Plagiarism: Anne Giwa-Amu Targets Destruction Of African Literature Icons, Achebe, Chimamanda

Chimamanda

 One Anne Giwa-Amu claimed that her little known book,

“Sade” was plagiarized by highly acclaimed author and serial award winner, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her critically acclaimed book, Half Of A Yellow Sun. And some particular set of people in Nigeria believes Giwa-Amu. What a pity!

So after writing “Sade: United We Stand” in 1999, Giwa-Amu developed writers block that she could not write anything else worthwhile, not as if many have read or heard about her book before now. While she wallow under the ‘curse’ of the writers block, Chimamanda has gone beyond Half Of A Yellow Sun and written more blockbusters, award winning and thought provoking books that include in no particular order; Americanah; Purple Hibiscus; The Thing Around Your Neck;

Dear Ijeawele: A Feminist Manifesto In Fifteen Suggestion; We Should All Be Feminists.

Was Americanah, Purple Hibiscus etc plagiarized from Anne Giwa-Amu’s Sade? My angst is particularly with those Pull Him Down Syndrome (PHDS) Nigerians on social media who are all over the Twitter unashamedly saying that Anne Giwa-Amu may be right? These are people who are always envious of success of others and any story that appears to bring down a high flier like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gladden their hearts. They hate success in others, especially when success is closer home. Some of them would be worshipping on the temple of Chimamanda if she were an American or European. They did not seem to understand that Anne Giwa Amu is not only out to rubbish current Africa’s global gift to the world, Chimamanda,

she is all out to destroy father of African Literature,

Professor Chinua Achebe by claiming that Achebe connived with Chimamanda to plagiarize her work. What an insulted!

What wickedness against a dead man who is not alive to defend himself!

 According to Anne Giwa-Amu in the Youtube video she posted recently, she accused the late author of “Things Fall Apart” Chinua Achebe of giving her work “Sade: United We Stand” to Chimamanda who then rewrote it as “Half of a Yellow Sun”. She claimed that she discovered Chimamanda had plagiarized her book in 2013 when she saw a poster in London advertising the film “Half of a Yellow Sun”.

Thankfully Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has responded to the spurious allegation in this statement by her agents. The Wylie Agency, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s literary agents, who Anne Giwa-Amu also mentioned in the video, in a statement confirmed that the woman is actually owing Chimamanda and her lawyer’s damages in money as ordered by the UK courts. The statement reads in part, “ We, the Wylie Agency,

are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s literary agents. In 2016,

Anne Giwa-Amu brought a legal claim against Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her publishers. Giwa-Amu alleged that Adichie’s novel HALF OF A YELLOW SUN had plagiarized her own novel. A professional independent reader was appointed to read both novels. The reader concluded that there was absolutely no basis for Giwa-Amu’s claim and advised that the claim should not be pursued. Giwa-Amu nevertheless continued with the claim.

“On 15 February 2019, Anne Giwa-Amu’s claim brought against Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her publishers was struck out by the court. The court determined that her claim was ‘an abuse of the court’s process.’ The court ordered Giwa-Amu to pay Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her publishers the sum of £14, 250, which Giwa-Amu failed to pay. The court also ordered Giwa-Amu to pay the legal costs Adichie incurred in defending her baseless claim. To date, Giwa-Amu has not paid the money. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her publishers had never heard of Giwa-Amu’s novel until she brought her delusional claim. Her present allegations are false, libellous and constitute a harassment to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Further legal actions are being taken.”

The denial by Chimamanda may not satisfy the haters because they have already sold themselves and their souls to the devil, just like the false accusers of late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. But how could any sane person believe Anne Giwa-Amu when she alleged that Chinua Achebe connived with Chimamanda to steal her work because Achebe had chosen Chimamanda to be his literary SUCCESSOR! Wonders shall never end.