Chimamanda Adichie on Why Choosing a Life Partner Matters

At a recent appearance at the Dream Count event, award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie addressed a room of young women with a message centred on self-awareness and careful decision-making in relationships.

Her comments focused particularly on the importance of selecting the right life partner, a factor she described as having significant influence on one’s future.

Adichie advised against making life-altering commitments based on external pressures, particularly societal expectations or the fear of remaining single. According to her, the decision to marry should come from a place of clarity and self-assurance, rather than urgency or social conformity.

“It’s so important for a woman to have her own, her own sense of self-fulfilment, it doesn’t matter what it is,” Adichie said. She also pointed out that many young women often sense early on when a relationship isn’t healthy but continue due to desperation. “Don’t settle,” she stated. “Be careful who you choose. A life partner makes a huge difference.”

The celebrated author added that a supportive and kind spouse can positively impact one’s journey through life. “There are good men,” she noted, urging women to prioritise emotional support, respect, and mutual growth in their relationships.

Adichie, known globally for her literary achievements and advocacy for gender equality, continues to use her platform to inspire conversations about personal agency and empowerment, especially for women navigating modern life.