In a recent interview on Arise TV, monitored by IgbereTV, multiple award winning Nigerian author and feminist icon Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie defended her open letter to US President Joe Biden titled “Nigeria’s Hollow Democracy”. The letter called out the US for congratulating the winner of Nigeria’s controversial presidential election in 2023, despite evidence of manipulation and irregularities.
During the interview, Adichie also took the opportunity to school Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka on the meaning of the word “fascist”. She stated that swearing in a person who has not met the requirements of the constitution is akin to ending democracy. She criticized the responses of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters to her article as “funny reading the juvenile fulminations of non-juvenile people.”
Adichie’s open letter, which was widely shared on social media, expressed the frustrations of many Nigerians with their country’s political system. She called on Biden to support the fight for democracy and human rights in Nigeria and to hold the Nigerian government accountable for their actions.
In her letter, Adichie accused the Nigerian government of deliberately manipulating the election and suppressing the opposition. She also criticized the US for their “two-facedness” when it comes to Africa, pointing out that while they condemn election interference in other countries, they fail to do the same in Nigeria.
Adichie’s open letter sparked a lot of discussion and debate on social media, with many Nigerians supporting her call for action. Some also criticized her for relying on the US to solve Nigeria’s problems, arguing that it was up to Nigerians to fight for their own democracy.
In conclusion, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has once again used her platform to speak truth to power and highlight the issues facing her country. Her open letter to Joe Biden has sparked an important conversation about democracy and human rights in Nigeria, and it remains to be seen if her call for action will be heeded.
©️ Rebuker
