One to make you laugh - Fearless Chimimanda's French Interview

[maggiethecat]

On the topic of being supportive I thought I'd share this clip with you of Chimimanda Ngozi Adichi at an event in France. While being celebrated she was asked (I think the interviewer was reading pre-submitted questions) whether Nigeria had bookshops 🙄
Her response was priceless, a lesson to those who consider themselves so very cultured.
It's incredible that they seem shocked by her response. The interviewer's body language went from being relaxed and upright to almost horizontal as she strained to maximise the distance between herself and her guest 😂
Then check out Chimimanda's comment at about 2.38 about the minister. She was calm but deadly - a woman not to be messed with.

Her straight talking reminds me very much of Toni Morrison.

She is absolutely right, it reflects very poorly on French people and anyone else who has to ask such ridiculous questions. With Google there is no excuse for blatantly racist questions like this. Perfect response, it and other European countries are not the 18th century world powers they believe they once were. No lies detected about the continued Francophone imperialism in Africa. A straight talking queen - I stan.

On the cultured comment you made, it is quite uncultured to have to ask questions like this and ignorant. We need to change the idea of what cultured means. This Eurocentric lens that only European languages, music, history, etc matter and knowing ONLY these things makes one "cultured".

I mean I speak 5 languages fluently and I always used to say I only spoke English as my teacher in private school intimated that the others didn't really count as if they were not real or something. I play a "European" instrument and sang in a classical choir but I discounted the African instrument I played for years (which is also hundreds of years old, and some of the music itself that I learnt is hundreds of years old but passed down by ear and not written down which is actually even more impressive) why on earth would this be looked down upon and why do we allow it to be? I love Chimamanda for speaking plainly and pointing this out.

The fact that those questions were pre-written is even worse, because someone though of this and thought it was okay to write down and then someone more senior cleared it and thought it was okay to ask. Smh

Wow, wow, wow! Thanks for sharing that video. I am horrified that such questions are being asked. Chimamanda is amazing, I admire her so much. Her answers were pitched perfectly and you could just see the weariness. I am such a fan and as a fellow Nigerian, very proud.

Thanks for sharing this. I am a fan.

@Dastardlythefriendlymutt - I came upon this clip out of the blue and had to share it.

Of course it reflects badly on the French. This event appears to have been in 2018, when everyone has a smartphone and one could google for that answer. It does make you wonder at an agenda to belittle such an accomplished and respected writer.

By implying, with their ridiculous question, that Nigerians were uncultured they showed themselves to be crass and uncouth.

I expect that the event was fairly high profile and appropriate questions should have been asked. But Chimimanda had them clocked from the very first question and I am impressed that she could be so scathing yet calm and measured in response.

@pinkhibiscus
I wonder if your name reflects your admiration? I loved purple hibiscus, the first book of hers I read.

What made me laugh is the reaction of some of the people in the room. They went from smiling, convivial and relaxed at the beginning to serious and upright by the end. The minister couldn’t take the heat and made an early exit.

That’s what a good lesson will do 😆

Hahaha, I was laughing hard there, the interviewer was so uncomfortable.

I LOVE Chinamanda Ngozi Adichie, and her books. The only one I wasn't keen on was Half of a Yellow Sun actually.

I enjoy that she is unapologetically and unquestionably Nigerian. She really inspires me.

The only way to deal with that question, and others like it, is exactly how Chimamanda responded. Any response of anger would have shifted the focus onto her, and before long they would be calling her Angry Black woman, despite the disrespect shown.

@Starseeking - exactly - she is unapologetically herself and I love her for it.

Same here for half of a yellow sun - I have never managed to finish it. It’s been back in the spotlight recently having won the women’s prize for fiction winner of winners over 25 years of the prize. I might dig it out again.

@maggiethecat
Yes, my name is inspired by the book ...and remembering the flower from times gone by

I love this woman die. She is just the person we need in those spaces. I loved the part where she said "good!" after learning that the minister had gone. Hehe

Half of a Yellow Sun was the first book I read by her. I was absolutely in love with her writing style and content from the off. My MIL and I had a good conversation about the Nigerian-Biafrian war after the book piqued at my interest in Nigerian politics. Purple Hibiscus is one of my favourite books, I can't praise it enough.

Thanks for sharing. I aspire to be half as poised and articulate as Chinamanda Ngozi Adichie.

She is an absolute Queen.

I am white, so I hope that you don’t mind me commenting, but the thread title was of interest because I saw the clip recently
The interviewer was incredibly rude , ignorant and patronising