Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a young Nigerian writer who has published many literary works including short stories, fiction and nonfiction books. She is a celebrated feminist and social critic. She is deeply admired for her realistic approach to sensitive topics. However, she is not without criticism for some of her extreme views on feminism.
Early Life and Achievements Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Born on the 15th of September 1977 in Enugu State, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had her early life in Nsukka where her father worked — at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). Her family lived on the school premises and this had a huge influence on her development as a person. The literary icon studied at Eastern Connecticut State University, Drexel University, and Yale University, among others. She has won awards for her literary works. Her awards include: the Women’s Prize for Fiction, National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. She is happily married to Ivara Esege and their union is blessed with children.
Influence and Critics
Chimamanda was influenced by notable scholars like Chinua Achebe, V. S. Naipaul and Enid Blyton. Her works have equally influenced a number of scholars and she has some critics like OluTimehin Adegbeye and Akwaeke Emezi. Their arguments have mainly been that she is transphobic. The view she has been accused of advancing, simply holds that women that are transgender are not women at all. The view drew criticisms from the concerned category of people, those who believe they can choose their own pronouns. They criticize her because she is considered a major figure in the world of feminism. But Chimamanda believes that the natural gender is what should be recognized and that feminism is not about switching pronouns, but respecting women (those born female).
Literary works of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Americanah
- Americanah: A novel that was published in 2013. It was published by Alfred A Knopf Inc.
- “We Should All Be Feminists“: Unlike other publications by Adichie, this essay presents all her arguments from a logical standpoint — depicting the celebrated star as a notable academic.
- Purple Hibiscus: Published in 2003 by Algonquin Books.
- Half of a Yellow Sun: Was published in 2006. The novel is about the quest by Eastern Nigeria to form a new country called Biafra.
- Dear Ijeawele or All Feminist Manifesto: Published in 2017, Dear Ijeawele is commonly known as the feminist manifesto and it is a response to a question posed by Adichie’s childhood friend on how to raise her daughter to be a feminist.
- Other works by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie include: The Thing Around Your Neck, Notes on Grief, The Danger of a Single Story, Letters Home, Africa’s Best Stories.
