Prof. Christie Achebe, our mother, turns 90. By Chidi Achebe

Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com,  first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet

Prof. Christie Chinwe Achebe, the beloved wife of the late literary legend Prof.Chinua Achebe, has turned 90 years, and the global Achebe family is celebrating the milestone with deep gratitude and joy.

Her son, Dr. Chidi Achebe, shared a heartfelt birthday tribute,  reflecting on her life, her enduring grace, and her quiet but powerful influence — especially —  within the iconic Achebe family.

“Ekenedili Chukwunna! To God be the Glory! Happy 90th Birthday Mother,” Chidi wrote, celebrating her not just as a mother and grandmother, but as a woman of strength and elegance. “Quiet… ‘Odozingwulu,’ Matriarch of the Chinua Achebe clan, child of God, beautiful person inside and out; elegance and class personified – who made it possible for him [Chinua Achebe] to ‘fly.’”

While much has been written and said about Chinua Achebe – renowned author of Things Fall Apart and advocate for social justice, Chidi reminds the world of the formidable woman who stood beside him through it all: Prof. Christie Achebe.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Professor Christie Achebe attended Queen’s College, Lagos. She holds a B.A. in History from the University of London (1960), a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (1961), an M.A. in Counseling from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1972), and an Ed.D. in Counseling from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1975).

Over her decades-long academic career, she held various prominent teaching and administrative roles in Nigeria and the United States, including professorial positions at Bard College in New York and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She served as Acting Head of the Department of Education at UNN and held visiting professorships at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Christie Achebe is also an accomplished author, having published four books and over 60 scholarly works. Her notable titles include The World of the Ogbanje, Fundamentals of Guidance and Counseling, and Theories of Individual Counseling: Relevance to the Nigerian Situation.

Chidi Achebe’s tribute sums up the family’s sentiment: “We know you will cringe at the publicity, but we must celebrate you, Mother.”

Indeed, this first weekend of August 25, 2025, millions around the world join the Achebe family in honoring an extraordinarily accomplished quiet pillar of strength, a trailblazer in education, and a matriarch of legacy.

Happy 90th Birthday, Professor Christie Achebe!

Chidi Achebe, MD, MPH, MBA, is Chairperson and CEO, African Integrated Development Enterprise Inc. He served as the president and CEO of Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, and medical director of Whittier Street Health Center in Massachusetts.