Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has emerged winner of the 2020 edition of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She was announced the winner for the category, ‘Winner of Winners’, following her groundbreaking novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, which depicts in imaginative panorama the historical event of the Nigerian civil war.
The ‘Winner of Winners’ award is a special category designed to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Women’s Prize. The category seeks to award the best winner from all past 25 years of the Prize.
Chimamanda had earlier won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2007. The Americanah novelist also won the special category for ‘Best of the Best’ in the 2014 edition of the Women’s Prize.
Following her recent win, the organizers stated:
‘You voted in your thousands and picked her novel Half of a Yellow Sun from 25 years of unforgettable #WomensPrize winning books.’
Chimamanda came top among such writers as Zadie Smith, Andrea Levy, Lionel Shriver, Ali Smith, Rose Tremain, and Maggie O’Farrell, amongst others.
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Speaking after the announcement of the award, she said that, ‘the Prize first brought a wide readership to my work and has also introduced me to the work of many talented writers.’
Chimamanda Adichie has proven herself to be one of the greatest writers of our time by winning the all-time Women Prize for Fiction. She will be presented with a silver edition of the Prize’s annual statuette, known as the ‘Bessie’. The ‘Bessie’ is a bronze sculpture created and donated to the organizers by the artist, Grizel Niven.
The award presentation event will be held on Sunday, 5th of December, and hosted by Director Kate Mosse, the Women’s Prize founder. Chimamanda will be discussing her writing and the award during the presentation.
Nelson Okoh
Photo Credit: Yahoo News