James Nwoye Adichie

Chief James Nwoye Adichie (1 March 1932 – 10 June 2020) was a Nigerian academic who served as a first professor of statistics at the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He was the father of writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Quotes I attended primary school in Abba, Awkuzzu and ended in Nimo Primary School. During my days as a young man, life was good. My parents were poor, really poor, but they were able to pay my primary school fees. I started primary school in Abba but moved to Awkuzzu and ended up in Nimo. The reason being that we started Standard One in Abba and when we were due for Standard Two, they cut that category off in Abba, so we had to go to Awkuzzu. From Abba to Awkuzzu is like three miles. I did standards two, three, four and five at Awkuzzu. They also took away Standard Six, so I had to go to Nimo. During these periods, things were good, and we were not afraid of anything. I was at Nimo at the age of 12, and we were not afraid of anybody. If you were good at school, your teachers would like you. My teachers liked me because I was good at Arithmetic. After my primary school at Nimo, something happened and I came third in the whole of Adazi Catholic Parish; we were in a Catholic school. They told my father that I came third and should be sent to Saint Anthony Teachers’ College, Onitsha. I was happy that I was going to college. The Rev Father there asked my father to come so that they would give him the list of things to buy. He went, but they told him that they could no longer send me because they found out that Abba was not under Adazi Catholic Parish but Dunukofia. I lost that opportunity and my father said I should go and teach with Standard Six qualification. I reported for teaching at our parish in Dunukofia. On the day of selection, they called all the names but my name was not there. I was 13 years old then. I did my Standard Six at the age of 12. I was disturbed. Somebody saw me crying and asked why, and I told him that my name was not called. He took me to Rev Father Tanshi, who told me that I was underage, so I would not teach. He said I needed to be at least 14 years. He asked me to call my father and I did. My father was told that I was underage to teach and there was nothing they could do. He suggested I should join the “nw” class; that was pre-nursery class. I was not among the staff the government would pay. The locals were supposed to pay me, but they never did. External Links Category:Academics from Nigeria Category:1932 births Category:2020 deaths