Literature & Ideas
Landmark
Tijan Sallah
born 1958
The Gambia's foremost living poet, and Chinua Achebe's biographer
Landmark is level 2 of 4 in the The Gambia Hall of Fame: a first that opened a door, or the pre-eminent figure of their generation in this country. See how the levels work.
Why they are here
An economist at the World Bank by day, and by any critical account one of the most important African poets of the generation after Soyinka and Achebe — whose biography he went on to write.
Tijan M. Sallah was born in Serekunda on 6 March 1958, graduated from Berea College as its outstanding student in economics in 1982, and took a master's and doctorate in economics at Virginia Tech. He has worked at the World Bank since 1987, latterly managing its Africa capacity development and partnerships unit.
Critics place him among the most important African poets and writers of the generation following Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. He has published widely across political economy, agricultural development, literary and art criticism, ethnography, biography, poetry and short fiction; his books include Chinua Achebe: Teacher of Light, a biography of the novelist, and Dream Kingdom: New and Selected Poems.
Critics place him among the most important African poets and writers of the generation following Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. He has published widely across political economy, agricultural development, literary and art criticism, ethnography, biography, poetry and short fiction; his books include Chinua Achebe: Teacher of Light, a biography of the novelist, and Dream Kingdom: New and Selected Poems.
- Wikipedia — Tijan Sallah
- Poetry Foundation — Tijan Sallah
- Library of Congress — Tijan Sallah: interview with Gambian poet, writer and economist
Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will check it.