Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has expressed deep concern over the worsening economic hardship in the country, stating that her greatest worry lies in the suffering of everyday citizens.
During an interview on Channels Television’s Amazing Africans, Adichie highlighted how the economic downturn has severely impacted the middle class—many of whom are now struggling to survive, with some even forced to beg for assistance.
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“Life has become so hard in Nigeria, and me I can see it. For example, people who were formerly kind of securely middle class, not that life was rosy for them, but they got by—are now people who beg and are in need. That worries me greatly,” Adichie said.
She stressed that the best way to assess the state of politics in any nation is by evaluating how its citizens are coping with day-to-day life.
“The level of suffering, how expensive food has become… I think the biggest political judgment one can make is about the lives of ordinary people.
“People talk about the stock market. Personally, I don’t really care about those sorts of things. What I care about is: that person earning minimum wage, how is that person getting on in this economy? It’s the suffering that worries me the most. And it’s terrible.”
Adichie further observed that when survival becomes a daily struggle, even people with no history of wrongdoing may begin to entertain thoughts they previously would have dismissed.
“It’s not to excuse crime, but I think when life gets very hard, even people who before would not have considered certain things suddenly are willing to, and that’s dangerous to society,” she said.
On her literary journey, Adichie revealed that her path to success was filled with hurdles. Despite facing around 25 rejections for her debut novel, Purple Hibiscus, she never lost faith in her calling as a writer.
She maintained that writing has always been her life’s purpose—an almost sacred duty she feels compelled to fulfill, regardless of recognition or success.
“The thought of quitting writing is never an option for me because writing is my vocation. Writing is really what I believe I am here to do; it’s a bit spiritual.
“I feel that is a gift that I am given, and so even if I hadn’t been published, I would still be writing today. So, the idea of giving up writing was never an option. But it (the rejection) was demoralising,” Chimamanda said.
