Renowned Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has achieved a historic hat-trick of honours, receiving three of Europe’s most distinguished literary awards within just three weeks.
The feat confirms her extraordinary influence on world literature and her enduring voice as one of the defining storytellers of the 21st century.
The season of accolades began in Germany, where the novelist, essayist, and global literary icon, was presented with the first-ever Felix Jud Prize for Defiant Thinking on September 20, 2025.
The award, named after the legendary Hamburg bookseller who defied the Nazi regime, celebrates individuals whose work champions intellectual freedom and moral courage.
The jury praised Adichie for her “bold commitment to liberal and humanitarian values in an era that demands moral clarity.”
Just a week later, on September 28, Adichie’s European tour of honors continued in Sweden, where she received the Sjöjungfrun (The Mermaid) Literary Prize at the Gothenburg Book Fair, the largest cultural event in the Nordic region.
The award, presented before a sold-out audience of 1,500 people, recognizes fiction writers whose works have “moved Swedish readers.”
The atmosphere was electric. According to fair organizers, the line to enter the hall stretched nearly a kilometer, an unprecedented turnout that affirmed Adichie’s immense popularity among Scandinavian readers.
Handed the hand-carved mermaid statuette by Oskar Ekström, the fair’s Program Director, Adichie shared heartfelt reflections that resonated deeply with the audience.
“I am grateful for this award, which recognizes my calling – because that is precisely what writing fiction has always been for me: a calling, the central and defining part of my life,” she said.
“I am equally moved by the rich literary symbolism of the Mermaid as by the knowledge that my work has resonated so deeply with Swedish readers.”
The Sjöjungfrun Award, established in 2024 to commemorate the Gothenburg Book Fair’s 40th anniversary, takes its name from the fair’s emblem – The Mermaid, a centuries-old Swedish literary symbol representing imagination, resilience, and renewal.
The jury’s citation praised Adichie’s ability to “bridge the personal and the political” and “bring new perspectives on identity, feminism, and belonging into contemporary literature.”
“Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a remarkable storyteller and a dream guest for the Gothenburg Book Fair,” said Ekström.
“Her literature captivates and engages readers worldwide; exposing power dynamics and traumas while bringing the world to life. It is an honour to present her with ‘The Mermaid’.”
Adichie’s impact transcends literature. From her TED Talks and essays to her presence in pop culture – sampled by Beyoncé, quoted by Barack Obama, and immortalized by Dior – her voice has become a global touchstone for empowerment and truth-telling.
Her most recent novel, Dream Count (2025), continues her tradition of exploring themes of identity, migration, womanhood, and love, earning widespread acclaim from critics and readers alike.
The final jewel in this remarkable trio came on Saturday, October 11, when Adichie received The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in the United Kingdom.
From Margaret Atwood and Julian Barnes to Ian McEwan, Zadie Smith, and Salman Rushdie, the award, which honors a writer’s entire body of work rather than a single book, has been bestowed on some of the greatest names in modern literature.
In presenting the award, The Sunday Times praised Adichie’s “42-year writing journey that has redefined contemporary storytelling,” the statement reads.
“Her fiction is at once intimate and universal – illuminating history, gender, and identity with language that moves effortlessly between clarity and beauty.”
Adichie now joins an illustrious lineage stretching back to 1987, when the award was first presented to Anthony Burgess, author of A Clockwork Orange.
From Purple Hibiscus (2003) to Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), Americanah (2013), and her latest, Dream Count (2025), Adichie has shaped the modern literary landscape with her fearless voice, profound empathy, and incisive wit.
Her works explore the intersection of personal and political narratives, bridging continents and cultures while giving visibility to those often overlooked.
Together, these three awards: Germany’s Felix Jud Prize, Sweden’s Sjöjungfrun (Mermaid) Literary Award, and Britain’s Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence, mark a defining moment in Adichie’s illustrious career.
They also signal Europe’s growing recognition of African voices not as peripheral, but as central to the global literary canon.
A THISDAY Woman of the Decade awardee, Adichie not only continues to reinforce her position among the most celebrated authors of her generation, but also cements her legacy as a writer whose words transcend borders. A storyteller for the world.
Ferdinand Ekechukwu
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