Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie returns to her roots in a deeply personal interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo, sharing her decade-long struggle with depression and the triumph of her literary comeback with new novel “Dream Count.”
In the latest episode of African Voices Changemakers, airing Saturday, September 27th, 2025, Madowo accompanies the 47-year-old literary giant on a meaningful journey back to her hometown of Nsukka in Southeastern Nigeria during her promotional tour for “Dream Count.”
For Adichie, this visit represented more than just another stop on a book tour. It was a celebration of homecoming and an opportunity to reconnect with the people and places that continue to shape her work. The author remains committed to giving back to The University of Nigeria Secondary School, which she credits as foundational to her development.
“It gave me so much and it just feels to me sort of self-evident, you give back when you can,” Adichie explains. “Things are just so difficult in Nigeria now and the school has trouble with funding, so I think in some ways it’s almost a responsibility for those of us who have left and who can help to help.”
Despite achieving international acclaim, Adichie has never compromised her authentic voice or Nigerian perspective to appeal to Western audiences. She firmly believes in the universality of Nigerian stories and characters.
“We sometimes think that when we achieve a certain kind of success, then somehow, we should water down ourselves. I’ve never believed that,” she states. “I’ve always started with the premise that Nigerian characters are universal. I’ve never felt the need to somehow change what I do because now people outside of Africa are reading me.”
Growing up in the shadow of literary giants like Chinua Achebe, Adichie paid tribute to one of Africa’s most influential writers during the 67th anniversary of his groundbreaking novel “Things Fall Apart.”
“I think ‘Things Fall Apart’ changed the world,” she tells Madowo. “As Africans collectively, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to that book for forcing the world to acknowledge what we’ve always known to be true, but they didn’t, which is our humanity and our complexity and the fact that pre-colonial African history was not a blank slate. That there was richness and beauty. Chinua Achebe, I think, was a genius, I do.”
In a candid revelation, Adichie opened up about her nearly decade-long battle with depression that left her unable to write fiction—the very thing she loves most. This period of silence from the author, known for her powerful portrayals of identity, womanhood, and war was a deeply challenging time.
“In those years, I couldn’t write. And really not being able to write fiction when fiction is a thing that you deeply love, it’s just a terrible place to be,” she shares. “I did a number of things to try to distract myself. I read the books I love. I read a lot more poetry in that period because I think poetry really helps with language, and in the end, it’s just about waiting and hoping. You’re not in control of this thing.”
Triumph with “Dream Count”
Her new novel, “Dream Count” marks not just a return to fiction after ten years, but represents a personal victory over the darkness that kept her from writing. The book stands as a testament to her resilience and artistic perseverance.
“I’m grateful that I finished it. I’m grateful that it’s found its readers. Honestly, it’s kind of everything I hoped it would be,” she reflects.
The Power of Human Connection
Concluding her interview, Adichie reflected on what continues to drive her as a writer—the profound connections that stories create between people from different backgrounds.
“I’ve always been moved by the possibility of human connection; that human beings who are different, we have this kind of connection because of a story,” she says. “I’ve just loved hearing from my Nigerian readers. They’re always very fierce and say what they think, which I really appreciate.”
African Voices Changemakers featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie airs on CNN International on Saturday, September 27th, 2025, at 1:30 PM and 5:00 PM WAT, with additional broadcasts on Sunday and Monday.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
