Christie Ade Ajayi
Born
Christie Aduke Martins

(1930-03-13) 13 March 1930
Ile Oluji, Ondo State, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
SpouseJ. F. Ade Ajayi

Christie Ade Ajayi (born 1930) is a Nigerian specialist in early childhood education. She is the author of various English-language books for young children, and has made a point of writing stories with a Nigerian setting that her readers can relate to. As well as having long experience of teaching she has been active in a number of organisations concerned with children and education.

Biography

Born Christie Aduke Martins on 13 March 1930 in Ile Oluji, Ondo State, Christie Ade Ajayi (also written Ade-Ajayi) went to Kudeti Girls' School in Ibadan (now known as St. Anne's School) and then to United Missionary College, Ibadan where she trained to be a teacher.[1] She also studied in London at the Froebel Institute[2] and then at the Institute of Education where she received a Diploma in Child Development in 1958.[1] Between 1952 and 1978 she taught in various schools in Nigeria and one in London, became a headmistress,[3] and also went to San Jose State University, California where she was awarded a Diploma in Elementary School Administration and Leadership in 1971.[1] She married J. F. Ade Ajayi in 1956 with whom she had five children.[4] A friend of the family has described her "outgoing nature" and the family's "hospitable house".[5]

Books

Ade Ajayi's experience in early years teaching led to a concern "with the learning needs of Nigerian children".[6] She was motivated to encourage preschoolers and beginner readers by offering them books that reflected their own experience and culture.[7] While enjoying stories and pictures of West African characters they could enlarge their vocabulary and develop reading skills.

Among her books are:

  • Ade, our naughty little brother, Ibadan: Onibonoje, 1974
  • The old story-teller, Ibadan: Onibonoje, 1975 (inspired by Yoruba folktales)
  • Akin goes to school, with Michael Crowder, African Universities Press; J. Murray 1978
  • Ali's bicycle, Ibadan: Macmillan, 1982
  • Emeka's dog, Ibadan: Macmillan, 1982
  • The book of animal riddles, Ibadan: Macmillan, 1982
  • Pictionary, Longman 1986
  • Which Way, Amina?, Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Ltd, 2001
  • The Big Yellow House, West African Book Publishers Limited, 2004[8][9]

Education expert

She has held a variety of leadership posts in educational organisations.[3] These include:

  • Founder of the Ibadan branch of the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP:Organisation Mondiale Pour L'Éducation Préscolaire) in 1986.[10] As a long-standing honorary member of OMEP she helped host their 2009 world assembly in Lagos.[11]
  • Chairman, Nursery School Board, University of Lagos[12]
  • Consultant in Early Childhood Education, University of Ibadan[13]
  • Member, Board of Governors, University of Lagos 1972-1978[1]
  • Member, Board of Governors, St. Mary's Girls School, Ikole-Ekiti, 1976-1980[1]

In 1993 the International Journal of Early Childhood published her article on 'Collaboration with other international agencies in community development programmes: The Nigerian experience'.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Henrietta C. Otokunefor, Obiageli C. Nwodo, Nigerian Female Writers: A Critical Perspective, Malthouse Press 1989, pp 99-100
  2. ↑ Philomena Osazee Esigbemi Fayose, Nigerian Children's Literature in English, AENL Educational Publishers, p70
  3. 1 2 Kunle Ifaturoti, Tinu Ifaturoti, To have and to hold, NPS Educational, 1994, p250
  4. ↑ JF Ade Ajayi obituary in The Guardian, 10 Sep 2014
  5. ↑ J. D. Y. Peel, J. F. ADE AJAYI: A MEMORIAL in Africa/ Volume 85 / Issue 04 / November 2015, pp 745-749
  6. ↑ G. D. Killam, Alicia L. Kerfoot, Student Encyclopedia of African Literature, ABC-CLIO 2008
  7. ↑ The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, Ed. Jack Zipes
  8. ↑ Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries
  9. ↑ WOMEN WRITING AFRICA
  10. ↑ Nigerian Tribune
  11. ↑ "OMEP world assembly, Lagos" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  12. ↑ Joy Gibson, Prue Chennells, Gifted children: looking to their future, Latimer New Dimensions 1976, p349
  13. ↑ F. Ajike Osanyin, Early childhood education in Nigeria, Concept Pub. Ltd. 2002
  14. ↑ International Journal of Early Childhood, October 1993, Volume 25, Issue 2, pp 66–68
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