On Wednesday evening, Dublin’s Convention Centre was overrun by bookworms and feminists alike as hundreds of readers gathered to mark the beginning of the 2018 Dublin International Literature Festival. The festival’s first event was nothing short of extraordinary, as novelist and distinguished TED-talk speaker Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie took to the stage alongside journalist and broadcaster Sinead Gleeson to discuss feminism, motherhood, and her most recent book, “Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions.”

Since the anticipation and excitement for the night was palpable entering the building, it was quite disappointing to see that the event could have been organised considerably better. It started almost half an hour late, and quite a number of seats in what was described as a fully booked event remained empty. However, any apprehension among the audience quickly disintegrated as Adichie walked on stage. Full of wit and charm, every person in the theatre was quickly captivated by the author as she addressed Gleeson’s questions about her journey to becoming a writer, the notion of intersectional feminism, and her thoughts on the differences between being a person of colour in the United States and being a person of colour in her home country, Nigeria.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the conversation turned to Ireland’s impending referendum concerning the Eighth Amendment. To the cheers of the audience, Adichie reaffirmed her pro-choice stance, noting that she found it “shocking” that a country such as Ireland is still having a debate about female bodily autonomy. “If we valued women as full human beings, we would not have the debate you are having in Ireland,” she said. Gleeson also broached the high-profile Belfast Rape Trial that sparked protests across the country earlier this year. Adichie said that not only should the notion of consent and respect start at home, but that it is also part of a “larger thing” which involves all of society. With representation being an important aspect of a child’s life, it is paramount, according to Adichie, that every person a child idolises displays the values that the parents deem important. “We need more Barack Obamas in the world,” she joked.

The question-and-answer portion of the event was equally as engaging as the interview. Several questions from audience members were addressed, many of which began with professions of love and adoration for the writer. A Nigerian woman who was, like Adichie, Igbo, enthusiastically declared, “You’re repping fantastically.” Indeed, the love that the audience had for the writer was evident even as they engaged with Adichie’s answers during her interview with Gleeson, and undoubtedly, this love was further exhibited during the book-signing session that occurred after the event.

The event proved to be a favourable start for this year’s International Literature Festival. Lasting until the 27th of May, the festival will also welcome Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Johnston, Kit de Waal, and Michael Ondaatje, among many others. While Adichie’s event was the first of many, it holds promise for being a particularly memorable highlight of this year’s festival.

Photography courtesy of the ILFD Facebook page