Chimamanda Adichie - Women of Rubies

In Career Gems May 24, 2019 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE, STRIVE MASIYIWA RECEIVE HONORARY DEGREES FROM YALE UNIVERSITY

At its 318th graduation ceremony, Yale University presented honorary degreesto 11 individuals who have achieved distinction in their fields. Among them is Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Zimbabwean entrepreneur and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa.

Chimamanda was conferred a Doctor of Letters degree from the university, while Strive received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

This is Chimamanda’s second degree from the university. In 2008, she received a Master of Arts degree in African studies from Yale.

The degree from Yale is coming days after Chimamanda got two Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degrees from American University and Georgetown University.

On Chimamanda, Yale wrote:

Your stories of war, migration, home, and heartbreak bring the great richness and multiplicity of human experience to life. With courage and clarity, you call us to “do better” for women and girls, for ourselves and future generations around the globe.
In appreciation for your superb talent and leadership in literature and the public sphere, we are honored to present your second Yale degree, Doctor of Letters.

On Strive, Yale wrote:

You see opportunities others miss and demonstrate the courage of your convictions at every turn. Brave visionary, bold business leader, and devoted humanitarian, your innovation and generosity have transformed a continent and improved countless lives.
For inspiring us to tackle great challenges, lead with honor, and serve others, Yale is privileged to confer on you this Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

See the full list of honorands here.

Credit: Bella Naija

In self development May 20, 2019 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE HONORED WITH DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF HUMANE LETTERS AT GEORGETOWN COLLEGE

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie served as a speaker and honorary degree recipient for the 2019 Georgetown College Commencement ceremonies this weekend, on May 18.

After speaking at the commencement ceremony, Chimamanda received the doctor of humane letters, honoris causa degree.

She also holds the same degree from Johns Hopkins, Haverford College, the University of Edinburgh, and Amherst College.

Georgetown College Dean, Chris Celenza, says:

“We are so proud to have Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie join us for the 2019 College Commencement. Her fiction and non-fiction works have spoken to countless people about the value, the power, and the meaningfulness of differences. In doing so, she has taught us all about the full dimensions of humanity.”

See more photos from the event below.

Photo Credit: @chimamanda_adichie

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems April 8, 2019 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE TO BE HONORED AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL VOICES IN FICTION

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is set to receive an honorary degree from American University in Washington, DC and deliver the commencement address for the university’s College of Arts and Sciences in May.

The writer will be honored as “one of the world’s most powerful voices in fiction”.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the College of Arts and Sciences commencement.

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE DESIGNS ‘FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION’ MEDALLION FOR FOUNDRAE

The writer tells Vanity Fair in a chat that proceeds from the sales of the neckpieces will go to PEN America, whose mission is to protect worldwide free expression.

Adichie explains the meaning of the design:

I was thinking about what I wanted to remember of this time. We’re living in a time where I feel a sense of urgency because—and it’s not just America—I think the Western world is moving to the right. I sometimes wonder if this [is] what 1937 was like, where people in Europe felt this sense of a shift. The reason that I find it really troubling is that the idea of dehumanizing your fellow human beings has become almost acceptable and casual. The crossed arrows represent the idea of living passionately and living knowing that our time here is short and that we need to make the most of it. I feel that every morning, actually. Every time I look at the pendant I want to think about this urgency—and that one must live in a way that is meaningful.

I grew up thinking of America as a place where certain things would never happen, politically. I no longer think that because all of the things that happened in Nigeria when I was growing up, which was a military dictatorship, are happening here. You can just sense it, there really isn’t the rule of law. You get the sense that institutions are not as strong and resilient as you thought, you even get the sense that the president can just bring in anybody from his family to become part of [the] government in a way that makes no sense. That’s classic in many African countries. I’m mourning an idea of America that I used to hold very close.

“WOMEN, WEAR WHAT YOU WANT TO WEAR” – CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE

Chimamanda Adichie has advised women to do whatever pleases them including wearing whatever they like.

She made this known during an interview with CNN‘s special program on Africa, ‘African Voices.’ The award-winning author said it is important that women do not have to do anything to please anyone.

“Wear what you want to wear. I say that as kind of a joke. But in a larger sense, I think it would be, don’t think you have to do what people want you to do. Increasingly, in part of growing older for me, I’m 41, and when I was 30, when I was 27, I think I was a lot more invested in kind of thinking about what people expected and what people wanted. And I think it’s mentally exhausting to do that.

“And, you take away from yourself, the energy that you could have used to do things that are actually meaningful to you. Now, I feel old and wise and I would say to that younger version of myself, and actually, I’ll say also to young women all over the world to, it’s so important not to think that you have to perform for somebody else. It’s really important to, what I like to call own yourself,” she said.

Credit: pulse.ng

In self development March 5, 2019 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE TO SPEAK AT YALE’S 2019 CLASS DAY

According to Yale Daily News and the Class Day Planning Committee member Shuyu Song, the writer was selected based on her ability to give a meaningful and memorable address to the class.

In recent years, most of the Class Day speakers have been politicians, including former US secretary of state John Kerry and former US VP Joe Biden.

“The committee cannot imagine a better speaker to commemorate our four years at Yale than Adichie,” members of the 2019 Class Day Committee wrote in an email on Sunday.

“She is an inspiring global citizen whose words, teaching and social activism have had an indelible impact on the diaspora and broader contemporary culture.”

Song also said:

“Given Adichie’s extraordinary experience and poignant literary commentary, we have no doubt that her participation in Class Day will be a memorable part of this day of celebration and address concerns that are relevant to our class as we reflect on the changes that we have witnessed on this campus in the past few years.

In self development February 16, 2019 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE’S BOOK ‘AMERICANAH’ RECOMMENDED AS ONE OF ‘THE BEST LOVE STORIES IN LITERATURE’ ON TODAY SHOW

Buzzfeed Books‘ founding editor, Isaac Fitzgerald has recommended Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s book, Americanah as one of “the best love stories in literature”.

Fitzgerald, who appeared recently on Today Show alongside author Jasmine Guillory, nominated Adichie’s work while selecting his four picks.

Each of the show’s attendees selected four books apiece, while presenter Savannah Guthrie added extra three picks.

Adichie’s work was recommended alongside Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte amongst others.

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems February 12, 2019 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE HONORED WITH 2019 EVERETT M. ROGERS AWARD FOR REFRAMING THE DISCOURSE ON RACE, GENDER & IDENTITY

It was announced in 2018 that Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had been named the winner of the 2019 Everett M. Rogers Award. She was honored for reframing the discourse on race, gender & identity.

The award has been presented every year since 2005 in honor of Everett M. Rogers, whose “Diffusion of Innovation” is the second-most cited book in the social sciences.

The event was held on the 7th of February and the writer repped Nigerian design brands by wearing a piece from Fia Factory.

Dean Willow Bay and Marty Kaplan of the Norman Lear Center provide opening remarks, followed by Danai Gurira, actor on Walking Dead and Black Panther.

Watch the award show below.

See photos below.

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems December 5, 2018 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE MODERATES ON-STAGE CONVERSATION WITH FORMER US FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

On December 3rd, Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie moderated an on-stage conversation with former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama about Obama’s new memoir, “Becoming”.

The conversation covered Obama’s early life and career, her reinvention of the role of First Lady, and her ongoing activities since leaving the White House.

The event held at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England.

The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House.

See photos below.

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US for 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie speaks with Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (not pictured) at The Royal Festival Hall on December 03, 2018 in London, England. The former First Lady’s memoir titled ‘Becoming’ has become the best selling book in the US of 2018 according to figures released by her publisher Penguin Random House. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

Photo Credit: Jack Taylor/Getty Images

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems November 16, 2018 By Editor

CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE FEATURES ON THE COVER OF TELEGRAPH MAGAZINE

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was featured on the cover of the October 27 issue of Telegraph Magazine, where she discussed Nigeria, misogyny, and the #MeToo movement.

Chimamanda talked about losing faith in Nigeria after her father was kidnapped in 2015, how she feels he was kidnapped because of her.

She said:

It was because of me. That incident affected my father – it robbed him of something; there’s a distrust that he didn’t have before. He comes from a generation with a certain kind of integrity. For a long time he didn’t understand things like bribery – it just perplexed him. My father had given his everything – he got his PhD in the US and he had job offers there in the 1960s, but he was keen to come back to Nigeria. It was post-independence, everyone was very enthusiastic and my father spent his life teaching. I felt that Nigeria had failed him – for a man of his age to be thrown into the boot of a car …That incident broke my heart and it’s the first time I started to seriously question Nigeria.

The cover story is up on the Telegraph website, and you can read it here.

Credit: Bella Naija