Ziri was born during the Nigerian-Biafran war to parents of Igbo origin in today’s south-eastern Nigeria. His parents named him Chikeziri (which literally translates to “God created well”), a prophetic and unique name coined by his father who rejected the more common version “Chikezie” (which more or less was a prayer for God to make good the life of the bearer of the name), because, as he put it, “God has already created him very well.” He was also given an equally prophetic and unique second name, Chiwetaudo (literally, “God bring peace”), his father’s prayer for peace in the war-torn country. God answered. The war ended on January 15, 1970, four months and six days after Chiwetaudo was born.

The prophetic and historic which underlay his birth and childhood remained an integral part of Ziri’s life as he grew up. His primary education took him away from his home in the south-east to the historic Boussa (or Bussa) in north-central Nigeria, the location of the famous Kainji Dam. He eventually attended one of the “Unity Schools”, in Minna, established in every state of the country after the war with the objective of fostering peace and reconciliation throughout the country. He returned to the south-east for his undergraduate studies after which he relocated to the south-west, in the historic city of Ibadan, for the mandatory national service, thus traversing the north and south of Nigeria.

For several years, he lived and worked in Nigeria working in professional accountancy, with Coopers and Lybrand (now part of PwC), business administration and management, and banking and finance before the hand of fate migrated him out from the African shores into Europe, in the United Kingdom where he now resides.
Although deeply philosophical by nature, and often inspired to put his thoughts down in writing, he never had thought of himself as a writer, at least not in a professional sense. That was until a series of supernatural events in his adult life catapulted him into writing leading to his first published book Life: A Mystery Solved (WestBow Press; June 2016). His other works include a revised and updated edition of Life: A Mystery Solved, Being Black: Rediscovering A Lost Identity, and Pagan World: Deception And Falsehood In Religion. As he ventured further into writing, the poet in him would subsequently be unveiled. He writes from his heart driven by inspiration, originality, and authenticity. And aims to inform, inspire, and motivate. One of his favourite maxims is “What will be will be.” Another is “Make the most of now.” Both are truths which largely underlie his general conduct.

From drinking two glasses of water first thing after waking up each morning, no matter the season; doing stretches, sit-ups and push-ups regularly; to going for frequent walks whenever the opportunity presents itself, his passion for a healthy lifestyle is above average. He is also an enthusiastic long distance runner, the self-titled The Running Man. His other hobbies include travelling and photography.
Ziri is family-oriented and prefers to keep his family affairs private.