About Chika
Dr. Chika Esiobu is a multifaceted professional, encompassing roles as a researcher, non-fiction and fiction writer, college professor, and public intellectual. She earned her Ph.D. in African Studies from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where her academic journey began to focus on the underappreciated yet pivotal role of Indigenous knowledge in global discourse. This doctoral research has significantly influenced her career trajectory.
Dr. Esiobu authored the book "Indigenous Knowledge and Education in Africa" (Springer 2020) and has contributed prolifically to academic discourse through numerous journal articles, book chapters, and essays. Her intellectual reach has transcended borders, as she has been invited to share her ideas across various countries, institutions, and platforms, including TED Global, Yale University, Cambridge University, the London School of Economics, the Pan-African Parliament, the United Nations Development Program, the African Union, the Social Science Research Council, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and Standard Bank South Africa, among others.
Dr. Esiobu has had the opportunity to lend her expertise as a consultant to the World Bank Africa Region, contributing her insights to projects centered on education, health, and agriculture. Among her notable research projects is a study conducted in collaboration with the International Development Research Center (IDRC) Canada, which explores the use of indigenous technology to create employment opportunities for women in rural areas of Rwanda. Her research affiliations extend to esteemed organizations such as the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), and the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC).
Dr. Esiobu's initial venture into fiction writing yielded remarkable results, as her very first attempt earned her a coveted spot among the final six manuscripts shortlisted for the Penguin Publishers Award for African Writing, out of a pool of 250 submissions. Dr. Esiobu picks up a constant flow of stories that beckon to be penned; she eagerly anticipates the day when her schedule will grant her the freedom to indulge in this passion. She is presently a contributing columnist for the PanAfrican Review Magazine.
Dr. Esiobu's international experiences have taken her to live and work in four countries across three continents. Through her extensive travels, she has cultivated values such as integrity, dignity, respect for both herself and others, a preference for cooperation over competition, and a relentless thirst for knowledge.
In addition to her writings, Dr. Esiobu currently serves as a visiting assistant professor of African studies at Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, California, where she continues to inspire and educate the next generation of scholars and thinkers.