Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo is a Nigerian author and educator, whose published work includes novels, poetry, short stories, books for children, essays and journalism. She is the winner of several awards in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Biography
Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo was born and raised in Eastern Nigeria, but now lives in Lagos. She is the first child of Joshua and Christiana Adimora and has five siblings. Raised partially in a rural environment and partially in the city, she combines these two factors, as background and setting for her children's stories and adult fiction. Though born in Eastern Nigeria, she has lived in different parts of the country – East, North and West. She has travelled extensively in Africa, Europe and in the USA.
She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Masters (MA) degrees in English from the University of Lagos and her Ph.D. from University of Ibadan, in Nigeria. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from University of Lagos.
A lecturer, writer, novelist, critic, essayist, journalist, and administrator, she was appointed a professor of English at University of Lagos in 1999. She has taught in this university, in the Department of English, since 1981. She headed the English Department in 1997 and 1998, from 2002 to 2005, and 2008–2009. In September 2015, she relocated to Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, in South-East Nigeria, where she has continued to teach students and mentor younger lecturers.
She is married to Professor Chris Ezeigbo and they have three children.
Professional experience
She taught in Secondary schools and a Teachers College before becoming a university lecturer. Member of the editorial board of two newspapers in Lagos – The Independent (1992–1995) and The Post Express (1997–1999). While with the two newspapers, she wrote editorials, feature articles and maintained regular columns. She has held administrative posts at University of Lagos as Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Arts for two years (1992–1994) and as acting Head of English Department in 1997/98. She has also been in hall administration in the university as Assistant hall Warden in Moremi Hall and Moremi Annexe from 1981 to 1984; Hall Mistress of Madam Tinubu Hall from 1994 to 1996. Hall Mistress of Amina Hall from 1996 to 1997.
The National Treasurer of the Association of Nigerian Authors from 1995 to 1997 Vice President of Women Writers of Nigeria (WRITA) from 1998 to 2000. Currently the First Vice-President of P.E.N. Nigeria and the financial secretary of WRITA National.
Research Supervision
Undergraduate Level: Supervised more than 160 final year undergraduate projects at Unilag (B.A. (Hons.), 1986–2015). And, so far, 12 projects at Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo (2015–2022). Postgraduate (Masters): Supervised more than 100 M.A. dissertations between 1986 and 2015 at Unilag. Postgraduate (Ph.D.): Under her supervision 12 candidates successfully completed their PhD and graduated between 2003 and 2018 at Unilag. currently supervising a doctoral (PhD) student at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State. Postgraduate Diploma (PGD): Supervised six students in the Postgraduate Diploma programme at the University of Lagos Between 2012 and 2014.
External examination/Professional assessment
Have served as external examiner/assessor to various universities (15) in the country: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife University of Benin University of Calabar University of Jos University of Ilorin Abia State University Rivers State University of Science & Technology Redeemer's University (RUN), Mowe, Ogun State Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State University of Nigeria, Nsukka Lagos State University (LASU) Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State University of Ibadan Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State University of Lagos (2019).