Renowned Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has welcomed twin boys at the age of 47. The celebrated author shared the news in an interview with The Guardian on Saturday, revealing that the babies were born in April 2024.
Despite being a public figure, Adichie kept the birth of her twins private, emphasizing her desire to protect them from unnecessary public scrutiny. She acknowledged that Nigerians tend to be deeply curious about personal matters, which made her even more determined to keep this aspect of her life away from the spotlight.
“I want to protect my children. I’m okay with having them mentioned, but I don’t want the piece to become about them,”she explained.
The celebrated feminist and literary icon is also preparing to release her first feature-length novel in 11 years, titled Dream Count, which is set for publication in March 2025. The novel explores themes of love, desire, and womanhoodthrough the lives of four women.
Reflecting on her extended break from fiction writing, Adichie revealed that it was never intentional. She recalled how becoming a mother for the first time in 2016 had an unexpected impact on her creative process.
“When I got pregnant with my daughter, something just happened. I had a number of years where I was almost existentially frightened that I wouldn’t write again. It was unbearable,”she shared.
Although she continued writing nonfiction, she struggled to reconnect with the creative part of herself that fueled her fiction writing.
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“I don’t like using terms like ‘writer’s block’ because I’m superstitious, but for years, I felt cast out from the part of me that imagines and creates.”
Adichie, who has been married to Nigerian doctor Ivara Esegesince 2009, welcomed her first child, a daughter, in 2016.
Beyond her novels, Chimamanda Adichie is widely known for her powerful insights on politics, race, gender, and culture. She has received numerous international accolades, including the United Nations Foundation’s Global Leadership Award in 2019, making her the first Nigerian to achieve this honor.
She has also been recognized by Time Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’, The New Yorker’s ‘20 Under 40’, and New African’s ‘100 Most Influential Africans’.
With the arrival of her twin boys and the upcoming release of Dream Count, Adichie’s journey continues to inspire audiences around the world, both through her storytelling and her commitment to advocating for women’s rights and social change.
