AdminTitle of the Book: Destined for the Ivory Tower: An Autobiography of Victor Anosa
Author: Professor Victor Anosa, FAS
Join our WhatsApp ChannelPublisher: Kraft Books Limited, Ibadan,
Year of Publication: 2024
Reviewer: Dr Marcel Mbamalu, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Prime Business Africa
Introduction and Book Context
Victor Anosa’s Destined for the Ivory Tower is an absorbing autobiographical account that offers both a personal and cultural portrait of Nigeria from the mid-20th century to the present. He portrays his journey from rural childhood to academic excellence, giving an insight into Nigerian immediate pre-independence and postcolonial identity, educational evolution, and communal values. Each chapter moves beyond self-narration to reveal broader sociocultural transformations, positioning Anosa’s life story as a national symbol.
The book aligns with a tradition of African autobiographies like Achebe’s There Was a Country and Soyinka’s Aké, blending emotional candour, historical depth, and cultural richness. Structured with scholarly clarity, yet animated by emotional and spiritual insight, Anosa’s narrative reflects a purposeful storytelling ethos. His journey is deeply rooted in Igbo cosmology and Christianity, capturing how traditional beliefs and Christian doctrines coexisted and shaped moral development.
The opening chapters richly depict Ojoto, a town imbued with ancestral spirituality, Christian influences, strong communal ties, and peaceful non-violent co-existence of traditional religion and Christianity. Thus, oral traditions, sacred trees, and revered shrines stand beside churches and schools, and many heathen parents sent their children to churches and schools. The story of Anosa’s early years is filled with meaningful encounters: his father’s moral strength, his mother’s devotion and wisdom, and the teachings of elders all foster a grounding in discipline, respect, and communal responsibility. Childhood memories like walking miles to school, participating in festivals, and learning from rural life symbolize both a personal and collective evolution.
Professor Charles Okigbo’s foreword eloquently sets the tone for what becomes a compelling national allegory. His tribute elevates Anosa’s journey to that of a moral and intellectual odyssey, emblematic of post-independence Nigeria’s potential and complexity. By portraying Anosa’s experiences as sociological and inspirational, Okigbo, who hails from Ojoto, highlights the book’s dual register: one of rigorous scholarship and the other of cultural witness. This makes the autobiography comparable to Wole Soyinka’s Aké: The Years of Childhood or Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s Dreams in a Time of War, where the personal becomes a portal into collective memory and national identity. Okigbo also underscores the memoir’s dual role as civic testimony and intellectual reflection, comparable to works by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o or Camara Laye in The African Child. Anosa’s depiction of pre- and primary-school life at Enuogwugwu CMS Central School captures more than education; it embodies cultural continuity, hardship, and aspiration. Places like the Oye Market and Ukpakaoto shrine, as well as school experiences under figures like “Attack”, the Headmaster, vividly paint a society in transition.
READ ALSO: Hard Work, Faith In God Took Me To The Top – Alakija
The Preface and Introduction firmly position Anosa as a hybrid figure: intellectually cosmopolitan yet deeply rooted in indigenous knowledge. His humility in stating his non-celebrity status as an academic is disarming, while his reasons for writing are profoundly civic, i.e., to record the lived experiences that shaped not just a man but an era. His critique of Nigeria’s erosion of values, contrasted with the cultural tenacity of Asian nations, relieves the sentiments of Chinua Achebe in There Was a Country. Both writers mourn the missed opportunities of postcolonial Africa and offer memory as resistance against cultural amnesia.
In Chapter One, Anosa tells a gripping story of an upbringing marked by the symbolic and practical lessons of rural life: greeting elders, spiritual devotion, and communal labour. Rivers, roads, and farmlands are not just backdrops but metaphors for a life of constant learning and transformation. The author’s moral compass is forged through spiritual teachings and the expectations of his community, and this ultimately framed his educational pursuit as a divine calling.
The book wonderfully weaves the group and personal history of Ojoto, a town with a bountiful Igbo heritage and the redemptive way of Christianity. The author’s town of birth, Oraifite, and upbringing in Ojoto Obiofia indicate a cultural transformation from orthodox religion to Christianity, a transition orchestrated initially by early converts like Warrant Chief Ezenwile and subsequently by the Okonkwo family, Phillip Okoye, Stephen Mojekwu and the author’s father, Victor Obumneme Anosa. These were key figures in introducing the new faith, with Anglican and Catholic churches serving as foci of spiritual existence and education.
Ojoto’s setting is coloured by its connection with sacred nature and communal spaces. The metaphorical Iroko tree, whose uprooting meant the passing away of two highly revered cousins, namely, Nwokafor Muogbo and Victor Anosa, represent ancestral spirituality and metaphysical worldviews. The land itself is legendary, hosting such ancient settlements as Ezinkwo and the Agba-Ududu legacy of oral history of oaths, which indicate peaceful neighborhood life and which subsequent land disputes were settled through ancestral deliberations and oaths sworn before oracles. Such rich heritage is indicative of a value for ancestral land. Spiritual phenomena such as reincarnation and dream visitation serve to span the material and metaphysical realms in aid of the richness of Igbo cosmology.
Chapter two continues with a tribute to Ojoto’s evolving landscape, recalling a time when childhood was balanced between work and joy, folklore and modernity. The Idemili River and vibrant market days reflect a town alive with tradition and development. Notable personalities, communal investments in education, and youth associations all demonstrate a people’s readiness and determination to grow.In essence, Destined for the Ivory Tower is a cultural chronicle, a spiritual journey, and an intellectual biography. It reflects the heartbeat of a generation moulded by ancestral wisdom, colonial transitions, and the power of education. Through Anosa’s journey, the reader experiences a deeply personal yet profoundly communal odyssey: one destined to inspire, inform, and endure.
Early episodes, such as his preference for scolding over physically beating classmates and his deliberate avoidance of romantic distractions, point to a maturing self-discipline and a value system rooted in personal responsibility.
Chapter three highlights the transition from rural Ojoto – a time of stream-fetching, and traditional chores – to Ngwa High School (NHS), a symbol of postcolonial aspiration founded by the Ngwa community and the Anglican Church, with Rev W. G. Pollard as Principal. NHS’s academic and moral atmosphere, which was embodied in the school’s motto, “Teach them the good way wherein they should walk,” fostered his transformation. Landmark experiences such as in dormitory life, morning devotions, Anglican services, inter-house sports, and guidance from figures like Onyenkuzi Zephaniah Ejiofor and his classmate Ifeanyi Enechukwu anchor NHS as a crucible for moral and intellectual development. A leap from 27th at the end of class one to 5th position in class three, and the best in WAEC with six As brought social elevation, yet his humility reflects cultural values. His rise was aided by a robust support network involving Ojoto Improvement Union, extended family in Ahoada and Port Harcourt. This portrays the Igbo communal ethic of onyeaghala nwanneya (“let no one leave their kin behind”).
Chapter four chronicles Anosa’s time at Government College Umuahia (GCU), an elite institution owned by Eastern Nigeria where tail-cutting, “barrel night,” and strict hierarchies met intellectual rigour. Academically, the college is portrayed as a model of excellence. The author fondly recalls the quality of instruction, especially in the sciences, crediting teachers like Mr. Setthi (Chemistry), Mr. Okezie (“OkeZoo” for Zoology), and Dr. Thomas (Botany) for their impactful methods and professionalism. Practical classes, rich textbooks, and a strong peer learning environment ensured deep academic engagement.
The memoir is rich in character portrayals at GCU, using nicknames and anecdotes to build a portrait of his classmates and friends. These personal stories provide an intimate view of life at the time and highlight the camaraderie that grew despite—or perhaps because of—the harsh environment. He shares memories of friends like Agumanu (“Volume”), Eze (“MPOE”), and Victor Iloabachie (“Impapa”), emphasizing how jokes, bonds, and even small rebellions helped them cope with regimentation. GCU is also the alma mater of Chinua Achebe, Christopher Okigbo, Saro Wiwa, Elechi Amadi and Sculptor Ben Enweonwu.
As a young Science Tutor at NHS in the 1960s, Anosa’s early career reflects post-independence optimism. His residence at NHS, interactions with figures like Miss Arlene Tokar (a Peace Corps volunteer), and his experiences with Rex Cinema, Morris Minor taxis, and All Saints CMS Primary School paint a nostalgic and dynamic portrait of a Nigeria in transition. Intellectual icons like Ken Saro-Wiwa and role models like Mr. Amadi and Mrs. Ada Meniru hint at the ambitions of Nigeria’s educational elite. His teaching philosophy (prioritizing clarity, structure, and inspiration) emerged from this vibrant context, even as his career path veered from Biochemistry to Veterinary Medicine due to peer influence, exposing the unpredictability of educational journeys in Africa.
Chapter Six narrates Anosa’s first experiences at the University of Ibadan, with a Federal Government scholarship in 1964, and a university scholarship at the end of the first year awarded to the brightest students. The arches of Trenchard Hall, the vibrancy of Sultan Bello Hall, and the clatter of lecture halls symbolized intellectual promise and induced Anosa to reject a German scholarship to study medicine. Anosa’s memoir is, ultimately, a layered narrative of transformation through education, which was powered by family, community, faith, and grit. It celebrates the interplay of individual talent and communal support, capturing a Nigeria where education was once a noble journey, not merely a means to an end.
READ ALSO: Professor Victor Anosa Launches Stirring Autobiography: ‘Destined For The Ivory Tower’
Chapter Seven, on the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), offers a visceral portrayal of a country and a personal world forever altered. The war quickly devolved into a humanitarian tragedy shaped by youthful military inexperience, internal ambition, and foreign interference, especially Britain’s oil-driven support for Nigeria. While his village was spared occupation, incidents like the lynching of a man accused of theft marked the erosion of moral order. Biafra’s fall in January 1970, followed by Ojukwu’s flight and the peaceful entry of Nigerian troops into Ojoto, closed a tragic chapter. Anosa admired Ojukwu’s courage and lamented the international complicity, quoting the then British High Commissioner, who encouraged Nigerian leaders to repudiate the Aburi Accord. The war’s toll is best captured in his reflection: “All of us were suddenly uprooted from a secured path to a good life…”, a sentiment now reflected in modern-day academic disruptions caused by prolonged strikes.
In Chapter Eight, “Return Journey to Ibadan,” Anosa’s trek from war-ravaged Ojoto to Ibadan via a damaged Niger Bridge symbolizes both loss and recovery. With poignant Igbo idioms and folk songs like “Kwashiorkor, nodunma na aghaa aebigoooo,” he narrates a landscape torn by conflict but bound by kinship and resilience. As expected, Anosa dominated his class, winning all the prizes and passing out with three distinctions. His sacrifice of an offer for a Cambridge Ph.D. on scholarship for family welfare due to the tragic death of his brother Joseph is a testimony of Igbo communal values. Scenes in Ibadan’s Agbowo and visits to Fulani farmlands and Ikenne reflect Nigeria’s diversity and the stark postwar rebuilding.
In Chapter Nine, “The Dream Achieved,” the story moves from postwar struggle to Anosa’s rise to become a Professor of Veterinary Pathology at 40. The University of Ibadan, with symbols like Tedder Hall, Moor Plantation, Amina Way and Chapel of Resurrection, became a platform for academic rebirth and moral consolidation. His global journeys from Ibadan to Glasgow, to Guelph, Canada, then Davis, California, mirrored academic rigour, racial trials and cultural exchange. He encountered global scholars like Professors T. T. Isoun, Jerry Kaneko, and George Urquhart, with financial support from institutions such as the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Health Organisation.
Chapters Ten and Eleven chronicle Anosa’s mature years, balancing research and, by mid-career, preparations for retirement through investments. International collaborations, especially at ILRAD in Nairobi, deepened Anosa’s research outputs, and offered cultural insights into Kikuyu–Luo relations and a contrast to Nigeria’s inter-ethnic struggles. Shared moments, like betting that Nigeria would reach the finals of AFCON 1988 football match despite losing the opening match by five goals to one to hosts Algeria with fellow Africans, with curved index fingers on both sides, humanize his scholarly journeys. This period reflects the author’s strategic balancing of academic advancement and financial foresight, leveraging international opportunities ILRAD, and others like research visits on German DAAD and return visits to Davis USA, as well as local sabbaticals at UNN and Umudike for financial leverage.
Returning to Ojoto in September 2010 after 46 years at UI, Anosa reinvested in agriculture and community leadership through the Ojoto South Development Union, while staying active in academia at Umudike for thirteen years.
The deaths of his brother and sister-in-law and the medical ordeal involving his son Obi (spanning Umuahia, New Delhi, and Bangalore) expose Nigeria’s healthcare failures. Despite his medical expertise, Anosa felt powerless abroad, reflecting the vulnerability even professionals face in opaque systems. “I had no voice,” he reflects, a stark contrast to his commanding presence in academia. Fortunately, his story ends not in retreat but renewal: a scholar reconnecting with his roots, serving his nation, and chronicling a legacy forged through pre- and post-independence Nigeria, war, education, sacrifice, and homecoming.
Victor Anosa also reflects on his retirement transition while remaining connected to academia. Anosa’s symbolic return to Ojoto after 46 years was therefore not a matter of retreating into retirement. He reinvested in farming and community leadership as General Chairman of Ojoto South Development Union. For twelve years. Despite initial unfamiliarity with younger villagers, he earned their respect, blending traditional leadership and leadership ethos in the ivory tower, with developmental vision.
In the end, Anosa’s story is one of cycles, displacement and return, scholarship and sacrifice, power and vulnerability. Through it all, his enduring commitment to education, community, and family remains his most profound legacy. Destined for the Ivory Tower will make a compelling read for scholars of African history, cultural critics, children in secondary schools and universities and their parents, and indeed anyone seeking to understand Nigeria’s pre-independence and post-independence culture and life as they interplayed with Christianity, as well a post-war evolution through the lived experiences of one of its distinguished academics. It is both a personal chronicle and a cultural document. The autobiography is deeply reflective, historically grounded, and morally resonant.
Anosa’s literary style is marked by clarity, sincerity, and a measured pace that allows for introspection without indulgence. His prose avoids flamboyance in favor of accessible language, making the book appealing to a broad readership. The use of Igbo proverbs, biblical allusions, and reflective anecdotes enriches the narrative with stages of cultural and philosophical depth. Culturally, the book is a tribute to the enduring values of hard work, humility, and faith that underpin many African success stories. It challenges the contemporary tendency to separate academic excellence from moral or spiritual grounding, proposing instead a holistic model of development.
The “ivory tower” metaphor is not merely a reference to the university system but a symbolic expression of destiny shaped by divine orchestration and human agency. The author’s journey, though deeply personal, becomes emblematic of many Nigerian youths navigating the complex interplay of socio-economic hardship, educational aspiration, and spiritual calling.
