“I am not going to lie about the process of birthing them” – Chimamanda Adichie addresses criticisms for welcoming twin boys through surrogacy (Video)

Nigerian award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has spoken up on the criticisms she received for welcoming twins through surrogacy.

Kemi Filani reported in February that Chimamanda had welcomed twins with her hospital physician husband, Ivara Esege. The award-winning writer revealed this in a wide-ranging interview with The Guardian.

While speaking on the criticisms she received for welcoming her twins through surrogacy with media personality Chude Jideonwo, she said her sons are precious to her, and she hated that anything about them would become politicised. The mother of three admitted that she didn’t want to talk about it at first, but on the other hand, she didn’t want to lie about the process of birthing them.

She added that she believes women can feel less ashamed of talking about reaching motherhood through non-traditional means because society is so judgemental.

“My boys are so precious to me,” she says. “And I hated that anything about them would become politicised – so, on the one hand, I thought ‘, I wish I hadn’t talked about it’, but on the other hand, there is no way I am going to lie” about the process of birthing them.

“I am hoping that if anything good comes out of this, it would be that more women are less ashamed of talking about reaching motherhood through non-traditional means. Because our society is so judgemental, and I don’t think that that is good for anybody.

“But, you know, my daughter and my babies are the greatest gift I’ve been given, so ZERO REGRETS.”

Chimamanda also added that there is no shame around issues of fertility as she noted how women are ashamed when they have fibroids, have issues getting pregnant and more.

“I felt that there were many women who would then be pressured by people saying, ‘Look, Chimamanda is 47, and she had kids at that age; what about you?’.

“And just in general, I think there is so much shame around issues of fertility that I just think it’s too much of a burden for women. Women are ashamed when they have fibroids, women are ashamed when they have issues getting pregnant, and I don’t believe in that sort of shame”.