Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was the guest of honor, opening the third La Nuit Des Idees, or The Night of Ideas, hosted by Institute Français.
She was in conversation with French journalist Caroline Broué, to discuss her “commitments to the fight against inequality between men and women, her convictions with respect to the role that African countries should play in globalization,” and more.
However, things got a little awkward and side-eye worthy when Broué asked Adichie if there are libraries in Nigeria, an unusual question that elicited gasps from the crowd, and, on the other hand, shed light on how poorly the interviewer researched her subject.
Seeing how the question unsettled the audience, the interviewer tried to double down, saying that whenever the French read news about Nigeria, it was always about Boko Haram, securities issues, and the rest.
Well, Adichie gathered her properly. “I think it reflects very poorly on the French people that you asked me that question,” she told the interviewer, stirring hearty applause from the crowd.
Watch the video below:
On est en 2018, et une des plus grandes romancières au monde doit expliquer qu'il y a des librairies dans son pays. Restez jusqu'au bout pour voir la réponse brillante de Chimamanda Adichie : pic.twitter.com/C3o7CJXEc7
— Loopsider (@Loopsidernews) January 26, 2018
If you see closely, both Chimamanda and Broué are wearing earpieces to understand each other via translators in real time.
This has stirred heartwarming reactions on social media too, as people are, once more, noting how condescending the West can be to Africans and Africa.
