“Because, when there is true equality, resentment does not exist.”

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a writer whose voice should be heard by all, yes all, and heard loud and clear.

Her latest work is entitled “Dear Ijeawele; or a feminist manifesto in fifteen suggestions”. It grew out of a letter written to a friend who had asked for advice on raising her daughter, Chizalum, to be a feminist. This work feels more personal than her previous writing, it feels more urgent and unfortunately more necessary.

When I read Adichie I feel empowered, I feel strong, I feel purposeful but above all I feel hopeful. I read Dear Ijeawele with pencil in hand, underlining ideas, nodding to myself, scribbling notes in the margins, It provided me with a grounded concept of a utopia, but a utopia that can and will actually one day exist. That’s how much hope I feel.

This work is one that is so compelling, it is a call to arms. Its suggestions are invaluable, direct and perceptive. They are important for raising a daughter, or for that matter a son, but they are also important for all of us as human beings. Adichie gets right to the heart of sexual politics in the 21st Century, she writes with an aura of authority, you can’t help but take on board what she has to say – not just about raising children but about being a good adult.

I thought I might highlight one of the suggestions to provide a glimpse of what Adichie is espousing; The third suggestion is to teach Chizalum “that the idea of gender roles is absolute nonsense. Do not ever tell her that she should or should not do something because she is a girl. ‘Because you are a girl’ is never a reason for anything. Ever.” She goes on to discuss the differences in expectations of the sexes; cooking and domestic work, the absurdity of gender neutrality in children’s clothing and toys, individuality and self reliance.