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On Saturday, the Gothenburg Book Fair presented its literary prize Sjöjungfrun (The Mermaid) for the second time. This year’s laureate is Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who accepted the award before a sold-out K-hall audience of 1,500 people. Interest was overwhelming – the line to enter stretched nearly a kilometer through the venue, a turnout that may well set a new record for a Book Fair seminar.
After Oskar Ekström, Program Director of the Göteborg Book Fair, handed over Panos Mamakos’s hand-carved mermaid statuette, Adichie joined author Agri Ismaïl for an in-depth conversation on the power of literature, identity, and feminism.
“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. 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,” said Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Born in Nigeria in 1977, Adichie is one of the world’s most influential contemporary authors. She gained international acclaim with Purple Hibiscus (2003), followed by Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), a searing portrayal of the Biafra War that won the Orange Prize for Fiction. Her novel Americanah (2013) became a global bestseller and further explored themes of race, migration, and belonging. Her feminist manifesto We Should All Be Feminists (2014) has had worldwide impact, cited everywhere from United Nations speeches to popular culture.
“Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the most influential voices of our time and a dream guest for the Book Fair. Awarding her the Mermaid today is a true honor. Her literature sparks vital conversations and inspires readers across the globe,” said Oskar Ekström, Program Director of the Göteborg Book Fair.