16 things to know about Chimamanda Adichie 1-She briefly studied medicine and pharmacy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka before leaving to study communications (Eastern Connecticut State University) and creative writing from Johns Hopkins University. 2-She was born on the 15th September, 1977. That makes her 35 years old even though she looks every bit 25! But she doesn’t find that funny all the time:“I know, I look about 18. Actually, it can be a bit irritating. People don’t always take you seriously.” But I guess the world is taking her really serious now. 3-Her dad is Nigeria’s first professor of statistics while her mum is a university registrar, the first female in the institution (UNN). Now, you can see the genes at work. Yelz, her sister is a medical doctor. 4-She was born in Enugu State, the coal state of Nigeria. 5-Her latest book is titled ‘The Thing Around Your Neck’. Her other ones include the Purple Hibiscus and yes, you gerrit, Half of a Yellow Sun. 6-Tah! Don’t go there at all! She is happily married. Even though she once described marriage as a ‘dangerous’ institution for women. Her husband is a doctor based in Maryland, United States. She describes him as a ‘Nigerian, American and British ’(see her pix with husband here: iyaniwura/16-things-you-didnt- know-about-chimamanda-adichie/ ). She shuttles between the US and Nigeria. How sweet!And obviously, she doesn’t want much noise made about that. But trust Iyaniwura to tell you a bit about her husband. He is Dr. Ivara Alistair Esege, MD of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland. He attended the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka. 7-She is the fifth of six children and grew up in a house that was once used by Nigeria’s master writer and one of Africa’s very best writers, Chinua Achebe. I think I need to rent a room in that house too o! 8-Her middle name is Ngozi. It means ‘blessing’. As for Chimamanda, it means ‘My God is unfailing’ or ‘My God never fails me’. 9-She read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart at the age of 10. Okay, what was I doing at the age of 10 o? Rolling tyres all over the street! By seven, she was already writing. Now, you don’t want to know what I was doing at that age. 10-She grew up reading Enid Blyton, okay, we share that trait…lol! 11-Her paternal grandfather died in a refugee camp during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967-1970. These experiences would later influence her writing style. Her book, Half of a Yellow Sun actually took its name from the Biafran flag. 12-She says she is always thinking about death, and for her, love and death come hand in hand. 13-She also said: “This may sound slightly mythical, but I sometimes feel as if my writing is something bigger than I am.” 14-Her dad actually dropped out of school when his family could no longer pay his school fees. He did some work as a sanitary inspector and was later able to sponsor himself for private Cambridge exams which he passed. 15- She won the MacArthur Genius Grant of $500,000, that’s cool half a million! 16-She’s a Catholic.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 20:44:37 +0000