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Is Chimamanda Adichie’s success getting into her head?

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By asking Hilary Clinton, former US presidential candidate, why her Twitter bio starts with “wife’, Chimamanda Adichie has not only intruded into the personal business of Clinton, but also scorned a key principle of feminism – “choice”.
– Fredrick Nwabufo

HILARY CLINTON, CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE AND FEMINISM – by Fred Chukwuelobe

Chimamanda Adichie’s success is getting into her head.

I don’t know who she is trying to impress with this feminism stuff.

One of the reasons why there are many broken homes and divorces today is that some women believe that because they make money as much as, or more than their husbands, they cannot submit to their headship and leadership of the family.

In work places, men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. That’s the feminism I support.

At home, men should love their wives. Wives should honour their husbands and submit to their headship of the family. Except the man is “weak” and “impotent” and cannot effectively lead, then it is another kettle of fish.

God was not stupid when He created Adam first and created woman out of Adam’s ribs. He was not stupid when he made man head of the family. Jesus was not stupid when he picked all his apostles and never picked any woman.

I will never mistreat a woman on account of being the head of the family, but I will not support a woman disrespecting her husband for the so-called feminism. If you do not want to be under a man, please stay single.

Imagine Chimamanda questioning Secretary Hilary Clinton for calling herself a “wife” and forgetting that this is a woman that nearly became the first president of the most-powerful nation on earth.

If Hilary is proud to call herself “wife”, Chimamanda should feel free to call herself “wifehusband”, or better still, MS – “Miserable Spinster”.

Hilary and Chimamanda in the video- Photo credit: Julian Hom

“At the end of the day, it won’t matter if you got a raise, it won’t matter if you wrote a great book, if you are not also someone who value relationships” – Hillary to Chimamanda

ANOTHER OPINION – BY Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri

Before you join the bandwagon fuming for nothing sake, make sure you understand the question asked and the underlying contextual issues. A screaming headline does not tell the whole story. In fact, the question asked was quite empowering for women. She sought to know why Hillary did not display her biggest strengths on her Twitter profile as her husband, Bill, proudly did. Adichie thinks Hillary would have made a good president [on merit], and that befitting presidential profile should not be hidden under a bushel. The context in my view relates to the identity crisis that accomplished women face everyday. Within that context, she wanted to know whether women deliberately suppress their shiny accomplishments to gain public approval while men don’t see the need to do so.

Hillary’s response was quite illuminating. She focused on the importance of celebrating both professional accomplishments and private relationships. Both of them matter and none need to displace the other. She even agreed to change her Twitter profile to reflect these.

Successful women go through identity crisis everyday. A young female millionaire is often discouraged from buying cars, properties etc. so that men would not get scared of her. She is often advised to make herself ‘look small’ in order to attract suitors. During elections, powerful women play down on their professional achievements and hype their marital breakthroughs just to fit into the society’s picture of a ‘good woman’. This is what Adichie was referring to. The question asked and the response given were quite informed and breathtakingly impressive. The crowd cheered.

Real successful women thrive in both their careers and family lives. Both Hillary and Adichie have excelled in both. Hillary already knows that Adichie cannot dictate to her. Adichie already knows that she cannot cross those lines of personal privacy. The two women were having an intellectual conversation to enlighten and reshape minds. They did just that.

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