Uche Azikiwe Quotes

Why Nigeria is crawling.

I had it very easy because I was not brought up to be proud. I hope I am not blowing my trumpet but I think I am very humble. Nobody will say that I crossed their path but if you cross mine or take me for granted, I won’t take it lightly, I would bring out police barracks life. Growing up in police barracks will make you tough.

Frankly speaking, as my benefactor, who was paying my school fees, I saw him as my father. He was like a father all through the time I was having my education; the only time I saw him was when I went to tender my report (card) or collect my school fees if he didn’t pay through the reverend sisters. When the issue of getting married came up after the war, I was already 26 years old.

My friends were shocked; they said, why can’t your husband talk to the university’s vice-chancellor so that you could get admitted. I said I would not do that and he would not do that either because I knew him very well. So he (my husband) asked me about the result and I said it was out but I wasn’t taken. He said okay. Then in 1976, I sat again. I think what affected me the first time was that they said for me to read geography, I must have one science subject. I was not good at sciences and mathematics. I failed mathematics in WASSCE because I didn’t like the subject. So, in 1976, I changed to English (Education) instead of the geography that I had initially chosen because I did very well in geography in WASSCE. So the first time, the reason was that I didn’t have mathematics. So the following year, I got admitted to read English (Education).

One leg is the male, the other leg is the female but in our society, it seems as if it is only one leg we are running with, that’s why we are where we are now.

I think he knew my father in Lagos. The story I heard was that when my father was in Lagos, he had something to do in the Government House, Marina, where the President lived. I think my father also worked there, maybe to help secure Marina or whatever. I don’t think my father had any problem with who his children chose to marry; although, he was very strict. When we were young, we couldn’t just go out to play; it had to be done based on his rules.

The patriarchy is still in men; it’s like some men are afraid of allowing women to come up; they feel a woman should not be competing with a man, I feel advocacy is needed, that please, men, we are not coming to compete, there is no way a woman can be a man, I have my role to play, due to biological parts, a man has his own role to play, but if it comes to development of the society, both of them should work together.

It is like when you think you know all and don’t consult those who will help, but consult those who will tell you what you want to hear; that was the problem of Ojukwu, according to Efiong in the book. I think that was when it went to the level that Zik now left and went on exile in London. He got all the recognitions for Biafra – he was responsible for four recognitions that Biafra got during the war; it was because of him. And consider the fact that Zik was in the same age bracket with Ojukwu’s father, so they were close friends. He was older than Ojukwu, so the fact that someone wanted to work with you shouldn’t mean that you would disrespect anyone. So I think the story has it that when he told somebody like Nnamdi Azikiwe to do something, then you would go behind and not accept the suggestions he was giving to you, how would that person continue? That was why he said since my contribution is not appreciated, there is no need staying, so he left.

Women should be allowed to play their role, their role is to help the men to rebuild the society in any form or shape.

That is why I will stand on behalf of Azikiwe to pray that whatever happens, Nigeria will never disintegrate. Please let us come together. It will make him happy and make some of his other contemporaries happy that Nigeria is one. Please, let our current leaders do something to make sure that Nigeria is one. One Nigeria is what we need.

When I had my first degree, he wrote Mrs Uche Azikiwe B.Edu, to show you how he valued it. When I got master’s degree, he would write B. English (Education), M. Education (Curriculum) on the envelop. He did the same thing when I had my PhD. When I was able to achieve all that, he was so happy because he had asked if I would be able to combine everything. I am happy he was alive when I got my PhD in 1992.

Personally, all I want is the best for Nigeria. Anyone who will stop insecurity, poverty and all sorts of indices that often make people avoid Nigeria, I am totally in support of the person.

From what I know or what I read or what I have been reading, even recently on some of the platforms, the killing of the Igbo people was not acceptable to anybody. It was unacceptable to Zik the way Igbo people were killed in the North. When Ojukwu declared Eastern Region as separate nation, we all know that Zik supported him because he felt that he could not live and see our people – Ndigbo – being slaughtered for no just cause but as time went on, it didn’t work out. I even read on one of the platforms that an extract from a book written by the late Gen. Philip Efiong, who was second in command to Ojukwu, stated everything and why it seemed that people like Zik decided to leave Ojukwu.

I got home and told my husband that I wanted to go back to school. He said fine but that I should bear in mind that I was his mother, the mother of our two children and in charge of the home. He asked if I would be able to cope and I said yes. Then he said go ahead. That was when universities were organising examinations separately as there was no Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board. So I bought application form, did the examination but I was not offered admission.

That is why I said other countries have found that women are agents for development.