Adaeze Atuegwu

Adaeze Atuegwu
Born	(1977-06-05) June 5, 1977 (age 46) Enugu, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian
Citizenship	American
Alma mater	Rutgers University Johns Hopkins University University of Florida
Occupation(s)	Author, pharmacist
Years active	1994–present
Website	adaezea.com

Adaeze Ifeoma Atuegwu // ^ⓘ (born June 5, 1977) is a Nigerian-American^[1] novelist and writer whose works include novels,^[2] children's stories,^[3] medical non-fiction,^[4] and drama.^[5] She is considered one of Nigeria's youngest most prolific authors with 17 books published by the age of seventeen.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]}

Early life and family

Atuegwu was born in the city of Enugu^[1] in Nigeria to pharmacist^[12] and philanthropist^[13][14] Prince Chris Atuegwu of the Nnofo royal lineage in Nnewi^[1][15] and Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu,^[11] pharmacist,^[8] philanthropist,^[16][17] and founder of Bina Foundation,^[18][19][20] and a 2017 winner^[21][22] of the Margarette Golding Award of the International Inner Wheel, also from Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Atuegwu grew up in Enugu.^[23]

Atuegwu wrote her first novel, Fate at 17 years old^[7] in 1994^[2] while awaiting her Senior Secondary School West African Examinations Council Certificate Examinations (WAEC) results.^[7]

Education

Atuegwu completed her primary and secondary school education at the University Primary and Secondary schools in Enugu^[6] where she received several academic and non-academic prizes.^[7] During her time in Secondary School, she was a contributing writer and editor of Honour, her secondary school magazine.^[11]

Atuegwu studied pharmacy at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN)^[24] for one semester.^[11] In 1996, she moved to the United States and subsequently studied pharmacy at Rutgers University.^[8] She received a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a doctorate degree in pharmacy (PharmD) in 2002.^[8] While in Rutgers University, she served as a contributing writer and copy editor for her pharmacy yearbook, Pharmascript.^[4]

In 2008, Atuegwu completed a master's degree in creative writing at Johns Hopkins University.^[8] In 2014 she received a master's in medication therapy management from the University of Florida.^[11][8] Atuegwu holds a certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA).^[1]

Writing career

In 1994, Fourth Dimension Publishing Company

On July 28, 1995,[11] a press conference was held for Atuegwu at Enugu Press Centre. At this event, the then ex-lady of Enugu State, Mrs. Olusola Torey,^[11] wife to Colonel Mike Torey, described Atuegwu as a "child prodigy" and according to the media "one of the youngest most prolific writers with an aggressive creative writing talent and a literary whiz kid."^[28]

On May 31, 1996,

Atuegwu is an advocate for the disabled including the blind and visually-impaired through her involvement in Bina Foundation for People with Special Needs, a non-profit organization in Enugu, Nigeria.^{[32][30][33][34][35]} Her books, which are available in Braille and audio has been donated to various centers for the blind and visually impaired in Nigeria.^[4]

Atuegwu, through Bina Foundation,

Atuegwu grew up in Enugu, Nigeria. She moved to New Jersey in 1996.^[29] She currently lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.^[1]

Influences on others

Style

Atuegwu's Bina Series, a series of five books about a mischievous boy named after Atuegwu's younger brother, Obinna,^[7] inspired a Nigerian children's and teenage hairstyle known as Bina Haircut in the nineties and 2000s.^[45][7][8]

Authors

In 2019, author Ever Obi, a novelist, who had never met Atuegwu but was inspired by her age at first publication, dedicated his first published novel, Men Don't Die, to Atuegwu saying for "Adaeze Atuegwu...in whose works and writings I found my childhood muses."^{[46][47][48][11][29][49]}

Awards

• 1993: World Health Day Essay Competition (Nigeria)^[6]
• 1994: Rotary International Award for Creativity^[1]
• 1995: Rotary International Award for Fostering Child Development^[11]
• 1996: Rotary International Award for Excellence in Writing^[50]
• 1996: Rotaract International Award for Creativity^[7]

Selected biographies

• Fate, Enugu: Fourth Dimensions Publishers, 1994,
  ISBN 978-2966-84-3
• Tears, Enugu: B-Teks Publishers, 1994, ISBN 978290404X; Cika Publishers, 1994,
  ISBN 978-2966-60-6
• Adventures of Nnanna, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 9783352911
• Chalet 9, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-0-3
• My Husband's Mistress, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-3-8
• The Magic Leaf, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-2-X
• Bina and the Birthday Cake: Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-4-6, 978-2904-05-8
• Bina and the Sailboat, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-8-9, 978-2904-06-6
• Bina at the Beach, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-2904-07-4
• Bina at the Supermarket, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-7-0, 978-2904-08-2
• Bina at the Airport, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-5-4, 978-2904-09-0
• Lizzy's First Year at School, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-33529-9-7
• Lizzy's Second Year at School, Enugu: Cika Publishers, 1995,
  ISBN 978-2966-12-6
• Lizzy's Third Year at School, Enugu, Cika Publishers, 1995