Celebrated Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has voiced deep concern over the growing economic struggles facing ordinary Nigerians, emphasizing that the hardship experienced by everyday citizens is her greatest worry.
In a recent interview on Amazing Africans, a program on Channels Television, Adichie lamented how the country’s economic decline has pushed even formerly stable middle-class Nigerians into desperation.
“Life has become so hard in Nigeria, and I can see it clearly,” she said. “People who used to get by not that life was easy are now begging to survive. That worries me deeply.”
Adichie stressed that a nation’s success should be measured by the quality of life of its most vulnerable citizens. “People talk about the stock market. Personally, I don’t care about that. What matters is the person earning minimum wage how are they managing? That’s the real political judgment that matters.”
The author also noted the dangerous social implications of widespread suffering. While not justifying criminal behavior, she acknowledged that desperation can lead people down troubling paths. “It’s not to excuse crime, but when life becomes very hard, even people who wouldn’t normally consider certain things might begin to. And that’s dangerous for society,” she warned.
Speaking about her own journey, Adichie reflected on the early challenges in her writing career. She revealed that her debut novel, Purple Hibiscus, was rejected more than 20 times. Yet, giving up was never an option.
“Writing is my vocation. It’s spiritual it’s what I believe I’m here to do,” she said. “Even if I had never been published, I would still be writing today. The rejections were tough, but quitting was never on the table.”
Chimamanda’s words are both a reflection of the nation’s painful present and a testament to personal perseverance in the face of adversity.
