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Tag: Chimamanda Adichie

  • Obama visits Africa, recommends Achebe, Chimamanda’s books for summer read

    Obama visits Africa, recommends Achebe, Chimamanda’s books for summer read

    Former U.S. President, Barack Obama, has recommended Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” and Chimamanda Adichie’s “Americanah” among six books for the 2018 Summer reading list.

    Obama took to his Twitter handle to announce the six all-African authored books ahead of his first visit to Africa since leaving office on Jan. 20, 2017.

    The visit would take him to Kenya and South Africa.

    Obama wrote: “Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a true classic of world literature.

    “This novel paints a picture of traditional society wrestling with the arrival of foreign influence, from Christian missionaries to British colonialism.

    “A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa and around the world.

    “Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: From one of the world’s great contemporary writers comes the story of two Nigerians making their way in the U.S. and the UK, raising universal questions of race and belonging, the overseas experience for the African diaspora and the search for identity and a home’’.

    The other books suggested by the former U.S. leader included “A Grain of Wheat” by Ngugi wa Thiong’o and “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela.

    The first Black U.S. president born to a Kenyan father, described Africa as “a continent of wonderful diversity, thriving culture and remarkable stories’’.

    He also announced the launch of a civic leadership programme by the Obama Foundation after selecting 200 rising leaders from 44 African countries, holding on July 14 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    “This week, I’m travelling to Africa for the first time since I left office – a continent of wonderful diversity, thriving culture, and remarkable stories.

    “I was proud to visit sub-Saharan Africa more times than any other sitting President, and I’ll return this week to visit Kenya and South Africa.

    “In South Africa, the Obama Foundation will convene 200 extraordinary young leaders from across the continent and I’ll deliver a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth.

    “Kenya, of course, is the Obama ancestral home.

    “I visited for the first time when I was in my twenties and I was profoundly influenced by my experiences – a journey I wrote about in my first book, ‘Dreams from My Father’.

    “Over the years since, I’ve often drawn inspiration from Africa’s extraordinary literary tradition.

    “As I prepare for this trip, I wanted to share a list of books that I’d recommend for summer reading, including some from a number of Africa’s best writers and thinkers – each of whom illuminate our world in powerful and unique ways,’’ the 44th U.S. president said.

  • I’m sorry for men; they can’t have babies –Chimamanda

     

    Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has declared that she feels sorry for men because they can’t have the experience of giving birth.

    The award winning author author made this known during an interview with Vulture. In the interview, she said becoming a mommy showed her “a new emotional plane” that has added value to her writing.

    “My baby happened, and it’s important to talk honestly about this, because having her changed a lot.

    “Having a child gets in the way of writing. It does. You can’t own your time the way you used to.

    “But the other thing that motherhood does — and I kind of feel sorry for men that they can’t have this — is open up a new emotional plane that can feed your art.”

    Chimamanda also made a shocking confession saying she thought she would not be a good mother because she was “so dedicated to [her] art” to the point that she used to think she wouldn’t be a good mother.

    “I said to myself, I have nephews and nieces who I adore, and I helped raise them, so those will be my children. That’s what I thought for a long time, because I felt that I couldn’t be true to both my art and my child”, the Americanah author recounted.

    Recall that in time past, the celebrated author had stirred controversy over some of her unpopular views.

    I was assaulted sexually at the age of 17- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie[Video]

  • Hillary Clinton updates Twitter bio after session with Chimamanda Adichie

    Hillary Clinton updates Twitter bio after session with Chimamanda Adichie

    Following her promise to Chimamanda Adichie at the PEN World Voices Festival, former US secretary of State Hillary Clinton has updated her Twitter bio. This comes after the organisers of the 2018 PEN World Voices Festival, rated Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichies session as their most popular.

    Themed “Resist and Reimagine” the festival held last week in New York where Adichie had a dialogue with American Lawyer and Politician Hillary Clinton on “The future of Women and Girls around the world”

    In a statement, Suzanne Nossel, CEO of Pen America wrote “We want to thank Chimamanda Adichie for making the closing evening of our 2018 PEN World Voices Festival so memorable and so moving. We put on hundreds of events each year and have been privileged to host many luminaries, but that night was an absolute stand-out along every dimension. “

    “We cannot imagine anyone else who could have shared a stage with the legendary Hillary Rodham Clinton with as much poise and grace. Her warmth and openness was met in kind, giving us a glimpse of Secretary Clinton that few are fortunate enough to see. “

    “We have been inundated with emails from those who attended and were so thankful to witness what has become our most popular and thought-provoking session. When we need the very best that the literary community has to offer, we are grateful we can turn to Chimamanda, and she never disappoints.”

    Adichie’s session went viral on social media when she questioned why Hillary Clinton chose to lead her social media bio with her personal accomplishments. Adichie said she wanted to know if it was Clinton’s choice to first identify as wife.

    Clinton’s Twitter bio now reads: “2016 Democratic Nominee, SecState, Senator, hair icon, Mom, Wife, Grandma x2, lawyer, advocate, fan of walks in the woods & standing up for our democracy.”

  • Daddy Freeze blasts Chimamanda Adichie over feminist comment against Hillary Clinton

    Controversial on-air personality, Daddy Freeze has criticized award-winning author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, for saying she was “upset” that Hillary Clinton’s Twitter bio starts with “wife”.

    Daddy Freeze said he is torn between anger and respect as he was once a huge fan of Adichie’s literary work.

    His open letter addressed Adichie and posted on social media on Tuesday read:

    “Dear Chimamanda, I used to be a huge fan until I read your interview with Hillary Clinton.

    “Now I’m somewhere in the vesica pisces, torn between the enormous respect I had for the quality of your work and anger for what you are beginning to brandish.

    “Let me set the record straight, I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton, so I’m not jumping in as her guardian angel. As a matter of fact, I completely disagree with most of the decisions she took while in office.

    “Besides this however, woman to woman, what Hillary has achieved, in my opinion, you NEVER CAN, ‘no be beans’, so you suggesting how she should be addressed is what we Yorubas call ‘Iwosi’.

    “Even Obama refers to himself as a dad first, husband second, so what’s your point exactly? Why can’t Hillary be addressed as wife first, if she so chooses?

    “Could your utterances be stemming from inadequacies you need to attend to? You might consider investigating this.

    “Now, let me warn you, there are no dividing forces greater than color, race, gender and tribe. These factors continue to ensure humanity remains segregated. This table you are shaking has vast consequences even you didn’t bargain for.

    “People have been over the last two years, urging me to preach about Jesus being black and I never have, do you know why? Because I DONT CARE ABOUT HIS COLOR, it’s irrelevant, I care about HIS MESSAGE!

    “In the same vein, I follow you simple because of your message, NOT BECAUSE OF YOUR GENDER OR COLOR OR TRIBE. So kindly keep the focus on the message, which in my opinion is excellent.

    “Don’t mar it by demarcating yourself into a ‘gender’, unless of course you are employing this as a marketing tool, which, please be warned, has its own repercussions!”

    Adichie sparked controversy after making the statement at the PEN World Voices Festival on Sunday.

    Dear Chimamanda, I used to be a huge fan until I read your interview with Hillary Clinton. – Now I’m somewhere in the vesica pisces, torn between the enormous respect I had for the quality of your work and anger for what you are beginning to brandish. – Let me set the record straight, I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton, so I’m not jumping in as her guardian angel. As a matter of fact, I completely disagree with most of the decisions she took while in office. – Besides this however, woman to woman, what Hillary has achieved, in my opinion, you NEVER CAN, ‘no be beans’, so you suggesting how she should be addressed is what we Yorubas call ‘Iwosi’. – Even Obama refers to himself as a dad first, husband second, so what’s your point exactly? Why can’t Hillary be addressed as wife first, if she so chooses? – Could your utterances be stemming from inadequacies you need to attend to? You might consider investigating this. – Now, let me warn you, there are no dividing forces greater than color, race, gender and tribe. These factors continue to ensure humanity remains segregated. This table you are shaking has vast consequences even you didn’t bargain for. – People have been over the last two years, urging me to preach about Jesus being black and I never have, do you know why? Because I DONT CARE ABOUT HIS COLOR, it’s irrelevant, I care about HIS MESSAGE! – In the same vein, I follow you simply because of your message, NOT BECAUSE OF YOUR GENDER OR COLOR OR TRIBE. So kindly keep the focus on the message, which in my opinion is excellent. – Don’t mar it by demarcating yourself into a ‘gender’, unless of course you are employing this as a marketing tool, which, please be warned, has its own repercussions! ~FRZ – #FreeTheSheeple

    A post shared by FRZ (@daddyfreeze) on

  • Adichie’s book named among best books of 2017

    Award winning author, Chimamanda Adichie’s book has been listed among the best books of 2017.The non-fiction guidebook, ‘Dear Ijeawele, Or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions’, was acknowledged by NPR Books and Audible.

    The excited author took to her Facebook page on Thursday to share the news with her fans.

    Written as a letter to a friend, the book x-rays feminism in today’s world.

     

    https://web.facebook.com/chimamandaadichie/posts/10155727497170944

     

    Elise Hu, correspondent, International Desk NPR, who suggested the book, said it would get the curious mind on gender equality “get to that informed, humane, broad-minded place”.

     

    “Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie offers advice we all need in Dear Ijeawele, which is structured as tips for parenting a girl growing up in a man’s world,” she said.

    “There are reminders that women are more than objects to be liked/disliked, that caregiving isn’t inherently female and, more than anything, that we should live our lives on our own terms.

    “One of her hopes for the girl she addresses is that “she will be full of opinions and that her opinions will come from an informed, humane and broad-minded place.”

    “If you’re short on time but want to be inspired by one of the strongest voices for gender equality today, this book will help you get that informed, humane, broad-minded place.”

     

    Chimamanda Adichie was one of the cover stars of the 2017 ‘Greats’ issue by the New York Times Style Magazine.

     

  • Nigeria’s Chimamanda Adichie elected into American Academy of Arts and Science

    Nigeria’s Chimamanda Adichie elected into American Academy of Arts and Science

    Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, along with 227 new members.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Chimamanda was also in March, elected into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the second Nigerian to be so honoured, after Prof. Wole Soyinka. She will be inducted in May.

    In the announcement by the Academy of Arts and Science, Chimamanda was listed among 40 Foreign Honorary Members from 19 countries elected by the Academy.

    Other foreigners honoured come from Australia, China, India, Japan, and Uganda.

    Among them are scientist Ruth Arnon; chemist Clare Grey; vaccinologist Rino Rappuoli; former Health Minister for China Zhu Chen; archaeologist and expert on animal mummies Salima Ikram; Israeli novelist David Grossman; award-winning actor and activist Sir Ian McKellen; and president of the Foundation for Worldwide Cooperation and former prime minister of Italy Romano Prodi.

    The new class will be inducted at a ceremony on Oct. 7 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

    Among the people elected are some of the world’s most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, artists, as well as civic, business, and philanthropic leaders. They will all form the 237th class of the academy.

    Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is one of the country’s oldest learned societies and independent policy research centres, convening leaders from the academic, business, and government sectors to respond to the challenges facing—and opportunities available to—the nation and the world.

    Members contribute to Academy publications and studies in science, engineering, and technology policy; global security and international affairs; the humanities, arts, and education; and American institutions and the public good.

    Members of the 2017 class include winners of the Pulitzer Prize and the Wolf Prize; MacArthur Fellows; Fields Medalists; Presidential Medal of Freedom and National Medal of Arts recipients; and Academy Award, Grammy Award, Emmy Award, and Tony Award winners.

    “It is an honor to welcome this new class of exceptional women and men as part of our distinguished membership.

    “Their talents and expertise will enrich the life of the Academy and strengthen our capacity to spread knowledge and understanding in service to the nation, ” said Don Randel, Chair of the Academy’s Board of Directors.

    “In a tradition reaching back to the earliest days of our nation, the honor of election to the American Academy is also a call to service,” said Academy President Jonathan F. Fanton.

    “Through our projects, publications, and events, the Academy provides members with opportunities to make common cause and produce the useful knowledge for which the Academy’s 1780 charter calls.”

     

     

    NAN