Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has revealed that she welcomed twin boys in April 2024 but chose to keep their birth private to protect her family’s privacy. In an interview with The Guardian, Adichie, 47, explained her decision, stating, “I want to protect my children. I’m OK with having them mentioned, but I don’t want the piece to become about them.”
Adichie, known for her novels “Half of a Yellow Sun” and “Americanah,” has consistently maintained a private personal life. Her marriage to Nigerian-American doctor Ivara Esege in 2009 and the birth of their first child in 2016 were also kept away from the public eye. She attributes this discretion to the intense public curiosity, particularly from Nigerians, about personal affairs. She noted, “Nigerians are… they want to know about your personal life. Because of that, I am resistant. I very rarely talk about it.”
In addition to her family news, Adichie announced the upcoming release of her fourth novel, “Dream Count,” set to be published on March 3, 2025. This marks her return to fiction after more than a decade, a hiatus she attributes to the challenges of balancing motherhood and creative work. She expressed that during this period, she was “almost existentially frightened that I wouldn’t write … .”
“Dream Count” explores the interwoven stories of four … delving into themes such as the immigrant experience, cultural identity, and the pressures on women regarding marriage and motherhood. Adichie reflected that the novel, although not intentionally, became a tribute to her late mother, who passed away in 2021. She remarked, “Only when I was almost done did … .”
Adichie’s commitment to privacy underscores her desire to shield her family from public scrutiny while continuing to engage readers with her profound storytelling.
