THE BIG ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CARICATURE

Nwokocha Azuka Christopher

Lagos, Nigeria

16.11.1970

Born in 1970 in Ibusa, Delta State, Nigeria.

His father Edward Nwokocha married Catherine Nwanza and they had seven children.

Azuka is the fifth child in the family.He grew up learning to draw from his older brother.

Attended St. Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Yaba, Lagos (1971-1988) before entering Obanikoro Baptist Academy, Lagos. (1980 – 1985)

Studied fine Arts at Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos.where he received the Highest National Diploma in Fine Arts, specializing in painting. (1989 – 1994).

Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos. (1998 – 1999), where he studied marketing management and received a Postgraduate Diploma (PGD).

He served one year in the National Youth Service (NYSC) (June 1994-May 1995)

Career:

  • Daily Times newspaper, Nigeria (June 1994 -May 1995, illustrator).
  • Rita Titi Memorial School, Ebute Metta, Lagos. (August 1996 – November 2006).
  • Champion Newspaper, Ilasamaja, Lagos. (July 1997 – October 1999, cartoonist/illustrator).
  • Post Express newspaper, Apapa, Lagos (November 1999 – January 2003, Senior Cartoonist).
  • New Age Newspaper, Iganmu, Lagos. (August 2003 – December 2006, senior cartoonist).
  • Nigerian newspaper Daily Times (January 2007 – October 2007, cartoon editor).
  • Financial Standard newspaper (November 2007 – April 2008, Assistant editor of cartoons).
  • Nigerian newspaper Compass (May 2008 – November 2012, senior cartoonist).
  • The Newswatch Times,Broad Street, Lagos (November 2012 – March 2015, Senior Cartoonist).
  • Newswatch Times newspaper, Broad Street, Lagos, Nigeria, freelance cartoonist and artist (2015- until today).

His cartoons have been published in the following newspapers and magazines:

  • Daily Times Newspaper (1994 – 1995)
  • Champion Newspaper (1997 – 1999)
  • Post Express Newspaper (1999 – 2003)
  • NewAge Newspaper (2003 – 2006)
  • Daily Times Newspaper (2007 – 2007)
  • Financial Standard Newspaper (2007 – 2008)
  • The Nigerian Compass Newspaper (2008 – 2012)
  • Punch Newspaper (2010 – 2012)
  • Newswatch Time Newspaper (2012 – 2015)
  • Point Newspaper (2016)
  • Telegraph Newspaper (2016 – present)
  • Thriller Magazine (2009-present)
  • Pathfinder Magazine (2011 – 2016)
  • Photoprints Magazine (2014 – 2015)

And much more.

Participation in international competitions and exhibitions:

2002:

  • 1st International Cartoon Festival, Wolfsburg.

2003:

  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • 8th International Cartoon Contest in Haifa, Israel.

2004:

  • 16th Olense Cartonale 2004
  • World Cartoon Festival, Kalafashi, Romania.
  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • The 11th international satirical contest “Karpik”.
  • The second International cartoon contest “Palestine is homeless”.
  • 19th INTERNATIONAL CARICATURE EXHIBITION, Zegreb, Croatia.
  • Humorest 2004, Uyhodnic Museum, Hradec-Krakow, Czech Republic.
  • 19th International Cartoon Salon, Zemun, Serbia.

2005:

  • 11th International Cartoon Contest Haifa, Israel
  • International Cartoon Exhibition in Jiaxing, China.
  • International Cartoon Contest, Zozukhov, Poland.
  • 17th Potato Festival in Olens 2005.
  • The best cartoons of the Nippon International Cartoon Festival in Saitama.
  • International Cartoon Contest (part of the Austerlitz 2005 project)
  • 10th International Exhibition of Zegreb’s Cartoons.
  • Xll International Salon of Anti-War Cartoon, Kragujevac, Serbia and Montenegro.
  • 4th International Cartoon Contest for Professionals in 2005, Czech Republic.
  • 3rd International Satirical Contest, Karpik, Nemodin, Poland.

2006:

  • 12th International Cartoon Contest Haifa, Israel.
  • 18th Olense Cartonale 2006.
  • 26th International Cartoon Contest for Khoja Nasreddin in Turkey.
  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • The best cartoons of the Nippon International Cartoon Festival in Saitama.
  • Cartoon contest “Stuttgart Prize 2006”, Germany.
  • 3rd International Cartoon Exhibition in Rhodes, Greece.
  • World Humor Festival, Kalshrasi, Romania.
  • The second International Cartoon Contest, Syria.
  • Humorest 2006, VI International Cartoon Contest, held every two years by the Uyhodnic Museum, Hradec Kialove, Czech Republic.
  • The 11th International exhibition of Zegreb’s Cartoons.
  • The second International Cartoon Contest “Europe- Axis 2006”, Yekaterinburg, Russia.
  • 17th Biennale of Humor and Satire in Art, Gabrovo, Bulgaria.
  • 4th International Satirical Contest, Karpik, Nemodin, Poland.

2007:

  • 13th International Cartoon Contest in Haifa, Israel.
  • 27th International Cartoon Contest for Khoja Nasreddin, Turkey.
  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • The best cartoons of the Nippon International Cartoon Festival in Saitama.
  • The 19th Potato Festival in Olens, 2007.
  • Stuttgart Prize for Cartoon 2007, Germany.
  • The 12th International exhibition of Zegreb’s Cartoons.
  • 15th International Festival of Humor and Satire, Golden Helmet, Republic of Abkhazia.
  • XIX International Drawing Contest, Yaka Bebe.

2008:

  • 14th International Cartoon Contest Haifa, Israel.
  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • 20th Olens Potato Festival, 2008.
  • 8th International Cartoon Exhibition in Kyoto, Japan.
  • China International Cartoon Exhibition in Jiaxing.
  • 28th International Cartoon Contest for Khoja Nasreddin, Turkey.
  • Cartoon contest “Satyricon Leticia”.
  • 6th International Cartoon Contest, Kapil, Nemodin, Poland.
  • International Cartoon Contest in Gura, Poland.

2009:

  • 15th International Cartoon Contest in Haifa, Israel.
  • 18th International Biennale of Humor and Satire in Art, Gabriel, Bulgaria.
  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • 29th International Cartoon Contest for Khoja Nasreddin, Turkey.
  • 21st Potato Festival in Olens, 2009.
  • The best cartoons of Japan, the International Cartoon Festival in Saitama.
  • 14 Medunarod-naya fracture of the Caricature of Zegreb.
  • 7th International Cartoon Contest, Karpik, Nemodin, Poland.
  • 3 De Mayo, Made da Liberdade de Impress, a celebrity impressing the Count of Humor, Portugal.

2010:

  • 9th International Cartoon Exhibition in Kyoto, Japan.
  • China International Cartoon Exhibition in Jiaxing.
  • 22 Olense Cartonale, 2010.
  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • The best cartoons of the Nippon International Cartoon Festival in Saitama.
  • IX International Cartoon Contest, Zelena Gora, Poland.
  • 15 Medunarod-naya fracture of the Zegreb Caricature.
  • International Cartoon Exhibition, Portugal.
  • 6th International Biennale of Cartoons, Lubben.

2011:

  • 17th International Cartoon Contest in Haifa, Israel.
  • 23 Olense Cartonale, 2011.
  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • International Book Cartoon Contest, Iran.
  • 20th International Biennale of Humor and Satire in Art, Gabrovo, Bulgaria.
  • Kyoto International Special Cartoon Exhibition, Japan.
  • 5th International Caricature Exhibition in Zegreb, Croatia.
  • The best cartoons of the Japanese International Cartoon Festival in Saitama.
  • 16 Medunarod-naya fracture of the Zegreb Caricature.
  • XIII International Cartoon Contest, Hora, Poland.

2012:

  • Dicaco International Cartoon Contest, South Korea.
  • 31 International Cartoon Contest for Nasreddin Honda, Turkey.
  • 17 Medunarod-naya izrazba Caricatures, Zegreb.
  • 6th International Caricature Exhibition in Zegreb, Croatia.
  • XIV International Open Cartoon Contest, Zelena Gora, Poland.
  • 18 International Cartoon Contest Haifa, Israel.

2013:

  • 19th International Cartoon Contest Haifa, Israel.
  • 33rd International Cartoon Contest for Khoja Nasreddin, Turkey.
  • International Cartoon Contest Sicaco, South Korea.
  • Euro Kartoenale cartoon Contest. Belgium.
  • The 7th International Caricature Exhibition in Zegreb, Croatia.
  • The best cartoons of the Nippon International Cartoon Festival in Saitama.
  • 18 Medunarod-naya fracture of the Zegreb Caricature.

2014:

  • 8th International Caricature Exhibition in Zegreb, Croatia.
  • International Cartoon Contest Sicaco, South Korea.
  • 3rd International Olive Caricature Contest, Cyprus-Turkey.
  • 19 Medunarod-naya izrazba Caricatures, Zegreb.

2015:

  • 21st International Cartoon Contest Haifa, Israel.
  • International Cartoon Contest Sicaco, South Korea.
  • XVII International Open Cartoon Contest Zielona Gora, Poland.
  • 20 Medunarod-naya kink Caricature, Zegreb.
  • XXI International Festival of Arts and Humor in Madrid, Spain.

2016:

  • 22nd International Cartoon Contest Haifa, Israel.
  • International Cartoon Contest Sicaco, South Korea.
  • 21 International Caricature Exhibition, Zegreb.
  • International Cartoon Contest, Kozhukhov, Poland.

2017:

  • 22medunarod EXHIBITION of cartoons, Zegreb.
  • IX International Cartoon Contest, Kozhukhov, Polan.

International and national awards/prizes:

  • Fifth prize at the international cartoon contest “12 reasons”.From South Korea.
  • Was Awarded A Special Prize at the 13th International Cartoon Contest In Daejeon, South Korea.
  • Prize for Outstanding Achievements at the International Cartoon Exhibition China LM, China.i in 2005 and 2006.
  • Was Awarded A Thematic Prize at the 4th Sicaco International Cartoon Contest In South Korea.
  • Was awarded an honorable mention at the 21st Dicaco International Cartoon Contest in South Korea.
  • Was awarded an Honorable Mention at the 3rd Sicaco International Cartoon Contest In South Korea.
  • Was Awarded the Prize for the Best Cartoon at the 2nd Sicaco International Cartoon Contest In South Korea.
  • Was awarded a Certificate of Recognition at the International Cartoon Contest in Haifa, Israel, in 2003.
  • and 2004.

Membership in clubs, associations:

  • Member of the Cartoonists Association of Nigeria.
  • Member of the Good Mood Party, Poland.
  • Humor Ambassador of the Polish Good Humor Party.

Reference: BEC (the Big Encyclopedia of Caricature), 2010