Chimamanda Adichie doesn't accept National Honour From President Buhari
The Award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie declines national honours.
The author didn't show up at the conferment of national honours ceremony by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari earlier this week on Tuesday, October 11.
The author, Chimamanda, recently received honours from Harvard University’s iconic W.E.B. Du Bois Medal. She has revived quite a number of awards and honours as a distinguished author.
One of Chimamanda’s communications team members who goes by the name Omawumi Ogbe spoke up and addressed the issue. He clarified her absence at the ceremony which was held on Tuesday.
He said in a statement:
“Following the recent conferment of national awards by the President, there have been conflicting reports about one of the announced recipients, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Some social media users say the award-winning writer rejected the award, while others say she accepted it.
“The author did not accept the award and, as such, did not attend the ceremony. She, however, did not want to create undue publicity around it, so her non-acceptance was conveyed privately,” he said.
President Buhari mentioned during the event that the awardees had distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity.
Some of the others who were conferred with an award on Tuesday include Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed
The President, Muhammadu Buhari commended the female awardees listed above including Chimamanda, saying they are a source of inspiration to our young women.
Recall that in 2004 Late Prof. Chinua Achebe, a renowned author of the book 'Things Fall Apart ' also rejected the national awards that year and also in 2011. This also stirred up various reactions that year when the news broke out.
Chimamanda is not the first honouree who will turn down a national honour from the president. Some expressed their thoughts online saying she won't be the last either.
Achebe rejected the award during Olusegun Obasanjo's administration in 2004 and also during Goodluck Jonathan's administration, In 2011.
Another instance is when the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, foremost human rights activist and lawyer, also rejected the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2008.
The Award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie declines national honours.
The author didn't show up at the conferment of national honours ceremony by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari earlier this week on Tuesday, October 11.
The author, Chimamanda, recently received honours from Harvard University’s iconic W.E.B. Du Bois Medal. She has revived quite a number of awards and honours as a distinguished author.
One of Chimamanda’s communications team members who goes by the name Omawumi Ogbe spoke up and addressed the issue. He clarified her absence at the ceremony which was held on Tuesday.
He said in a statement:
“Following the recent conferment of national awards by the President, there have been conflicting reports about one of the announced recipients, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Some social media users say the award-winning writer rejected the award, while others say she accepted it.
“The author did not accept the award and, as such, did not attend the ceremony. She, however, did not want to create undue publicity around it, so her non-acceptance was conveyed privately,” he said.
President Buhari mentioned during the event that the awardees had distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity.
Some of the others who were conferred with an award on Tuesday include Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed
The President, Muhammadu Buhari commended the female awardees listed above including Chimamanda, saying they are a source of inspiration to our young women.
Recall that in 2004 Late Prof. Chinua Achebe, a renowned author of the book 'Things Fall Apart ' also rejected the national awards that year and also in 2011. This also stirred up various reactions that year when the news broke out.
Chimamanda is not the first honouree who will turn down a national honour from the president. Some expressed their thoughts online saying she won't be the last either.
Achebe rejected the award during Olusegun Obasanjo's administration in 2004 and also during Goodluck Jonathan's administration, In 2011.
Another instance is when the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, foremost human rights activist and lawyer, also rejected the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2008.