Boss Of The Week
Nigeria’s Literary Genius, Chimamanda Adichie, Revels at 46
Eric Elezuo
For 46 long years, one of Nigeria’s literary icon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has remained in the business of dishing out incontrovertible storylines, with impeccable stylislics, making her one of the sought after writers, especially with a feminist worldview, in the world today.
She said of herself: “I think of myself as a storyteller but I would not mind at all if someone were to think of me as a feminist writer… I’m very feminist in the way I look at the world, and that world view must somehow be part of my work.”
Adichie’s name stands out among all amazons of professionalism, especially those in the writing profession. She is a woman who has conquered all odds to carve a niche for herself in every facets of human endeavour. She is beautiful, humble, humane and of course talks tough. She is a dutiful wife, adoring mother and a global citizen. And as she Celebrates her 46th year of existence on planet earth, it is worthy of raising a toast to the literary giant.
The fifth of six children, Adichie, who hailed from Abba in Anambra State, was born in the city of Enugu on September 15, 1977, seven years after the devastating Nigeria Civil War, which took away almost everything from her family, ended, and grew up in the university town of Nsukka where her father, James Nwoye Adichie, worked as a Professor of Statistics at the University of Nigeria. Her mother, Grace Ifeoma, is not left out in the academic endeavour as she set a record as the university’s first female registrar. The family is a purely set up.
During her secondary school days at the University of Nigeria Secondary School, Nsukka, Chimamanda won several academic prizes, and maintained the feat at the University of Nigeria where she studied Medicine and Pharmacy for a year and a half.
However, at the age of 19, Adichie abandoned her medical studies in Nigeria for the United States to study Communications and Political Science at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Report has it that she later transferred to Eastern Connecticut State University, primarily to be near her sister, Uche, who had a medical practice in Coventry, Connecticut. She received a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University, with the distinction of summa cum laude in 2001.
It was while studying in America that she was confronted with the challenges of being a person of colour, and this reflected in her work in later years as depicted by her novel, Americanah. It is worthy of note that Chimamanda’s original and initial inspiration came from Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”, which she read at the age of 10. She was inspired by seeing her own life represented in the pages.
In 2003, she completed a master’s degree in Creative Writing at Johns Hopkins University. In 2008, she received a Master of Arts degree in African Studies from Yale University. The University was later to honour her in May 2019 with a doctorate honours.
Among many other honours she is identified with include a Hodder fellow at Princeton University during the 2005–2006 academic year. In 2008 she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. She was also awarded a 2011–2012 fellowship by the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University.
Apart from churning out thought provoking books, Chimamanda teaches Writing Workshops. In 2016, she was conferred an honorary degree – Doctor of Humane letters, honoris causa, by Johns Hopkins University. In 2017, she was conferred honorary degrees – Doctor of Humane letters, honoris causa, by Haverford College and The University of Edinburgh. In 2018, she received an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from Amherst College. She received an honorary degree, doctor honoris causa, from the Université de Fribourg, Switzerland, in 2019. She is a known name to honours and awards.
In 2018, she was honoured by Duke University in the United States with an honourary degree.
Chimamanda was among the few recipients of the honorary degree from the university and they were all described as people making changes in the world in very extensive ways. “Few writers have captured the challenges of immigrants and others navigating those changes as Adichie,” the university said.
In 2019, the award-winning author joined the short list of receipiants, who were honoured by the prestigious Yale University as she was conferred with the Doctors of Letters, Honoris Causa.
It didn’t end there, she went on to speak at the school as part of the 2019 class. Chimamanda Adichie keeps adding more feathers to her already overflowing cap and we can’t but admire her passion and zeal towards her career.
A Catholic by background, Chimamanda is a stern believer in feminism, and most times, her views, especially those on feminism, sometimes conflict with her religion. Wikipedia noted that at a 2017 event at Georgetown University, she stated that religion “is not a women-friendly institution” and “has been used to justify oppressions that are based on the idea that women are not equal human beings.”
Her writing ability, like her mentor, is yet to be equalled. Among her publications include a collection of poems in 1997 (Decisions) and a play (For Love of Biafra) in 1998. She was shortlisted in 2002 for the Caine Prize for her short story “You in America”, and her story “That Harmattan Morning” was selected as a joint winner of the 2002 BBC World Service Short Story Awards. In 2003, she won the O. Henry Award for “The American Embassy”, and the David T. Wong International Short Story Prize 2002/2003 (PEN Center Award). Her stories were also published in Zoetrope: All-Story, and Topic Magazine.
Below are her works, and their depictions as portrayed by Wikipedia:
Her first novel, Purple Hibiscus (2003), received wide critical acclaim; it was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction (2004) and was awarded the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book (2005). Purple Hibiscus starts with an extended quote from Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.
Her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), named after the flag of the short-lived nation of Biafra, is set before and during the Nigerian Civil War. It received the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. Half of a Yellow Sun has been adapted into a film of the same title directed by Biyi Bandele, starring BAFTA award-winner and Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor and BAFTA winner Thandie Newton, and was released in 2014.
Chimamanda’s third book, The Thing Around Your Neck (2009), is a collection of 12 stories that explore the relationships between men and women, parents and children, Africa and the United States.
In 2010 she was listed among the authors of The New Yorker′s “20 Under 40” Fiction Issue. Her story, “Ceiling” was included in the 2011 edition of The Best American Short Stories.
Her third novel Americanah (2013), an exploration of a young Nigerian encountering race in America was selected by The New York Times as one of “The 10 Best Books of 2013”.
In April 2014, she was named as one of 39 writers aged under 40 in the Hay Festival and Rainbow Book Club project Africa39, celebrating Port Harcourt UNESCO World Book Capital 2014.
Adichie’s short story, “My Mother, the Crazy African” discusses the problems that arise when facing two cultures that are complete opposites from each other. On one hand, there is a traditional Nigerian culture with clear gender roles, while in America there is more freedom in how genders act, and less restrictions on younger people. Ralindu, the protagonist, faces this challenge with her parents as she grew up in Philadelphia, while they grew up in Nigeria. Adichie really dives deep into gender roles and traditions and what problems can occur because of this.
Chimamanda and beloved husband, Ivara
In March 2017, Americanah was picked as the winner for the “One Book, One New York” program, part of a community reading initiative encouraging all city residents to read the same book.
In April 2017, it was announced that she had been elected into the 237th class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the highest honours for intellectuals in the United States, as one of 228 new members to be inducted on 7 October 2017.
Her most recent book, Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, published in March 2017, had its origins in a letter she wrote to a friend who had asked for advice about how to raise her daughter as a feminist.
Chimamanda’s personality is larger than life, and so it seems as accolades from every corner of the earth follow her. It is also presumed that the her name ‘Chimamanda’ is a combination of both Igbo, her origin and English (Chima and Amanda). But that does not seem to be the case. The name, according to source, is purely an Igbo name, meaning My God (Chim) will never fail/fall (amanda). In 2009, she married her medical doctor-husband, Ivara Esege, who a writer described as ‘comically suitable’.
We hereby say a hearty 46th birthday to a pen woman of global repute, an egalitarian scholar and a symbol of societal regeneration.
Congratulations ma!
By Eric Elezuo
Africa is a great land, and Africans are great and intelligent people, contributing more than their quota to the growth and development of world economy, sustainability and peace. This is a direct consequence of the untold efforts of the continent’s men and women of different class and creed, who are doing great things across the length and breadth of the continent and beyond. One of such indefatigable geniuses is the incredible Martial Kpochan, an African of Beniniose descent, who plies his enterprise across every available space in the universe. He majors in trade and investment, auditing and accounting among distinguished entrepreneurial endeavours.
Martial Kpochan image looms large, and speaks volumes in the financial and accounting world as he is reputed to be the brain behind the founding and establishment of the 10 Principles of Economy of Being, which has garnered a wide global recognition.
Born in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on June 30, 1981 to the family of Mr and Mrs Pierrot Kpochan, Martial as he is fondly known among family and friends, is an epitome of business solutions, initiatives and economic renewal, having invested over 20 years of his life in entrepreneurship, garnering experience in financial auditing, accounting expertise, and business and damage valuation. Martial Kpochan has, without equivocation, built a remarkable career rich in diverse experiences and deep expertise.
Martial’s professional career kickstarted in 2002, when he was absorbed at the audit firm, SACOR, in Paris, France. Afterwards, and with a backload of experience, he moved to Montreal, Canada, where he joined Picard Choronzey Inc.
In 2005, he returned to France and worked with BDO and DELOITTE groups in quick succession.
Budding with the zeal to further affect the world, Martial, in 2008, and driven by an entrepreneurial vision, desire to affect humanity, his country of birth and his country of residence, France, he founded Natray Consulting Group, a company he chairs till the present.
Among many of his larger than life academic and professional build-ups and accomplishments, Martial is certified in Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA), a framework developed by the IMF and the World Bank for assessing public financial management.
He is also a statutory auditor at the Court of Appeal of Versailles, and his qualifications also include certifications in business and damage valuation, as well as degrees in accounting expertise and advanced accounting and financial studies. He is a member of the Order of Chartered Accountants of Benin, the Order of Chartered Accountants of France, and the South African Institute of Professional Accountants.
Additionally, Martial Kpochan has led numerous audit and financial expertise missions for prestigious companies, governments, and projects funded by international donors such as the World Bank and the European Union, positioning him as a recognized leader in his field.
Under his leadership, Natray Consulting Group has become a major international player with a significant presence in Africa and Europe. Martial Kpochan’s international experience spans several continents, with missions in France, Canada, Hong Kong, South Africa, West Africa, North Africa, and Central Africa. This exposure to diverse economic contexts has allowed him to develop great openness and a deep understanding of global financial dynamics, enhancing his ability to adapt to local specificities while maintaining a global vision.
In parallel with his career in finance, Martial Kpochan is passionate about humanist philosophy. This intellectual quest led him to found the Institute of Economic and Political Intelligence in 2012, followed by the creation of the Institute of Being, which he currently presides over. This institute aims to defend the public interest in the decision-making process.
In this capacity, he has published the “10 Principles of the Economy of Being,” which he actively promotes in Africa and internationally. Today, Martial Kpochan dedicates himself to the Institute of Being, where he continues to influence public decision-making by defending the general interest.
His dual approach, combining rigorous technical expertise with deep philosophical reflection, gives him a unique perspective on addressing the complex challenges facing contemporary societies. His vision and leadership position him as a key actor capable of making significant contributions to public governance and improving management practices on a global scale.
Aligned with his grand vision of the Economy of Being, he supports the ECRU ESSENCE project, which aims to create a production line using locally made fabric from Benin, bringing it to the forefront. This project could create more than 10,000 long-term jobs. Through his investment, the ecru fabric was showcased in its first fashion show during FESMMA 2024.
His commitment to democracy has led him to participate in two major conferences at the Vatican, one on education and democracy, and the other on democracy in a fragmented world. On these occasions, he had the opportunity to meet the Pope during two audiences.
His involvement and visionary approach have allowed him to meet the President of the Parliament of the Canton of Geneva and participate in a conference at the World Economic Forum.
Martial is an advocate for the dissemination of the “10 Principles of the Economy of Being.” He presented these principles at the Global Governance Fund, an ECOSOC NGO of the United Nations, as well as at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa.
He also showcased these principles during Mandela Days, where he took part in a charity event distributing thousands of meals and blankets in Tsakhane.
A happily is married man, and wonderful father to his four lovely children, Martial dreams to see the adoption of a Universal Declaration of the Economy of Being, similar to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
For your steadfast commitment to the growth of African economy through down to earth Enterprises, you are our boss of the week. Congratulations sir!
By Eric Elezuo
“Your dreams must exceed your current capacity to achieve them…you are enough, you can do it,” – Dr. Funmi Adewara
Nigerians in the Diaspora have left nothing to chance in proving that the country is blessed with abundance of talents across diverse fields of human endeavours; entertainment, medicine, sports, academia and a whole lot more.
Among the categories of bring our pride home Nigerians is the beautiful and sophisticated Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Mobihealth International, Dr. Funmi Adewara, who prides herself as an accomplished medical technocrat, physician, entrepreneur, telehealth expert among a host of distinct profitable human engagements. It’s worthy of note that Adewara’s Mobihealth is not a run-off-the-mill health institution; it is a dedicated and specialized arm of medication and medical health delivery. She was once Forbes Woman African Technology and Innovation Award winner.
Young vibrant and highly calculative, Dr. Adewara cuts across as the dual citizen of many ages, juxaposing medical disciplines of diverse times to create an all new medical development, acceptable for all times, and operational in this present dispensation.
A proud graduate of the University of Ibadan, where she studied Medicine, Dr. Adewara was born and brought up in Kaduna State before higher education brought her down to the west. She relocated to the United Kingdom after graduation to further her education at the University of Cambridge, where she earned a Master’s degree in Bioscience Enterprise.
Among a lot of things she is, within a brief spell of time, Dr. Funmi Adewara covets a British-Nigerian status, walks head held high as a Cambridge-trained Bioscience Entrepreneur, and is proud to tell every listening ear of her undeniable status of a globally recognized telehealth expert. Hers, in achievements, is not a fluke. She is a hard worker, and it is no accident that she is everything that she is today.
Her exceptional service delivery, inventive abilities, initiatives and dedication to assignments have bestowed on her recognitions and awards from A-list corners.
She is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, and has an extensive background in medicine, pharmaceuticals, and business development. Her personal profile credited her with over 15 years of experience working within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and the pharmaceutical industry as a Drug Safety Physician.
For those, who must have harboured the question, why Mobihealth? It is of paramount importance to note that she was, and is still driven by passion for the transformation of healthcare in underserved communities.
Consequently, Dr. Adewara’s Mobihealth International, a company dedicated to solving critical healthcare challenges in Africa and beyond came to existence. Her leadership has seen Mobihealth develop comprehensive telehealth solutions that address issues like shortages of healthcare professionals, high treatment costs, and long-distance travel for patients.
Having partnered with the high and mighty in global business, she had received grants from nobles including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on which pedestal Mobihealth’s integrated Telehealth clinics are making strides towards achieving Universal Health Coverage, with a focus on primary healthcare centers (PHCs).
Dr. Adewara’s work has garnered international recognition, earning her numerous awards. She was one of seven global winners of the World Bank SDGs&Her 2020 Awards, selected from over 2,400 entries, and was also a winner of the Sanofi Africa-Tech Challenge in Paris in 2020. Under her visionary leadership, Mobihealth pioneered the first telehealth initiative for the Nigerian Air Force in 2021, marking a historic milestone in Africa.
Dr. Adewara is also a recipient of the African Female Tech Founders Award, which led to her invitation to the Africa-UK Investment Summit by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2020. In 2023, she was named the winner of the Forbes Woman African Technology and Innovation Awards and became a top 50 finalist in Africa’s Business Heroes competition. Her entrepreneurial journey was also celebrated at the NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Milestone Maker Program, where she was showcased at New York’s Times Square in 2023.
With H.E Wemkele Mene, Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat.
Dr. Funmi Adewara continues to be a leading voice in telemedicine, advocating technological solutions that improve healthcare access for all.
With her giant strides in the field of medicine, the accomplished CEO of Mobihealth International, has traced her way home to Nigeria, where she advocated the adoption of telemedicine in the Nigerian health sector.
She noted that it could help address 60 per cent of the medical issues facing Nigerians. This was during the two-day 2024 Africa Social Impact Summit held in Lagos, with the theme, ‘Reimagining Progress: A New Blueprint for Sustainable Growth in Africa’, and co-convened by the Sterling One Foundation, and the United Nations Nigeria.
To her, telemedicine offers a transformative solution to Nigeria’s healthcare system in the immediate and long term, and could address 60 per cent of the medical issues facing the citizens, adding that it connects patients in remote areas with medical professionals, providing timely consultations, diagnoses, and treatments without the need for travelling.
With staff of FCTA
She informed that more key benefits of telemedicine adoption in the country abound, and they include increased access to health services, cost-effectiveness, improved health outcomes, enhanced data management, and education, among others.
In her words “With quicker access to medical expertise, patients can receive timely interventions, reduce the risk of complications, and improve overall health outcomes.
“Digital platforms facilitate better tracking and management of patient data, leading to more informed and effective healthcare decisions, adding that knowledge and skills can be facilitated through telehealth to address the skill gap and boost manpower,” she informed.
With Kenyan President H.E William Ruto during US Africa Business Forum, Washington DC 2023
She is obsessively committed to driving robust telemedicine adoption, especially for primary healthcare, and has not hesitated on seeking collaboration government agencies, healthcare providers, and private sector stakeholders.
Her goals are broad and inordinate, accommodating improvement of access to maternal and child health, reproductive health, health education, as well as reducing hospitalisation by 70 per cent, and making it cost-effective.
It is her diligence and marketing ability of sellable product and services that prompted Afreximbank to sign project preparation facility with Mobihealth to drive digital healthcare solutions across Africa.
The pact is expected to bolster the expansion of Mobihealth’s telemedicine services in Nigeria, and also assess the feasibility of establishing similar services in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Cote d’ Ivoire.
Under the terms of the agreement, Afreximbank will part-finance project preparatory activities that will leverage MobiHealth’s successfully integrated telemedicine proprietary platform, initially piloted in Nigeria, to the four additional countries. This initiative is expected to rapidly lead to the establishment of a network of telemedicine clinics across Africa, fully equipped with out-patient facilities. The project preparation facility of up to US$ 1.5 million is expected to advance the Project to bankability, whereupon this is expected to unlock further investments estimated at US$ 65 million.
It takes only an entrepreneur that knows her onions to land such magnificent advantages. It is very clear that she is practically existing to affect lives, irrespective of whose.
She noted that “The signing of this facility agreement marks yet another significant milestone in MobiHealth’s quest to proffer digital healthcare solutions across the continent. We are thrilled to have the support of Afreximbank, a pan-African multilateral financial institution with the scale and capacity to enable us to achieve this objective in a timely manner. Their involvement is a strong validation for our business model and I would like to laud Afreximbank, AIF and USTDA for their visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to support the provision of quality healthcare to African citizens.”
She has also partnered with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to expand access to quality healthcare, improved health facilities and to bring medical expertise closer to the people.
The entrepreneur is well traveled, and had interfaced with notable World Leaders in politics and business among others. Some of them are Dr Akinwumi Adesina
President, African Development Bank (AfDB); Kenyan President, H.E William Ruto, at the US Africa Business Forum, Washington DC 2023; H.E Wemkele Mene, Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, in addition to numerous congratulatory messages from notable World personalities and bodies including former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and Forbes.
ABOUT MOBIHEALTH
Mobihealth is a Nigerian subsidiary of Mobihealth International Ltd., a UK-domiciled telehealth provider. Mobihealth was founded by Dr. Funmi Adewara in 2017 and publicly rolled out its service offerings in 2020.
In late 2020, Dr. Adewara was recognized by the World Bank for her work with Mobihealth and the development of its digital healthcare platform with the “Her World Bank SDGs&Her (Sustainable Development Goals) Award 2020.” The award was a part of a virtual award event carried out by the World Bank, in partnership with UNDP, UN Women, and the Wharton School Zicklin Center that recognizes women entrepreneurs. From 2020 to 2021, Mobihealth’s subscriber base in Nigeria grew from less than 4,000 to more than 34,000, and revenue increased from $83,500 to $814,400.
Adewara is a distinguished family woman, and has been prolific and combining the home front with entrepreneurship, and by dint of hard work and divine assessment, none has suffered neglect.
This is saying a hearty congratulations to greatness; congratulations Dr. Funmi Adewara for being a medical entrepreneur like no other.
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