All I Want For Christmas, Only Chimamanda Can Give Me

It’s almost Christmas and I have only two things on my wish list: a pair of Lolu loafers and a full picture with Chimamanda.

The loafers, I  an buy with money but the second wish, I’ll leave in the hands of Santa. If he makes it come true, then no one can tell me anything about Santa not being real.

Like most people with access to the internet or a sitting space in your community, I heard about Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche during my University days at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, but only got to read her book “The Purple Hibiscus” in 2005. 

 

Source: racked.com

In 2006, when her book, Half of a Yellow of a Sun swept the entire world off their feet, it was not only a proud moment for me as a Nigerian, but it also was a proud moment as an Igbo. My Igbo sister is out there taking the world by storm. She’s winning!

She’s winning for every Nigeria woman who couldn’t complete her education because her parents couldn’t afford the fees, winning for all the women who weren’t allowed to work because their husbands thought they were too fine to work and other men will look at them, winning for all the women who thought you needed marriage to be complete, winning for the girl child, but she didn’t stop at that; she went on to continue to win, teaching men that it’s okay to let your wife win while married.

Chimamanda is not only winning in the literary world; Beyoncé found her worthy to be a part of her music and her words were once more heard all around the world. Those of us in the world who don’t read certainly listen to music, and even if they don’t listen to music, they definitely listen to Beyonce! Well, Chimamanda’s awesomeness got served to the BeyHive.

Anyways, this article is not about the all that Chimamanda has achieved because once you have access to the internet, you can get all the details. Just in case you don’t have time to search, here’s the link to a video created in honour of her recent UN Foundation Global leadership award, https://youtu.be/sk0JzPmiS3I detailing some of her amazing acheivements. This article is about me putting my wishes out to the universe hoping that I’d get to take the full picture with her just before Christmas.

I came across the video of Peter Obi talking about Chimamanda and I could see the pride in his eyes, the sort of pride you have when your own is winning. That feeling is not something you can buy at Ebeano; it’s not something you pick from the sides of the street, it’s the type of that makes you smile with your eyes.

Photo: Helena Wolfenson

Dear Chimamanda,

I don’t know if you’ll ever get to read this but if you do, I want you to know that I am proud of you and all that you are doing for Nigeria and especially for the Igbo tribe “Anyi ma ndi ga aga mba rifo rice” and that you have proven over and over.

Thank You for all that you are doing.

Thank you for all that you are doing for the girl child.

Thank you for everything.

My prayer is that Chi gi aman da.

All I want for Christmas is a full picture with you, so I can frame it and tell my kids that “THIS IS Chimamanda.”

BR,
Nobs