‘Please, Do Not Use Feminism to Justify Your Wickedness’- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Tells Young Nigerian Feminists
An old video resurfaced on Friday, April 9 (which is ironically International Men’s Day) where Chimamanda was found admonishing young Nigerian feminists to stop using feminism to justify their wickedness.
The video and its contents became a trending topic on Twitter as many took to misinterpreting what the renowned writer really meant.
Her exact words were;
“I often say to young Nigerian feminists, I say to them, please do not use feminism to justify your wickedness. Because…some of these young women, I’m talking to them, and they sound really mean. And I say, you know what? This isn’t feminism, you’re just really nasty.’
Despite how straightforward this message might seem, many have taken it upon themselves to intentionally misinterpret the writer’s words. So, there are three types of responses to this video.
There are those who genuinely understand what the writer meant. This group consists of majorly levelheaded people, feminist or not.
Then the second group are the ones who believe Chimamanda has just proven that their theory is right. The theory? Nigerian feminists, especially the ones on Twitter, are bitter, vile, and wicked. This group consists mainly of members of the Patriarchy FC as they like to be called. Men and a few women too.
Then, the last set are the alleged ‘Angry Daughters of Chimamanda’ who feel that the renowned writer has recently become very problematic with her stance on certain things. This set believes that Chimamanda is trying to butter up to the same people who have tried to mud her image over the years – the same people being Nigerian men. Honestly, a lot of them are yet to heal from Chimamanda’s alleged ‘transphobic’ stance where she insisted, on live television, that transwomen are not really women at all, since they can never share the same experience with ciswomen and have once been men themselves. But that’s a story for another day.
‘Chimamanda’s brand of activism reminds me of white feminism. It lacks nuance and depth. It is unevolving and looks at womanhood from the eyes of established normativity – which I find ironic as the mere concept of feminism to most is otherworldly.’
-@TheyCallMePrada
‘it’s high time people moved on from Chimamanda as the default feminist icon.
she exists as a starting block to one’s journey but her activism has always seemed shallow and basic and doesn’t even make room for deeper discourse.’
-@sa_vvy_
Usually, when bants centered on feminism take over Nigerian Twitter, members of the Feminist Coalition (a group of young Nigerian women who champion the cause of equality) receive the most attention and ‘dragging,’ because Patriarchy FC has labeled their brand of feminism as ‘bitterleafism.’ They were not left out this time.
‘Chimamanda’s brand of feminism, while might be well-intentioned, is still problematic. Once the discussion goes beyond equal opportunity to an equal outcome, a similar problem persists. While Chimamanda feminism is on [codeine], Moe’s n co r on tramadol, but both r still high’
-@tee_jaggz
There are a few who believe CNA has become too ‘soft’ for feminism and believe she should adopt a new…title, so to speak.
Every time I listen to Chimamanda Adichie, I feel convinced she is just holding on to the Feminist label. Egalitarianism fits her to a tee. If she was the sole voice of Feminism, everyone would listen. Every other acclaimed Feminist sound like an irredeemable idiot.’
-@Wizarab
The ones that believe that young Nigerian feminists are inherently wicked and even useless;
‘Chimamanda was absolutely right and my time on BBN Twitter has shown me that there is a lot of “mean girl” “selective” “you can’t sit with us” bullies that hide under the guise of feminism to shame and be extremely cruel to other women and men and it is disgraceful.’
-@Trident35607435
‘None of the Twitter feminists dragging Chimamanda have done anything for the course apart from targeting hate on men online.
They’re irrelevant and insignificant.’
-@BrianJDennis
‘I’m happy those words came from Chimamanda, which corroborates what many people have always been saying. The average Nigerian “feminist” preaches hate and bitterness. They don’t even understand the true concept of feminism.’
-@iSlimfit
And then finally, those who believe that wickedness itself can be a tool used to champion the cause of feminism;
‘Now that Chimamanda’s video has gotten to the hands of men, they’ll want to use it to mansplain how your feminism should be to you. This is the time to be extra wicked to men cos I don’t see anyone advising men to not be wicked to women.’
-@___faattimah
‘Chimamanda is saying her own. I am a nasty feminist & I thrive in wickedness.
Everybody should get out.’
-@Rahms__
It is an age of controversy and I am forced to believe that people will drain chaos from a rock if it comes to that. So, what do you think? Sense or nonsense?
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