Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been awarded the “Africa Freedom Prize 2020” by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF).
The award will be presented digitally on 14 December 2020 as hosted by South African media personality Redi Tlhabi, with a special musical performance by Zolani Mahola.
The African Freedom Prize honours outstanding personalities who contribute decisive impulses for the advancement of liberal civil society in African countries every year since 2016. Its previous winners include Mmusi Maimane, Bobi Wine, Gareth Cliff, Hakainde Hichilema and now, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for her award-winning works “relentlessly addresses the central social grievances and political challenges of our time. As one of the most important intellectual champions of women’s rights, she inspires people around the world in their pursuit of freedom.”
Karl-Heinz Paqué, CEO of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom explains that “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the long-lost, undogmatic voice of liberal feminism in the 21st century. She represents the success and self-image of a new generation of African women writers who are increasingly making their voices heard on the world literary stage. In her fight for freedom and self-determination for women, Adichie contributes to the consolidation of liberal values and goals – not only in Africa but all over the world.”
Describing the laureate FNF wrote,
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born in 1977 as the fifth of six children in the Nigerian university town of Nsukka. At the age of 19, she moved to the United States to study communications and political science, where she graduated from Princeton University and Yale University. Today Adichie is one of the great voices in world literature. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and the International Hermann Hesse Prize. Her lectures “We should all be feminists” and “The danger of a single story” are among the most watched TED talks. Adichie’s work is translated into 37 languages. She lives in Lagos and the USA.
“I very much appreciate the honour of The Africa Freedom Prize. It is always gratifying to be recognised, and particularly so in this case, to join the good company of others who share my commitment to our beloved continent.” Chimamanda said concerning the recognition.
Text excluding title courtesy Bellanaija
