Renowned writer, Chimamanda Adichie, although married to her US based Doctor husband, Dr. Ivara Esegee, in a recent interview insists she wants to be addressed as Miss and not Mrs.



Chimamanda Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esegee

Excerpts

Mrs Chimamanda Adichie, welcome back to Nigeria…
 
Before we start, please, I just want to say that my name is Chimamanda Adichie. That’s how I want it; that’s how I’m ad-dressed, and it is not Mrs but Miss.  Ms: that’s how I want it. I am saying this, because I just got a mail from my manager this morning. It seems that there are people who attended the church service, and they wrote about it, addressing me as Mrs. Chimamanda (Esega). I didn’t like that at all. So my name is Chimamanda Adichie, full stop.
 
You mean?
 
This is because it is also responsible that people be called what they want to be called.
 
You started by telling me that you’re not “Mrs.”
 
(cuts in) My name is Chimamada Adichie. If you want to put label for me, put Ms.
 
But people know that you’re married. As an Igbo girl, you know our culture
 
(Cuts in again) What does our culture do? Let me tell you about our culture. This thing that you are calling our culture –that when you marry somebody, you’ll start calling her Mrs. Somebody –is not our culture; it is Western culture. If you want to talk about our culture, you need to go to people in real Igbo land. But it is true. My grandfather’s name is David. His name is also Nwoye. They call him Nwoye Omeni. Omeni was his mother. You know why? It is to help distinguish him, because there are often many wives. So, it was his mother that they used to identify him. They know that all of these people came from the same compound, but whose child is this one. You may go and ask people who is Nwoye Omeni, and they’ll tell you it is my grandfather. So, conversation about culture is a long one. I don’t even want to have it.
 
But, at what point would you change your name?
 
Yes; because it’s all fused. You cannot then come and impose something on somebody. Nobody should come and impose something on somebody, because, if you come and tell me it is our culture, I’ll tell you it is not our culture. Where do you want to start counting? Do you want to start counting in 1920, or do you want us to start counting from 1870?
 
But culture is dynamic
Exactly my point, which is why this is new. If culture is dynamic, you cannot use it as conservative tool. We cannot then say it has to be this because it is our culture.  My point is that it is a new thing. Things are changing. We live in a world now where women have a right to bear the name they want. So, we cannot say this is how we do it. If some women want to do it that way, that’s fine! God bless them. Some women won’t do it. I am one of those women, and nobody will come to use culture to tell me that I should do what I don’t want to do.

Nw where are all those fools dat say she is happily married to a reasonable man.. He is weak for christ sake!

They clearly have an understanding....Don't forget also that her name is and has become her brand.
She can't start changing it anyhow...
Chimamanda Esegee doesn't even sound as cool as Adichie

indiraserv:
They clearly have an understanding....Don't forget also that her name is and has become her brand.
She can't start changing it anyhow...
Chimamanda Esegee doesn't even sound as cool as Adichie

It's not about name sounding cool my dear..its just her feminist nature.
She as an advocate for equality amongst genders..so she so wish people marry and retain their identity if they so wish...

I guess she is been real 2 what is craves for

Why is she sounding so aggressive? It is the norm, social and practical thing that when a woman gets married she becomes Mrs.

If she says she doesn't want to take her husband's name because of her brand, it is understandable, a lot of women I know in the UK do not take up their husbands name due to some paperwork and other complications it is nothing new.

But the way this woman is going about hers is something else. Let her chill, there are women who have achieved more and still changed their surname.

No one is forcing Anjelina Jolie to change her name.

She sounded combative. okay, since culture is flexible to be twisted at will and gender equality is the new "church", abeg tell our sisters to start paying "groom price" of brothers. and make sisters dey share belly bros...
I wala anya too much

martyns303:
Why is she sounding so aggressive? It is the norm, social and practical thing that when a woman gets married she becomes Mrs.

If she says she doesn't want to take her husband's name because of her brand, it is understandable, a lot of women I know in the UK do not take up their husbands name due to some paperwork and other complications it is nothing new.

But the way this woman is going about hers is something else. Let her chill, there are women who have achieved more and still changed their surname.

No one is forcing Anjelina Jolie to change her name.

Lol...different stroke for different folk

Op d lady is a hardcore feminist am surprised she is even married. She is indirectly telling u d marriage won't last n shldnt b acknowledged as she would soon move on. She may even b in a contract or open marriage

ur choice miss

Why shouldn't she sound defensive? It is only in Nigeria that someone argues with you on how you should addressed.
Very double standard when it comes to culture. One minute they say "it is our culture " and the next minute they say culture is dynamic.

.. Forget the "norms", enjoy your life.

Op where is your source? I doubt she was interviewed, go through her interviews and articles and note the difference, she doesn't speak I come I go English

I love this biatch!!!

Seems she is taking this feminist agenda too far

Anyway, source?

This woman should get over herself,if she doesn't want her husband's name because of her brand it's understandable but so many women are attaining great heights with their husband's name e.g hillary Clinton..she doesn't have to be so aggressive in her response to the reporter"s questions, it's insulting & disrespectful to her husband in my opinion

Biim:
Op where is your source? I doubt she was interviewed, go through her interviews and articles and note the difference, she doesn't speak I come I go English

I doubt if u really know her nor her works...she is always as simple as it comes.,when it comes 2 d use of grammar..

To clarify you better..she used these words herself....she could be a feminist. fine!!...@ least she has a voice & would be heard

Biim:
Op where is your source? I doubt she was interviewed, go through her interviews and articles and note the difference, she doesn't speak I come I go English

I thought I was the only one that noticed. Someone is trying to paint her and her views in a bad way

This is getting out of hand

True true na so craze dey start.

Feminism is not good for women or men as it forces more and more men into terrible social positions making it difficult to get jobs, have families, seek help, or even live in peace. Women have also started to suffer at the hands of feminism as they are pushed into roles they do not want to fulfill and are confused as to why men are suffering and in turn not supporting or helping them the way they used to. Many women want to be women and many men want to be men but feminism has robbed them of this. (Western world experience).

If she want to keep her name she has the right since she is more enlighten than are mother and grandmother.But will like to see the name she uses for her children that if she eventually has one.

Truth be said....we choose 2 take culture in its totality rather than tapping on those ones that makes one happy and good in d sight of man and God..

If we all see ourselves 1st as Human before all this 'woman' or 'man' statues rather than just sex., we will unconsciously or naturally av no problem with some1 wanting 2 retain a name that she is most comfortable with..

make i book space first

ikescope:


I doubt if u really know her nor her works...she is always as simple as it comes.,when it comes 2 d use of grammar..

To clarify you better..she used these words herself....she could be a feminist. fine!!...@ least she has a voice & would be heard

I know her works well but the grammar is not hers, she uses simple but good english, she is a feminist agreed she could say stuff like that but mehn! The words aren't hers, check am well nah

hahn:


I thought I was the only one that noticed. Someone is trying to paint her and her views in a bad way

who ever that asked those questions answered them himself, her views sometimes are different but she is good at giving detailed explanations, I tell you if she really did the interview people won't attack her this much cos they will get her point.

Biim:
I know her works well but the grammar is not hers, she uses simple but good english, she is a feminist agreed she could say stuff like that but mehn! The words aren't hers, check am well nah

What more can I say?....okay!!!..choose 2 believe what u want to

@least that helps 2 avoid unnecessary argument

Her husband is a WEAKLING,i am not surprised ,always angry as if na her fault say she be woman

Cutehector:
Nw where are all those fools dat say she is happily married to a reasonable man.. He is weak for christ sake!

Chai,this is what happens when you marry a weak man with a weak dick.

What really is this girl's problem? What has she achieved that is greater than what the likes of Mrs Beyonce carter, Mrs hilliary Clinton and Mrs Obama have achieved.

Her head too strong. She for try marry a Naija guy na. Well, if she were to be in Naija,she for Don die of singleness sef.

Rubbish.

ikescope:


What more can I say?....okay!!!..choose 2 believe what u want to

@least that helps 2 avoid unnecessary argument

I just hate this girl, I don't know why but I hate her

Feminist to d extreme,not so cool

Good for her.

I cannot imagine getting married without changing to my husband's name. His name my name, his name my identity, his name my pride of being married. I can't wait to change mine.

I wonder the surname that their kids will bear or bearing at the moment?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9HO0tOjSYs