Book reading: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie & Co at the South Bank Centre, 3 April 2009
In celebration of women across the globe, WOMANKIND Worldwide, a charity that empowers women in developing countries, hosted its 20th anniversary at the distinguished Southbank Centre. This all female panel comprised of an inspirational group of writers, poets and singers, including the 2007 Orange Broadband prize for fiction winner, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
With the atmosphere expectant, and the mood relaxed, only good things could come from this show, and it didn’t fail to deliver.
Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Opening act, Jackie Kay, a poet with Nigerian and Scottish roots, read poems from her book Trumpet. She also read an extract from her memoirs, describing her quest to find her biological father of Nigerian heritage. Her witty performance resembled a stand-up comedy show. She effortlessly fed the audience with humorous anecdotes in between readings that had the crowd reeling with laughter.
Next in line was acclaimed writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, reading from her new book That Thing Around Your Neck, a collection of short stories. Her recited piece described a nostalgic Nigerian woman who wins the American visa lottery and travels abroad only to meet frustration. Chimamanda’s performance was less interactive, quite serious, and even monotonous at times, yet she still managed to captivate the audience’s undivided attention. Maybe it was because of the pertinence of the piece she read or perhaps it was her radiant stage presence. What ever it was, it worked.
The evening ended with singers, Princess Adwoa, who spiced up the night with her track Woman Power, and Suzanne Bonner, a Scottish bluesy jazz singer who did renditions of Billie Holiday and Tracy Chapman.
The talented line-up embodied a sense of pride, strength and honour that a woman’s worth beholds, and by the end of the night, I was satiated with a healthy dose of ‘girl power!’
