‘BLACK IS NOT A VALUE-FREE IDEA’

Renowned Nigerian Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says she never thought about being Black while growing up in her home county. But all that changed when she moved to the United States to study, where suddenly it became an issue. She faced a wave of prejudice, with even her tutor making assumptions about her academic talent because of the colour of her skin. To her it revealed the raw reality of being Black outside Africa and spurred her critically acclaimed short story Americanah. It also fuelled her admiration for those who continue to succeed, regardless.