Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has spoken about how the de.ath of her toddler son, Nkanu, in Lagos has changed the way she feels about Nigeria.
In an interview with The New York Times, the Nigerian author said the loss has made it difficult for her to think about returning to the country, which had once been a regular part of her family’s life.
She explained that she has not returned to Nigeria in six months and does not currently want to go back.
She said:
“My feelings toward Nigeria have changed. I do not want to go back to Nigeria. I have not been back to the country in 6 months. Our daughter said, ‘Mama, Nigeria is We were in Nigeria every Christmas, every Easter, every summer. Our daughter said to me recently, ‘Mama, Nigeria is my happy place.’ She’s the one who wants to go.”
For Adichie, Nigeria had long been closely tied to family, holidays and memories. Her daughter, in particular, still remembers the country fondly and wants to return.
But the loss of her son in Lagos has left Adichie with a very different relationship with a place that was once so familiar and meaningful to her.
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