Celebrated Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has shared a deeply personal reflection on what she wants to be remembered for and it’s not awards or literary fame.

In a recent interview with DW News, the acclaimed writer revealed that she hopes her legacy will not be tied to achievements or accolades, but rather to the depth of love she gave in her lifetime.

“I want to be remembered for loving people and places with passion and dedication,” she said. “That’s the legacy I care about.”

I think it’s actually men who spend their time thinking about legacy. I don’t. I’m thinking about the next book I want to write,” she said.

Adichie explained that when she writes, legacy is the last thing on her mind. To her, the concept feels almost irrelevant because it only matters after death a time when we no longer have any control or awareness.

“I want my legacy to be a person who is loved fiercely. That’s all I want my legacy to be. And by the way, when we die, we don’t know what happened, so why should I care what my legacy is? I don’t know where I would be. I might not know…

The author, known for powerful works like Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, noted that the idea of legacy is often a concern for men, while her focus remains on creating, loving, and living in the present.

Chimamanda concluded by saying the only legacy she desires is to be remembered as someone who loved the people and places dear to her with fierce intensity.