Internationally acclaimed Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie features in the April issue of British Vogue. Naturally, her interview touches on feminism and more issues such as race, books, writing and so much more.
The award-winning novelist had a one- on-one chat with Erica Wagner. Here are a few tidbits:
On feminism: The oppression of women makes me angry. I can’t not be angry. I don’t know how you can just be calm. My family says to me, ‘Oh, you’re such a man!’ – you know, very lovingly… But of course I’m not, I just don’t see why I shouldn't speak my mind.
Her views on race: In Nigeria I’m not black. We don’t do race in Nigeria. We do ethnicity a lot, but not race. My friends here don’t really get it. Some of them sound like white Southerners from 1940. They say, ‘Why are black people complaining about race? Racism doesn't exist! It’s just not a part of their existence.
Emphasis on books, writing and how Nigerians need to make space for dreaminess : I want to make it valid, to dream about books and writing. Because in Nigeria it’s very hard; people will say to you, what do you mean, ‘writing’? Nigerians are a very, very practical people. And while I admire practicality, I feel we need to make a space for dreaminess. But life is short. I’ll say, don’t give up your job. Get up earlier, make the space. If it matters to you, make it matter. I wrote Purple Hibiscus (which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction and won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize) when I was an undergraduate. I was my sister’s unpaid housekeeper, I was cooking, taking care of my nephew – I got up at 2am to write.
You can read the full interview here.
Source: British Vogue
Picture Credit: Akintunde Akinleye