CHALLENGING WESTERN NARRATIVES ON AFRICA

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of 'Americanah,' 'Half of a Yellow Sun' and 'Purple Hibiscus,' delivered a powerful speech at the 2019 Hilton Humanitarian Symposium and Prize Ceremony. The event's theme was 'The Future of Humanitarian Action: Seeking Higher Ground,' as it was held in Beverly Hills, California, USA.

In this speech excerpt, she said a US professor said her first novel lacked 'African authenticity.' She pointed out that when Africans are not poor or when they drive cars, people in the West do not consider that African enough. We must take a page from the award-winning author's book and reclaim our narrative of what is African.

Do you agree with Adichie? Let us know below.