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Tag: Chimamanda Adichie

  • 2023 elections deliberately manipulated, Chimamanda says in letter to Biden

    2023 elections deliberately manipulated, Chimamanda says in letter to Biden

    Award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has criticised the United States and other members of the international community for endorsing Nigeria’s president-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC), describing the process through which he emerged as unlawful.

    Nigeria held one of its most competitive Presidential elections on Saturday 25th February 25 2023 across all the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, after which Tinubu was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    However, the manner in which the elections were conducted has come under heavy scrutiny and criticism, with the opposition challenging the process and outcome through the court.

    Although the country’s last presidential elections were arguably the most competitive, it also recorded the lowest turn-out – only about 25. 2 million total votes were cast, even though INEC said it had distributed 87 million Permanent Voters’ Cards.

    Many have attributed the low voter turn-out to the late arrival of officials and election materials, inability to get accredited, voter suppression, voter intimidation and a cash crunch that had lasted more than a month.

    In an open letter to United States President Joe Biden, Adichie said the electoral commission reneged on its assurance to Nigerians as contained in the recently amended 2022 Electoral Act and failed to upload results of the presidential election in real-time, whereas, results of the National Assembly elections which were held at the same time were easily uploaded.

    “Some electoral workers in polling units claimed that they could not upload results because they didn’t have a password, an excuse that voters understood to be subterfuge,” she said.

    “Voters compared their cellphone photos with the uploaded photos and saw alterations: numbers crossed out and rewritten; some originally written in black ink had been rewritten in blue, some blunderingly whited-out with Tipp-Ex.

    “The election had been not only rigged, but done in such a shoddy, shabby manner that it insulted the intelligence of Nigerians,” the writer added.

    According to her, it came as a surprise when on March 1, the U.S. State Department congratulated Tinubu, despite noting that some of the parties had expressed frustration about the manner in which the process was conducted and the shortcomings of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS).

    “American intelligence surely cannot be so inept. A little homework and they would know what is manifestly obvious to me and so many others: The process was imperiled not by technical shortcomings but by deliberate manipulation,” she said and urged President Biden to distance himself from the position taken by the U.S. State Department.

    “Has the United States once again decided that what matters in Africa is not democracy but stability? The battle for influence in Africa will not be won by supporting the same undemocratic processes for which China is criticized.

    “Congratulating its outcome, President Biden, tarnishes America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democracy. Please do not give the sheen of legitimacy to an illegitimate process. The United States should be what it says it is.”

    Adichie reiterated that Nigeria was a symbolic crucible of Africa’s future, and a transparent election will rouse millions of other young Africans who were watching, and who long, too, for the substance and not the hollow form of democracy.

    If people have confidence in the democratic process, it engenders hope, and nothing is more essential to the human spirit than hope.

    She warned: “Lawlessness has consequences. Every day Nigerians are coming out into the streets to protest the election. Rage is brewing, especially among young people. The discontent, the despair, the tension in the air have not been this palpable in years.

    “The smouldering disillusionment felt by many Nigerians is not so much because their candidate did not win as because the election they had dared to trust was, in the end, so unacceptably and unforgivably flawed”.

  • International magazine rejected my photos for being too glamorous- Chimamanda Adichie

    International magazine rejected my photos for being too glamorous- Chimamanda Adichie

    Award winning author, Chimamanda Adichie has recalled how an international magazine rejected her photos for looking “too glamorous”.

    The award-winning author took to her Instagram page on Tuesday to put out a gallery of pictures which she said were rejected by the unidentified magazine.

    The pictures show a thinly made-up Chimamanda in a cream-white chiffon dress that sits elegantly under her heart-rending smile.

    In the caption, the writer said she’s sharing the “rejected” pictures for “their vanity-boosting benefits” and as an appreciation of the “talented people in Lagos” that worked on it.

    “It was a cover shoot for an international magazine. Or it was supposed to be. The magazine rejected the photos. They didn’t want me ‘looking too glamorous,’ they said,” she wrote.

    “And so the cover didn’t happen. What does one do with rejected photos but show them anyway, primarily for the vanity-boosting benefits of such an act, but also to celebrate and thank these talented people in Lagos.”

    In January 2019, Adichie became the first Nigerian to receive the United Nations Foundation’s Global Leadership Award.

    She has also received 14 Honorary Doctorate degrees from leading universities around the world,

     

  • We have a generation of young people afraid of having wrong opinions- Chimamanda Adichie

    We have a generation of young people afraid of having wrong opinions- Chimamanda Adichie

    Celebrated author, Chimamanda Adichie has penned a comprehensive essay about the conduct of young people on social media whom she says have become extremely critical and now part of a generation afraid of having wrong opinions.

    The feminist’s essay titled ‘It Is Obscene’ published on Tuesday night momentarily crashed her website due to traffic.

    The essay goes into Adichie’s relations with two unnamed writers who attended her Lagos writing workshop. Both later criticized her on social media for her remarks about transgender people and feminism in a 2017 Channel 4 interview, saying “a trans woman is a trans woman”.

    At the time, Adichie rejected the claim that she did not believe trans women were women, saying: “Of course they are women but in talking about feminism and gender and all of that, it’s important for us to acknowledge the differences in experience of gender.”

    Adichie’s essay narrates how she asked for her name to be removed from the author’s biography of a novel by one of the writers.

    According to her, the writer launched further attacks on social media, adding that “this person began a narrative that I had sabotaged their career”.

    Last year, the non-binary transgender author Akwaeke Emezi tweeted that two days after their novel, Freshwater, was published, “[Adichie] asked that her name be removed from my bio everywhere because of my tweets online. Most were about her transphobia.”

    Adichie says in her essay that “Asking that my name be removed from your biography is not sabotaging your career. It is about protecting my boundaries of what I consider acceptable in civil human behaviour.”

    Adichie writes that the other writer was initially “welcomed” but also “publicly insulted” her on social media.

    “It is a simple story – you got close to a famous person, you publicly insulted the famous person to aggrandize yourself, the famous person cut you off, you sent emails and texts that were ignored, and you then decided to go on social media to peddle falsehoods,” writes Adichie.

    Closing her essay, the author of Purple Hibiscus writes, “We have a generation of young people on social media so terrified of having the wrong opinions that they have robbed themselves of the opportunity to think and to learn and to grow.

    “I have spoken to young people who tell me they are terrified to tweet anything,that they read and reread their tweets because they fear they will be attacked by their own. The assumption of good faith is dead. What matters is not goodness but the appearance of goodness. We are no longer human beings. We are now angels jostling to out-angel one another. God help us. It is obscene.”

     

  • Prolific author, Chimamanda Adichie loses mother

    Prolific author, Chimamanda Adichie loses mother

    Mrs. Grace Ifeoma Adichie, the mother of renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is dead. She was 78 years old.

    Mrs Adichie’s demise happened on Monday, March 1st, 2021 in Awka, Anambra State.

    “It was very sudden and we are devastated,” a family spokesperson said.

    She is survived by her six children: Ijeoma, Uchenna, Chuks, Okechukwu, Chimamanda and Kenechukwu; as well as nine grandchildren, in-laws and many relatives.

    Funeral arrangements will be announced by her family later.

    TheNewsGuru recalls that Chimamanda lost her father back in 2020.The professor of statistics celebrated his 88th birthday on March 1, 2020.

    The Emeritus Professor of Statistics and Mathematics at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) hailed from Abba, Njikoka local government area of Anambra. He had been living in Nsukka since he retired.

  • Nigerian Catholicism too much about money, fundraising –Chimamanda Adichie

    Nigerian Catholicism too much about money, fundraising –Chimamanda Adichie

    Popular Nigerian novelist,Chimamanda Adichie has averred that she doesn’t attend the Catholic churches in Nigeria because activities became “way too much” about money, fundraising, and thanksgiving.

    She spoke of her uncertain approach to religion in a recent interview with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, a media personality.

    The award winning writer, while noting that she still considers herself a Catholic nominally, said she only attends masses outside the country whenever she finds a “progressive” Catholic community that upholds humanity.

    “I grew up Catholic. Catholicism was very important to me. It‘s almost like a culture, not just a religion. So even if you leave the Catholic Church, it’s in you. Today, I don’t like to talk about religion because I don’t know,” she said.

    “I think of myself as agnostic and questioning. Catholicism holds you tight. There are many other protestant denominations that are not so. It’s all-inclusive. ‘You cannot eat before mass. You have to go to confession.’

    “There are so many rules. It teaches you guilt in a way that I don’t think so many protestant denominations do. I’m Catholic, nominally. I still feel protective of some things about the Catholic Church. But I don’t attend it in Nigeria.”

    The Author of ‘Half of a yellow sun’ also spoke of her admiration for Pope Francis on account of his “attempt to reform” the system.

    “Nigerian Catholicism is way too much about money, fundraising, and thanksgiving. Some in the east even look at who’s wearing gold. I think the focus of religion should be things Nigerian Catholicism doesn’t focus on,” she said.

    “Culturally, I call myself a catholic. But if being religious means performing and going to confession, I’m not. I don’t go to church in Nigeria. Outside the country? Certainly not often. When I find a progressive Catholic Church, I go.

    “There’s still something beautiful about the mass. I find Latin beautiful, the priests sweeping up in their dresses, and the sense of community. But there’s also a lot that I quarrel with. It’s the pope I love because he’s so human.

    “Hyper-conservative Catholics don’t like him. But if they read Catholic history, they should know there have been people like him who have reformed the church. I respect religion in general while questioning some of its excesses.”

     

  • Anambra State Government applauds Chimamanda Adichie

    Anambra State Government applauds Chimamanda Adichie

    The government and people of Anambra State have lauded the world-class native daughter Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for being voted the best Women’s Prize for Fiction winner in the last quarter of a century.

     

    In a statement signed by Mr. C. Don Adinuba, Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, it was highlighted that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Half of a Yellow Sun has been voted the best book to have won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in its 25-year history.

     

    According to the statement, Chimamanda, who won the Orange Prize in 2007, was chosen in a public vote from a list of all 25 past winners that included such distinguished writers as Zadie Smith, the late Andrea Levy, Lionel Shriver, Rose Tremain and Maggie O’Farrell.

     

    Remarkably, the one-off award marks the anniversary of the prize, formerly known as the Orange Prize and the Bailey’s Prize. Chimamanda thus received a silver edition of the prize’s annual statuette, known as the Bessie.

     

    Anambra State is in celebratory mood like the author and playwright Kate Mosse, the founder and director of the UK-based prize, who congratulated Adichie and said she was “thrilled” Half of a Yellow Sun had won. In the words of Kate Mosse, “Our aim has always been to promote and celebrate the classics of tomorrow today and to build a library of exceptional, diverse, outstanding international fiction written by women.”

     

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State who had hosted Chimamanda Adichie on occasions believes that the world-famous author inspirits the Anambra essence of committed intellection, saying the award came “at a time the whole world is celebrating Chinua Achebe’s 90th birthday even though posthumously”.

     

    Published in 2006 and set in the mire of the Nigeria-Biafra War, Half of a Yellow Sun explores doomed love in a time of war, ethnic allegiances, class, race and female empowerment.

     

    An excellent novel of critical and commercial success, Half of a Yellow Sun has received global acclaim and was made into a film starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton in 2013.

     

    It is little wonder that Adichie said: “I’m especially moved to be voted Winner of Winners because this is the prize that first brought a wide readership to my work – and has also introduced me to the work of many talented writers.”

     

    The government and people of Anambra State believe that it is a matter of when, and not if, Chimamanda Adichie will win the esteemed Nobel Prize for Literature.

     

     

  • #EndSARS: Chimamanda Adichie rubbishes Buhari’s address to Nigerians, writes another speech for him

    #EndSARS: Chimamanda Adichie rubbishes Buhari’s address to Nigerians, writes another speech for him

    Bestselling author, Chimamanda Adichie, has written an address she says the President Muhammadu Buhari should have given to Nigerians in a national broadcast over #EndSARS protests in the country.

    Recall that Nigerians online and offline have bashed the president over his national wide broadcast on Thursday saying it deliberately left out important issues.

    However, Adichie in a piece titled, ‘The Address President Buhari Could Have Given: A speculative piece’ on Friday, saying Buhari should have acknowledged the killing of peaceful protesters by soldiers in Lekki, Lagos, accepted blame for it and ordered an immediate investigation.

    She wrote: “I condole with the families of those who were killed and with all those who were injured. I have ordered an immediate investigation and have directed that a report be presented to me in the next five days.

    “As commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, the ultimate responsibility is mine.This is not a time for vague words or generic promises. This is a time for action and I am determined to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice.”

    She added that the President should also have directed that all hospital bills of those injured in the attack should be paid by the Federal Government and announced compensation for the families of victims.

    The President addressed the nation on Thursday, two days after the Lekki killings and two weeks after youths demanding disbanding of SARS began protests. Buhari had come under heavy public criticism for his silence after the killings and attendant unrest across the country.

    Eminent Nigerians and #EndSARS protesters also berated Buhari over his failure to comment on the shooting of protesters by soldiers in Lagos in his broadcast, saying it was devoid of empathy.

    The writer added that the President should have also made it clear in his address that abuse of innocent citizens would not be tolerated “in the name of law and order”.

    She said the President’s address should also have stated, “Let me also acknowledge that mistakes were made in the security provided during the protests. Thugs should never have been allowed to infiltrate the protests. There were failures of policing during the protests.

    She concluded by saying Buhari’s address should have noted that he would address Nigerians again in another one week and “update you on the ongoing plans to restore our country”.

  • Chimamanda joins Patrick Lumumba at biennial Face of Okija cultural pageant

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, multiple award-winning author and Patrick Lumumba, renowned Kenyan activist, have been named as special guests at the 5th edition of the Face of Okija cultural pageant.

    The multicultural event is scheduled to hold on Saturday, December 29, at the ObiJackson Sports Arena, in Okija, Anambra state.

    The biennial event, which will include a pageant and an array of activities, will richly display the African culture, with special focus on the Igbo heritage of eastern Nigeria.

    As a highlight, Ms. Adichie and Professor Lumumba will speak on deep aspects of the African culture in line with the theme of the event titled: ‘Re-Engineering our morals the African way’.

    Thrilling performances are expected from Afropop star Davido and Nigerian rapper Zoro, with Bovi, Funnybone and Ojinika as hosts.

    The Nkpokiti dancers, Atilogwu dancers, Igbo Jaa Ogene Group, Ohafia war dancers, Obi Troop (Hunter’s dance) are also on the line up.

    The event will also showcase a special feature on the ObiJackson Women and Children’s Hospital and the ways in which the hospital is transforming maternal, neonatal and child health care in Nigeria.

    The Face of Okija cultural pageant was established by the ObiJackson Foundation in 2013, with a focus on “addressing the degenerating moral standards of the young generation in our present day society”.

     

  • Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie honoured for fight against hunger

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie honoured for fight against hunger

    Action Against Hunger, an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has honoured foremost Nigerian novelist and international acclaimed fiction writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, for her contributions towards eliminating hunger and malnutrition.

    Adichie was presented with the award at the organization’s 19th annual gala, which took place in New York City on Tuesday, October 30, 2018.

    Explaining why Chimamanda was selected as the 2018 recipient, the international NGO said she is part of a large community of people who leverage their visibility and voices on behalf of others in the fight against hunger.

    “Chimamanda Adichie was selected to accept the 2018 Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award because we are inspired by her unwavering support of women and refugees. As a transformational storyteller who brings diversity, complexity, and humanity to all her professional projects, ranging from best-selling books to TED talks, her work aligns perfectly with Action Against Hunger’s mission and vision,” the NGO said.

     

    “We are honored that Ms. Adichie has accepted our annual Humanitarian Award.

    Commenting on the award and on the work of Action Against Hunger, Ms. Adichie said: “There is so much about the world today that makes me feel close to despair. But we cannot afford despair. It is important to remember that there is also much generosity and kindness in the world. And the work of Action Against Hunger is proof of that. We as individuals may not be able to change the whole world but we can change a small slice of it for the better.”

    Past recipients of the Action Against Hunger Award include the late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Oprah Winfrey.

    The humanitarian award caps off a growing list of accolades the renowned author has received in the last three months.

  • Duke University confers honorary degree on Chimamanda Adichie

    Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has received an honorary degree from the prestigious Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

    The Enugu-born writer of short stories and non- fiction shared photos of the honour ceremony via her Facebook page.

    She was among the few recipients of the honorary degree from the university and they were all described as “people making changes in the world in very extensive ways.”

    The President of Duke University, Vincent E. Price, had earlier in March confirmed that the’’ Americanah’’ author was on the list of recipients.

    Adichie received the award alongside Marry Bara, Chairman of General Motors, Phil Freelon, lead architect for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

    Other recipients were: Former Durham Mayor William Bell, Dr. William Kaelin, professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Russell M. Robinson II, attorney, community leader and philanthropist.

    The honour has further enriched Adichie’s richly adorned cap of trophy in recent times.

    Earlier in March, her book Americanah’’, was recognised as one of 15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way fiction was being written and read in the 21st century.

    Adichie had been featured severally in the New York Times, including being a part of the magazine’s ‘Greats’ List in 2017.

    In 2008, she was awarded a Mcarthur Genius Grant and was described in The Times Literary Supplement as “the most prominent” of a procession of globally acclaimed young anglophone authors, among other recognitions.