The Sun News Online | Woman of the Sun

Ordinarily, Lady Grace Ifeoma Adichie needs no introduction for those who have read her daughter’s books. Her daughter, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the world-acclaimed literary enfante terrible, has not only given her and her husband, Sir James Nwoye, a generous mention in her two world bestsellers, Purple Hibiscus and Half of A Yellow Sun, but has had opportunity to talk a little about her in interviews.

But Lady Grace didn’t have to live under the shadow of her daughter for, before Chimamanda became a world celebrity, she had also set her own record when she became the first female registrar of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. A retiree, today she and her husband, Nigeria’s first professor of statistics, and former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, (now retired), live off Aku road, somewhere in Nsukka town. Recently, she spoke to Daily Sun on the challenges she faced as a female registrar as well as on her life in retirement. Excerpts:

Life as a female registrar
I served under a sole administrator, Professor Gomwalk. That was when I was the acting registrar. I became confirmed in 2002. Then the sole administrator had gone and I had an acting vice-chancellor, Professor Ginigaeme Mbanefo who later became the Vice Chancellor. I would look at the two regimes as being definitely different. A sole administrator, virtually, has the powers of council because there was no council in place.

His letter of mandate authorized him to do a number of things which, ordinarily, a vice-chancellor wouldn’t. You know since after the war, the university has had difficulties with regard to funding. And so, a lot of the facilities are not in place. The environment is not conducive to learning and teaching. The lecturers are handicapped. The students are handicapped. But I thank God that things are improving. You see a number of uncompleted projects which were there, they are not being addressed. Some of them have been completed and some new projects are being undertaking. And, I thank God for that.

Talking specifically about me being the registrar, it wasn’t easy. But I have always believed in hard work and I have always believed that whatever you want to do you should do it well. And, merit has always been my watchword. I don’t believe in a person being given a job because of your sex. You should compete with others if you qualify for that job.

By all means, it should be given to you. I remember cracking jokes with my fellow registrars at meetings of committee of registrars. And, I would always tell them that you don’t do that job with your sex organ. You use your brain and that is what is important. And, when I was in office, I tried to make my colleagues with whom I worked understand that merit and hard work should be their watchwords because without that you will produce mediocres.

Challenges
There was this issue of our people believing that women should be in the kitchen, that women should not be seen. Some don’t even feel we should be heard. I remember a very interesting case. A gentleman was in my secretary’s office making some enquiries. I walked in. Because I usually do not like people sitting and waiting, I wanted to attend to him and asked whether I could help him. He turned, looked at me from head to toe and said, ‘I want to see the registrar.’ I said, ‘okay, sir’. I walked into my office.

My secretary smiled. When I walked away I believed my secretary told him who was speaking to him. So, when eventually they brought him into my office, I offered him a seat and he apologized profusely and said, ‘Madam, I am very sorry. I didn’t know you were the registrar’. So, you see this kind of situation, you come across in various ramifications but this is one case I will never forget because he didn’t expect to see a woman. He was looking for a man. That is usually their mindset.

My tenure
I wouldn’t say that it was more eventful than others. Normal things were done. So, I don’t take credit for any discoveries. But that was the time we started talking seriously about having computers and computerizing exams records and so on because we felt if that were done, results would be produced soon earlier than was the practice. One thing I remember is that there was a lot of politics in the air because I was appointed registrar when the sole administrator was there. After about three months, a letter came that the sole administrator had no powers to do that, that we should revert to the acting position.

That was with regard to three principal officers at the time, the registrar, the bursar and the university librarian. I say politics was in the air because when eventually I was interviewed for the post of a registrar when a council was in place, it was a registrar who was appointed by a sole administrator at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who came and served on the panel. And, I think what is good for the goose should be good for the gander. Ahmadu Bello University had a sole administrator. University of Nigeria, Nsukka had a sole administrator. The registrar that a sole administrator at Ahmadu Bello University appointed was allowed to stay and operate. But the one that was appointed at University of Nigeria was reverted. So I think that was not very fair. But so be it. That is over and we don’t have to cry over spilt milk.

Job experience
With all due humility I think I would say that I came trained for the job because I would say I came up from the ranks. I was employed as an administrative officer and rose to assistant registrar, senior assistant registrar, principal assistant registrar, deputy registrar. I was deputy registrar for a number of years before I was appointed the acting registrar. From that, I then went for interview for registrar and was appointed. So, I rose from the ranks.

Life in retirement
I think I have a lot to thank God for. I have to thank God, first of all, for good health because when I sit with some of my colleagues, retirees and we talk about life, they will tell you the percentage of their pension they spend on medication. I thank God, I don’t have any serious health condition. And, I think it is a very big gift that God has given to me. I try to keep myself busy. Early in the morning, my husband and I would go for a walk, come back, have breakfast. If there are things you need to do in town, like when you called, I was away. We belong to the Order of the Knight of St. Mulumba and we take active part in all the activities of the knighthood.

That also keeps one fairly engaged. Occasionally, we go to the village, see our people at home and come back and life continues. I don’t miss much of the academic environment because since I am staying near the university, whenever there is a function that I am interested in, when there are conferences that I am interested in, I attend. The Association of University Professional Administrators occasionally organizes conferences and they invite me. Last year, I had to chair some of the sessions. So, I still take part in things I am interested in.