Background on Adichie and Nigeria (1)

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Brief Biography

  • Born on September 15, 1977, in Enugu, Nigeria

  • Grew up in Nsukka near the University of Nigeria, where both parents worked

    • Father: professor of Statistics

    • Mother: registrar

  • Initially studied medicine at the University of Nigeria

  • Moved to the United States at 18 to pursue a degree in Communications and Political Science

  • Achievements:

    • Master's in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University

    • Master of Arts in African Studies from Yale University (2008)

  • Currently lives in both Nigeria (teaching writing workshops) and the U.S.

  • Married to Ivara Esege (2009) with one child

Career Achievements

  • Besides novels, has published several poems, plays, and short stories

  • Works reflect Nigerian experiences related to colonization, civil war, and immigration

  • Notable literary works:

    • Purple Hibiscus (2003)

    • Half of a Yellow Sun (2006)

    • The Thing Around Your Neck (2009)

    • Americanah (2013)

    • We Should All Be Feminists (2014)

  • Famous for her TED Talk “The Danger of a Single Story”

  • Awards:

    • Recognized by The New Yorker as one of the 20 most influential writers under 40 (2012)

    • Awarded MacArthur Genius Grant (2008)

Notable Works Produced by Adichie

  • Americanah

  • Half of a Yellow Sun

  • Purple Hibiscus

  • The Thing Around Your Neck

  • Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto

  • Half of a Yellow Sun was adapted into a movie released in 2013

Background of Nigeria

  • Understanding Nigeria's political history is crucial for interpreting many of Adichie's narratives.

Brief Timeline of Nigerian History

  • 1472: Portuguese reach Nigeria

  • 1500-1700s: Slave trade – millions forcibly taken to Americas

  • 1861-1914: British colonization with ‘indirect rule’

  • 1960: Nigeria gains independence under Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa

  • 1962-63: Controversial census causes tension among regions and ethnic groups

  • 1966: Balewa killed in a coup; military rule begins

  • 1967: Republic of Biafra created from combined states, leading to civil war

  • 1975: Leadership overturned

  • 1976: Leader assassinated, replaced by Olusegun Obasanjo instituting the first American-style presidential constitution

  • 1979: First elections held

  • 1983: Expulsion of over one million foreigners, primarily Ghanaians, leading to another coup

Continued Political Turmoil

  • 1985: A new leader rises via coup

  • 1993: Military dismisses election results due to Chief Moshood Abiola's popularity

  • 1994: Previous leader arrested after claiming the presidency

  • 1998: Sani Abacha dies and is succeeded by a new leader

  • 1999: Olusegun Obasanjo returns as president

  • 2000-2013: Increase in religious conflicts, particularly between Christianity and Islam over Sharia law adoption

  • Nigeria's historical journey marked by corruption, political strife, and economic challenges despite being oil-rich

  • HIV/AIDS remains a critical issue, compounded by official denial of the epidemic

The Thing Around Your Neck – Collection of Short Stories

  • First published in April 2009, compiling previously published stories from various literary sources.

Stories Included in the Collection

  • “Cell One”: A tale of the son of a professor dealing with a notorious Nigerian prison.

  • “A Private Experience”: Two women, one Christian and the other Muslim, hide during a riot in an abandoned shop.

  • “The Thing Around Your Neck”: Focuses on Akunna, who faces harsh realities after winning an American visa.

  • “The American Embassy”: A woman's refusal to exploit her son's death in her visa application.

  • “The Arrangers of Marriage” (New Husband): A Nigerian woman navigates her life after marrying a Nigerian in New York while learning about his past.

  • “The Headstrong Historian”: Chronicles three generations of Nigerians confronting Western cultural influences.

    • Explores missionary influences on culture.

  • Additional Stories:

    • “Olikoye”: Discusses a woman’s labor experience while reflecting on health improvements in Nigeria due to vaccinations.

    • “The Arrangements”: Narrated from Melania Trump’s perspective regarding her husband’s presidential candidacy.

    • “Apollo”: Follows Okenwa's visit to his retired parents revealing past connections to a former houseboy.