americanah | TOSINGER'S BLOG

I had the ultimate pleasure of meeting Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in person and got my copy of ‘Americanah’ signed at Atlanta’s Author Presentation and Book Signing of Americanah. What an impressive event and author!

She is in person, warm and (as my one of my friends pointed out) not as intimidating and overbearing as her works/or speeches might express..:) She is in fact – as I observed from the short time spent, listening to her interact, read, speak, her way with the audience’s questions – very down to earth, laid back, always smiling, confident and sweet even in her firm opinions. She did use some a couple of expletive words here and there that would make the ‘self righteous’ flinch. However, overall, she is a great speaker, very fluid and eloquent. She exudes confidence and radiance. Not that I expected less, but it is always a breathe of fresh air- considering the known lofty culture of celebrities albeit with great talent/work – when the celebrated are relate-able on ground. She received graciously, my gift to her, of my AfroSpire Demo CD and told me the name ‘Tosinger’ is one she won’t forget, how impactful. She is undoubtedly, like I told her, an inspiration, one who all African women, and people (and everyone in general) are mightily proud of. Here’s a humorous recap of the event from my blogger friend from the GH 🙂 , Malaika on her blog ‘Mind of Malaka’

americanah — My Americanah Signed with Love..

In the same line of thought, the official UK Movie Trailer of Chimamanda’s Orange Prize-winning novel – Half of A Yellow Sun is out! It’s a drama that brings together the lives of four people during the struggle to establish an independent republic in Nigeria. HALF OF A YELLOW SUN is the feature film debut from London based Nigerian playwright, novelist and screenwriter Biyi Bandele. Starring Oscar-nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), BAFTA-winner Thandie Newton (Crash), BAFTA-nominee Joseph Mawle (Birdsong), Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls) and John Boyega (Attack the Block) HALF OF A YELLOW SUN is an epic love-story weaving together the lives of four people swept up in the turbulence of war, produced by Andrea Calderwood of Slate Films (The Last King of Scotland). Co starring Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Onyeka Onwenu, Nollywood’s OC Ukeje, Zack Orji and Genevieve Nnaji among others.

View Trailer

Beautifully Dreaming, Positively Doing..

xoxo

Tosinger

Hello Everyone,

Continuing on the Progenitors and Proteges Art Series (See 1 and 2) Today’s feature is on the Literary Arts and spotlights the late Professor Chinua Achebe as the Progenitor and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the protege.

pro·gen·i·tor

(prō-jĕn′ĭ-tər) an originator or founder of a future development; precursor . a person or thing that originates something or serves as a model; precursor.

pro·té·gé

ˈprōtəˌZHā,ˌprōtəˈZHā/

noun : a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person.

Chinua Achebe born 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013 was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. He was best known for his first novel and magnum opus,Things Fall Apart (1958), which is the most widely read book in modern African literature. Source-Wiki More on Chinua Achebe here.

Hear him speak

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (born 15 September 1977) is a writer from Nigeria.She has been called “the most prominent” of a “procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors [that] is succeeding in attracting a new generation of readers to African literature^{. Source – Wiki}

Although they only met three times, Chimamanda clearly extols Chinua Achebe as an inspiration. Interestingly, on the campus of the University of Nigeria, Nsuka where her parents were staff, the Adichies moved in to the house the Achebes lived in. What a significant coincidence.

On the campus of the University of NigeriaWhat a significant coincidence.A May 2013 Sahara TV Interview with Chiamanda states

Nigerian best-selling author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said, Professor Chinua Achebe gave her the permission to write. She made the comment in an interview with SaharaTV’s Fungai Maboreke after her book presentation in New York City last Monday.“ Chinua Achebe meant permission to write, if one needed a push to write ones’ own story, Chinua Achebe gave me that push.” Describing his example as significant for creative people, to see others who looked like them doing similar things as them and doing them well. “His presence for me was nurturing and he was important to my work and I think for the generation…he was iconic,” she said in a Sahara TV interview

Here is an interview with Channels TV, where Chiamanda speaks about Achebe’s influence

Both Progenitor and Protege have served/are serving as authentic African voices telling ‘our own stories’.. and the legacy lives on through her and other young African writers taking their places on the global literary scene..

Beautifully Dreaming.. Positively Doing…

xoxo

Tosinger

What tickles my artsy fancy…