Chimamanda Disses Caine Prize, Abubakar replies ‘Go F**k Yourself’

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has sparked what could be described as“the battle of Africa’s Literary Giants”. Kiyoandfilo gathered that the author of ‘Americana’ in a recent interview, made nonsense of the Caine Prize for African Writing, which was won by Nigerian writer Tope Folarin.

In the interview conducted by American graduate student and blogger Aaron Bady, Chimamanda also made reference to another Ngerian writer Elnathan John, as “one of my boys”

Here is an excerpt;

Elnathan was one of my boys in my workshop. But what’s all this over-privileging of the Caine Prize, anyway? I don’t want to talk about the Caine Prize, really. I suppose it’s a good thing, but for me it’s not the arbiter of the best fiction in Africa. It’s never been. I know that Chinelo is on the short list, too. But I haven’t even read the stories—I’m just not very interested. I don’t go to the Caine Prize to look for the best in African fiction…I go to my mailbox, where my
workshop people send me their stories. I could give you a list of ten—mostly in Nigeria—writers who I think are very good. They’re not on the Caine Prize short list….Who’s the other Nigerian on the short list? There’s Chinelo and Elnathan but I don’t know who the others are.

Apparently angered by Chimamanda’s comment, Abubakar Ibrahim who was also shortlisted for the 2013 Caine Prize took to twitter and fired;

“So the best African fiction is in Chimamanda Adichie's inbox? I hail thee, queen-god mother. Go fuck yourself, Chimamanda. Nonsense!”

“I suppose now every Nigerian writer to be taken seriously has to have a presence in Godmother Adichie's inbox. Put that on ur profile.”

“A whole generation of writers owe their fame to Achebe and yet he was never conceit in this obnoxious fashion.”

Thereafter, El Nathan whom she referred to as “one of my boys” wrote a blog post titled “THE CONSEQUENCES OF LOVING NGOZI”. Here is the link to Elnathan's post

He also posted this comment on his twitter page.

“What a depressing week. First I don't win the Caine Prize. Then I become outed as Amanda Adichies boy. Then I don't make her own shortlist!”