched at the International Literature Festival, where Okorie discussed the migrant experience with Nikesh Shukla.[8] This Hostel Life was bought by Virago Press in 2019,[6] and adapted into an operatic work by the Irish National Opera.[9] Her work has been published in LIT Journal, College Green Magazine, and Dublin: Ten Journeys One Destination, Alms on the Highway.[10]

In 2019, Okorie was interviewed about her writing practice by Laureate for Irish Fiction, Sebastian Barry.[5] The same year, Yes, We Still Drink Coffee! was published. This is a collection of works by female writers including Okorie, Catherine Dunne, Hilary Fannin, Lia Mills and Sheila O'Flanagan who were paired with activists.[11]

Okorie is a board member of the National Network of Migrant Women in Ireland, and is a creative writing workshop facilitator for children and young people.[12]

In 2018, This Hostel Life was nominated for the Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year award at the Irish Book Awards.[13] In 2019, Okorie was appointed to the Arts Council.[12][10]