Challenging Chimamanda: A Critical Sketch of Her Feminist Claims and Influences

I have always admired Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as a writer and a storyteller, but I have always disagreed with some of her views on feminism and African culture. However, most people think I'm jealous of her, and others even tell me I hate her. But that's not true; you can't do either on a big player in her league like Chimamanda. She is classic. I remember when Okeke Ifeanyi Kenneth always asked me, "boss what is your problem with Amanda?" I always say nothing, just some of her postulations.

I picked much interest in reading again and paying attention to her works when Dr. Stephen Oguji, in our existentialism class, gave me an assignment on Simone de Beauvoir, the French philosopher and writer; after some in-depth research and readings, I saw how she hugely influenced Chimamanda, now it's important to note that Simone, never got married, and didn't have kids. It's not a shade, but there are knowledge links you gain from experience.

Thus, I want to challenge in a bit and maybe clear my disagreement with some of the claims she has made in her famous TED talk, "We should all be feminists", and in her interview with Hillary Clinton, others you can find in her posts. I also want to explore how her feminist perspective is influenced by the works of Simone de Beauvoir, who is considered the founder of the modern feminist movement.

Let me address the claim that feminism has been an African practice. Adichie says that in pre-colonial Igbo society, women had a lot of power and autonomy and that men did not oppress them. She cites examples of female deities, female priests, female market leaders, and female warriors. She implies that colonialism and Christianity destroyed this egalitarian culture and imposed a patriarchal system on the Igbo people.

However, this claim is not supported by historical evidence. As Oyeronke Oyewumi, a Nigerian sociologist and feminist scholar, argues, the pre-colonial Igbo society was not a genderless utopia but a hierarchical and stratified society where women were subordinate to men in many aspects. Oyewumi shows that women were excluded from political decision-making, land ownership, inheritance, and education. Oyewumi concludes that feminism is not an indigenous concept in Africa, but a product of Western modernity and enlightenment.

Second, let me address the criticism that Hillary Clinton should not have started her Twitter profile with "Wife/Mother". Adichie says that this is a sign of how women are expected to define themselves by their relationships with men and children, and that this diminishes their individuality and achievements. She says that she would have preferred if Clinton had started with "2016 Presidential Candidate" or "Former Secretary of State".

However, this criticism is based on a false dichotomy between femininity and feminism. Adichie seems to assume that being a wife and a mother is incompatible with being a feminist and a leader. She also seems to ignore the fact that Clinton has faced a lot of sexism and misogyny throughout her political career and that she has been constantly attacked for being too ambitious, too cold, too shrill, and too unfeminine. Perhaps Clinton chose to start with "Wife/Mother" to humanise herself and appeal to a broader audience, especially women who can relate to her roles and struggles. Perhaps Clinton is also proud of being a wife and a mother and does not see these roles as inferior or limiting.

It is essential to explore how Adichie's feminist views are influenced by Simone de Beauvoir, the French philosopher and writer who wrote the seminal book "The Second Sex" in 1949. In this book, de Beauvoir argues that women are not born, but rather become, women. She says that women are defined by their relation to men and that they are oppressed by a patriarchal system that treats them as the "Other". She also says that women need to liberate themselves from the myth of the "eternal feminine", and that they need to work and be independent.

Adichie has acknowledged that she was inspired by de Beauvoir's book, and that she considers her a feminist icon. Adichie has also adopted some of de Beauvoir's concepts and arguments in her own writings and speeches. For example, Adichie says that gender is a social construct and that women are taught to be submissive, emotional, and domestic. She also says that women need to have careers, and that they should not be judged by their marital or maternal status.

However, Adichie has also modified and adapted de Beauvoir's ideas to suit her context and experience. Adichie is aware that de Beauvoir was writing from a Western and white perspective, and that she did not address the issues of race, class, and culture that affect women of colour. Adichie also recognizes that de Beauvoir was writing in a different time and place and that some of her views may be outdated or irrelevant to today's women. Adichie has, therefore, tried to create a more inclusive and diverse feminism, one that acknowledges the multiplicity and complexity of women's identities and experiences.

I respect and admire Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as a writer and a feminist, but I also disagree with some of her claims and criticisms. She tends to romanticize the past, to oversimplify the present, and to impose her standards and expectations on other women and the Igbo cultural values, which she generalizes for Africa. I also think that she has been influenced by Simone de Beauvoir, but that she has also developed her own feminist voice and vision. Amanda should also see society as a culmination of ontological foundations - knowing + cultural = social construct.

I hope that this post will spark a constructive and respectful dialogue among women and men who care about gender equality and social justice.

Thank you for reading.