Chimamanda Wins Winner of Winners Women’s Prize For Fiction

Foremost Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has made history as the first writer to win the Winner of Winners prize for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in the award’s  25-year history. Chimamanda at the age of 29 won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2007 (then it was known as the Orange Prize for Literature) with her exceptional fiction work ‘’Half of a Yellow Sun.’’

Thirteen years later, in what marks the anniversary of the award, Chimamanda beat previous winners which include the likes of late Andrea Levy, Zadie Smith, Rose Tremain, Maggie O’Farrell, and Lionel Shriver, amongst others.

Chimamanda’s Half of a Yellow Sun is set in Nigeria during the Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967-1970. It explores the end of colonial rule in Nigeria, ethnic rivalry, class struggle, race, and empowerment of the feminine gender.

Reacting to the award, Chimamanda expressed her delight at winning the winners award for the prize which boosted her global readership.

I’m especially moved to be voted Winner of Winners because this is the prize that first brought a wide readership to my work – and has also introduced me to the work of many talented writers

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Nigerian-born writer now bags the silver edition of the prize which is popularly known as the Bessie. Kate Mosse who founded the award in 1995 to celebrate excellent female writers across the globe has extended her congratulatory message to Chimamanda and disclosed that she is thrilled with the fact that the Nigerian won the award after over 8,500 people voted to select the winner.

Sources

BBC

The Guardian

Featured Image Source: BBC