Chimamanda Adichie Shares Childhood Experience, As She Buries Mum in Abba

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

It was an official beginning of another mourning period, as award-winning Nigerian novelist-cum-feminist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, buried her mum, Late Mrs Grace Ifeoma Adichie, barely five months after burying her dad, Late Prof. James Nwoye Adichie.

The burial which took place on Saturday at Adichie's hometown, Abba, in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, came exactly two month after the demise of Mrs. Adichie, who died on March 1, which coincidentally was her husband's 89th posthumous birthday.

It would be recalled that Adichie's father, Late, Prof. James Nwoye Adichie died on June 10, 2020, and was buried on October 9 that year. However, the unexpected happened barely five months after, as Adichie's mother joined her beloved husband, thereby throwing the 43-year-old Chimamanda and her siblings into orphanhood in less than 10 months, hence her powerful tribute to her mother, "How Does A Heart Break Twice?"

In his homily during the burial mass, which held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Abba, the Auxiliary Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye of the Awka Catholic Diocese, who consoled the Adichie Family for the double tragedy that befell them within a very short period of time, reminded them that the ball is now on their court, to take over from their parents and sustain their good legacies.

On his own part, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, who recounted and appreciated some of the legacies and contributions of Late Mr. and Mrs. Adichie in the state, further reassured the family that the government and entire people of state shared in their grief, even as he urged them to emulate and follow the footsteps of their late parents.

Contributing, a former Governor of Anambra State and one-time Vice Presidential Candidate in Nigeria, Mr. Peter Obi, who revealed that Late Mr and Mrs Adichie were more like parents than family friends to him, further opined that it may have been the will of God to call Mrs Grace Adichie home at the time her demise, and prayed God to welcome and grant her eternal in His kingdom, and to also give him and the family members the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

"She was a fantastic woman; and I will miss her and her beloved husband, Prof. James Adichie so dearly," he said.

In an interview with newsmen, Chimamanda Adichie, who earlier read the scriptural texts during the Burial Mass, described her mother as a great and humble woman, who lived a life worthy of emulation, even as she promised to live a life that would make her mother proud anywhere she is.

She said, "Both in this life and in my next life, she will still be my mother.
My mother was kind and warm, funny and fun, and intelligent and sharp. And she was very very supportive of all of us, her children. What I am today is because of how she raised me up and what she planted in me. I want to live my life in a way that I hope to make her proud wherever she is."

On what she hopes to pick up from her mother's lifestyle; Adichie the Orange Prize Winner and author of 'Purple Hibiscus' said, "My mother taught me to always have ambition and follow it, because she also had ambition and followed it. She taught me to be kind. She taught me to see people as people. My mother saw people as people, and treated everyone with respect, irrespective of one's social status. And I want to live my life like that."

When requested to share a memorable experience with her mum, Adichie said, "I don't eat garri or any kind of swallow. I stopped it when I was 9 years old. It was the day that I told my mum that I don't like swallow... Because we had to eat garri and soup every afternoon; and I was pretending I was eating it. And I was lying. And one day I told my mother 'Mum see, I don't like eating swallow.' And she asked Why. And I told her 'See I don't just like it and anything swallow. I have been pretending all this while' And she said I wouldn't be served it any longer. 

"You see, it's good to listen to a child. That's how I'm training my daughter now. Listen to what a child is telling you, no matter how young he/she is. You see, I was 9 years old then; but my mother listened to me. And since that day, when everyone else is eating garri in the house, they will make maybe yam or plantain or any other food for me. Indeed, I love and will miss my mum and my dad so much. But it's well."

Ardoned in their mourning white outfits, Adichie and her siblings had flower bouquets at hand during the procession and the official interment of their mother's remains, while the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Charles Arizechukwu Igwe laid the wreath on the grave.

The well-attended burial ceremony attracted sympathizers from both within and outside the country, including members of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (Anambra State Chapter), and Chimamanda Adichie's husband, Dr. Ivara Esege who had come to bid farewell to his mother in-law. Adichie's beloved daughter was also present and visible at the burial.

Born 78 years ago, Mrs. Adichie was an administrator and the first female Registrar at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was also a permanent member of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education board (ASUBEB).

She is survived by Ijeoma Adichie, Uchenna Adichie, Chuks Adichie, Okey Adichie, Chimamanda Adichie, and Kenechukwu Adichie (children).