5 Essential things Chimamanda Adichie said that people misquoted

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie appeared at London’s Royal Festival Hall before a sell-out crowd on Sunday 7 August to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her acclaimed novel Half of a Yellow Sun.

Her 90-minute conversation with chair Ted Hodgkinson and her interview with Channel 4 has been misquoted and misconstrued by so many people.

Here are some of the things Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie originally said about the impact of her work, feminism, baby bump, Michelle Obama's hair and African literature:

1. What she said about about pregnancy and baby bump:

"I wanted my pregnancy to be something I shared with the people I love, with the people who know me. There is a kind of pregnancy as a trendy thing that I find very uncomfortable with and I deeply dislike expressions like ‘baby bump’.

“I find it very irritating. It was a very deeply introspective time, thinking about (how) my life is going to change forever and the enormousness of bringing a baby into the world. It was a sacred time for me and I wanted to share it with the people I love.”

2. What she said about Michelle Obama's hair:

"I've often said that if Michelle Obama had natural hair when Barack Obama was running for president, he would not have won."

Because her natural hair would have signified certain things to people and those things are negative things. It would signify that she's some sort of militant, neo Black Panther, frighening, angry - angry in a bad way because of course, talking about gender in some ways women are not allowed to be angry, particularly black women, so anger in a black woman is something that is just a no-no.

And I think it would somehow signify that she's not mainstream, because we've decided that mainstream hair is hair that sort of falls down. When you have hair that is natural and black it stands up and it's not really considered mainstream.

3. What Chimamanda Adichie said on Feminism and Beyonce:

"A feminist is who and what I am. It’s not a cloak I put on on certain days and take off on certain days.

I want to live in a world where men and women are truly equal. I want to live in a world where gender doesn't hold women back, as it does today, everywhere in the world. ”

4 What Chimamanda said on racism in the UK:

“I’m always struck by how the British are quick to point out racism in America. It seems to me in your own backyard would be a good place to start.”

5. What Chimamanda said on motherhood:

“I still look at her [daughter] in absolute wonder. And I think, You’re really hereand you’re really mine. And she is just the most beautiful human being in the world.”

“Having her I’ve realised how love really can manifest as anxiety. So I just worry about my child. I want to make sure everything is fine with her"

On a side note, the way people insulted Chimamanda Adichie over her pregnancy is totally unfair. She has a right to privacy and to decide if she wants to display her baby bump or not.

Also, she might have a point about Michelle Obama's hair. People who keep natural hair are seen as black militants and they appear very scary to White people.

Maybe adding that Obama would not have won the election is stretching it too far but hey, let Chimamanda Adichie be please.

Compliment this list with Chimamanda Adichie on feminism and the Nigerian civil war,  why she wanted her pregnancy to be personal, 10 writing advice from the author of 'Americanah' and 7 African literature books to read if you love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

ALSO READ: 10 interesting things you should know about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie