Acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has addressed public criticism following her disclosure that she welcomed twins through surrogacy.
In a candid conversation with media host Chude Jideonwo, the writer reflected on the mixed emotions she experienced after going public about the birth of her children with husband Dr. Ivara Esege.
“My boys are so precious to me. And I hated that anything about them would become politicised. So, on the one hand, I thought, ‘I wish I hadn’t talked about it.’ But on the other hand, there is no way I am going to lie about the process of birthing them,” Adichie said.
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Best known for her novels Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun, Adichie emphasized her desire to be truthful about her path to motherhood, particularly to help break the silence and stigma that often surround fertility and surrogacy.
“I am hoping that if anything good comes out of this, it would be that more women are less ashamed of talking about reaching motherhood through non-traditional means. Because our society is so judgemental, and I don’t think that that is good for anybody,” she explained.
Now a mother of three, the award-winning author also spoke about the unfair pressure society places on women regarding fertility, especially when health issues like fibroids or infertility come into play.
“I felt that there were many women who would then be pressured by people saying, ‘Look, Chimamanda is 47, and she had kids at that age; what about you?’ And just in general, I think there is so much shame around issues of fertility that I just think it’s too much of a burden for women,” she added.
“Women are shamed when they have fibroids, women are shamed when they have issues getting pregnant, and I don’t believe in that sort of shame,” she continued.
Despite the backlash, Adichie closed her remarks on a joyful note, sharing how much motherhood means to her: “My daughter and my babies are the greatest gift I’ve been given. So — zero regrets.”
By speaking openly, Adichie hopes to inspire a shift in societal attitudes, encouraging more women to share their journeys without fear of shame or judgment.
Watch her speak below…
Then, Chimamanda talks for the first time about the feedback in some sections of the internet to having her twins through surrogacy.
“My boys are so precious to me,” she says. “And I hated that anything about them would become politicised – so on the one hand I thought ‘I wish… pic.twitter.com/07QrHEmWju
— Chude Jideonwo (@Chude) May 1, 2025
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