Writing this introduction took me ages to draft, as my nerves got the best of me. For some reason, introductions of any kind make me anxious—almost as much as goodbyes do. Maybe it’s fear of the unknown and of putting myself out there.
Nevertheless, permit me to briefly introduce myself.
👋 Hello Everyone!
My name is Anastasia Chimamaka. At home, everyone calls me by my native name—Chimamaka. Meanwhile, at school, I usually wrote my first name, Anastasia, on my exercise and textbooks, and it stuck with everyone else. I had my reasons for this.
I love both my names, but they are quite different. My native name ‘Chimamaka’ meaning, “My God is beautiful,” is powerful and fills me with pride. But, since it’s a common name among Igbo girls, I often found myself surrounded by namesakes. I went to an all girls school, and there were about five ‘Chiamaka’s’ in my class alone, we usually differentiated ourselves with our second names. That was how I became used to introducing myself as Anastasia.
Growing up, I didn’t know many ’Anastasia’s’, and my love for the name probably grew even more after watching the Disney animation about the ’Princess Anastasia’. Every girl has a princess in her, right?
After some trial and error with nicknames, I adopted the more unique version of ”Annie,” and so “Anny”** was born. The nickname stuck because not everyone I encountered could pronounce or spell Anastasia correctly. I figured a simple four-letter name like Anny wouldn’t be too difficult, and it usually isn’t, for some people.
🌍 My Roots: Where I Come From
Nigeria, with its 36 states and capital, has three major tribes (Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba), over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages, making it a culturally rich and diverse country. As some of you may have already guessed, I hail from the Igbo tribe. I am from the Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra state, one of the five Igbo states.
🏡 My Family & Birth Order
I come from a big and beautiful family of eight. My parents are from the same local government area and got married quite early. My mum is the strongest woman I know. She gave birth to six of us after waiting and praying for the fruit of the womb for eight years. My eldest sister, her first fruit, was her long-awaited blessing. I, on the other hand, am the youngest—the baby of the house.
Here’s the sequence of our birth:
- Eldest Sister (👩🦰 - Girl)
- Elder Brother (👦 - Boy)
- Another Elder Brother (👦 - Boy)
- Yet Another Elder Brother (👦 - Boy)
- Elder Sister (👩🦰 - Girl)
- And… Me! (👧 - Girl, the baby of the house!)
Growing up, I got into a lot of mischief with my brothers. By the time of my earliest memories, my eldest sister was already in university, and my immediate elder sister was living with my grandmother in the village to help her out. So, it was just me and my three brothers in the house. We’ll get into those childhood adventures in subsequent posts, along with the many ways life has shaped me into the woman I am today.
Smart. Strong. Silly.
📚 Education & Career Path
I am currently pursuing my undergraduate studies at the University of Calabar, Cross River State. I just entered my final year of a five-year program after enduring two years of ASUU strikes plus the 2020 lockdown. By the special grace of God, I will be graduating in July. 🎓✨
📖 My Passion for Reading & Writing
My love for reading started as a childhood hobby, and has gradually evolved into a passion for writing. As a child, I would exchange my small collection of storybooks and novels with friends just to ensure I always had something to bury my nose in every night after completing my chores and assignments by the dim light of our kerosene lantern. I even remember sometimes, during electricity outages or when the lantern was occupied, reading in my dark room, illuminated only by the faint glow of a neighbor’s security light whenever their generator was running. That’s probably why I’m myopic today.🤦🏾♀️ It’s well.
Oh, the things we did when we didn’t know better!
On the bright side, settling in with a good book has always given me a sense of fulfillment and contentment. This love for stories inspired me to start writing my own from a young age. In primary school, my little friends were my biggest supporters, though none of my stories were ever published.
I took the above picture with an iphone 7🤭
🎵🎬 Hobbies & Interests
Apart from reading and writing, I also enjoy:
- Hanging out with friends
- Listening to music, and watching movies - especially sci-fi, horror, and K-dramas.
- Exploring photography, videography, and travel (even though I’ve only been to four Nigerian states and have never traveled outside the country, yet)
💡 Why I’m Here & My Expectations
I am very excited about the opportunities this platform represents, and I look forward to cultivating my creativity with your support.
I promise we’ll get to know each other better soon. Thank you for having me!
🙌 Special Thanks & Shoutout
This Introductory post is a huge shoutout to a friend who introduced me to this platform and took time out of his busy schedule to guide me through the process.
In his words, “There’s an opportunity that I think you will benefit from. Do you still love to write? Call me!”
Thank you for remembering your old friend and her little hobby, I appreciate it ❤️ @ac-blog
With all my love,
Anny 💕