Professor James Nwoye Adichie, father of renowned novelist, Chimamanda is dead, The Nation reports.

He was 88.

A family source told The Nation Thursday in Awka, Anambra State the erudite academic died on Wednesday night .

He was admitted at the Chira Memorial Hospital in Awkuzu, Oyi local government area of the State.

The Emeritus Professor of Statistics and Mathematics at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) hailed from Abba, Njikoka local government area of Anambra State.

The first Nigerian Professor of Statistics celebrated his 88th birthday on March 1.

Adichie was a member of International Statistical Institute (ISI) since 1978 and member, Governing Council of (ISI) 1985-1987.

The member of Education Committee (ISI) 1987 became a Professor of Statistics in 1976.

He had been living in Nsukka since he retired