By analysing some of the debates that have surrounded Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s online statements, this paper seeks to establish how these exchanges may be helpful in understanding Adichie’s work in particular, and the role of the African writer in the digital age in general.
Paper long abstract:
In an article published on the website The Conversation in July 2021, South African scholar Aretha Phiri discussed the online controversy involving Nigerian writers Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Akwaeke Emezi around transgender issues. In the title of her piece, Phiri wisely urged her readers to “ignore the noise, pay attention to the conversation.” Following Phiri’s advice, this paper seeks to perform a scholarly analysis of the debates that have surrounded Adichie’s online writing and ideas (defined either as statements issued on digital platforms such as social media, or as comments rendered viral through online circulation). Rather than engaging in further controversy, the paper seeks to (1) understand how these writings and exchanges have shaped Adichie’s image as a feminist writer, and what role the internet has played in this process, (2) analyse Adichie’s own reflections about social media, most notably her 2021 online essay “It is Obscene: A True Reflection in Three Parts,” and (3) examine how the above analysis may be helpful in understanding Adichie’s fictional work, particularly her short story “Zikora” (2020). Building on Adichie’s case, the paper then attempts to provide a broader reflection on the role of the African writer in the digital age.