Renowned Nigerian author and activist Chimamanda Adichie has revealed that she gave birth to twin boys in 2024.

In an interview with The Guardian, Adichie opened up about the intense public curiosity surrounding her personal life, her experiences with loss, and the challenges of balancing motherhood with her writing career.

“I want to protect my children,” she shared. “I’m OK with having them mentioned, but I don’t want the piece to become about them.”

At 47, Adichie has largely kept her private life out of the public eye, including her marriage to physician Ivara Esege, whom she wed in 2009. She acknowledged Nigerians’ deep interest in her personal affairs, which has made her more reserved.

“Nigerians are… they want to know about your personal life. Because of that, I am resistant. I very rarely talk about it,” she explained.

After a decade-long break from fiction, Adichie is preparing to release Dream Count, a novel exploring themes of immigration, motherhood, and marriage. She admitted that becoming a mother created a creative block that left her fearful she might never write again.

“I had a number of years in which I was almost existentially frightened that I wouldn’t write again. It was unbearable,” she said.

Her breakthrough came while working on Notes on Grief, written after the passing of her father in 2020. Reflecting on Dream Count, she realized its deeper connection to her mother.

“My God, it’s about my mother. It wasn’t intentional. I’m happy that it’s not a sad book. She wouldn’t want a sad book dedicated to her,” she noted.