Page 45 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 10

CULTURE

ideologies that Nigerians portray and excuse to show off cuisine, fab- foreign. And if they have to
which have somehow created some ulous clothing, music and dance break the common rule to do
aspect of the negative image that has moves in one life-affirming, this, they will without blinking
become the pain of the average Ni- chromatic bonanza. Imagine the an eyelid. If this is what peo-
gerian. I will only share a few below amount of pressure this weird ple call chaotic, I do not know.
that are within my reach right now. culture puts on a young Nigerian • I have heard and seen many talk
man or woman and the finan- bad of Nigerians because of
Some Nigerian cultures cial burdens that are incurred. their accent, even among Af-
• Traveling overseas (Europe and And because such parties can be rikans. And I sometimes won-
America mostly) has somehow very expensive, people tend to der how foolish that is really. It
become a goldmine for an av- easily think the funding comes boggles my mind that Afrikans
erage Nigerian. And not neces- from the proceeds of crime. who are not Nigerians think it's
sarily for any criminal activities, • The average Nigerian does not ok for a Chinese to speak En-
but for the proverbial greener run away from challenges and glish like a Chinese. It's ok for a
pastures. This may look obvi- oppressive tendencies from Briton, who is an Englishman to
ous as it concerns even all Afri- others. Nigerians will not put speak his English different from
kans, but I think Nigerians take their heads under your feet to the way Americans speak En-
it a little bit closer to heart than step on, no matter who you are glish. That is it ok for a French
most Afrikans. Why? There is and what you do. So you may man to not ever speak English
this underlying quest to alleviate be right to say they are "loud" and still be called literate. But
the poverty of immediate fami- and that's because they do not it's not ok for a Kenyan from
ly members. And somehow, the shy away from challenging the the Kikuyu tribe to speak En-
closest thing possible to do for status quo and they will do so glish as a Kikuyu from Kenya
a young Nigerian whose hope with all the passion and strength and when a Nigerian speaks En-
of getting a good job that fits they have. This also does not glish as a Nigerian, he or she is
what he or she studied in school, need to be done without civility. called illiterate. Let me ask you,
or their passion is not possible • Nigerians have the tendency do you know how many tribes,
in a Nigerian economy that is to bring fresh perspectives to dialects are in Nigeria? Find
not doing so well like many Af- established norms and by this out for yourself and then you
rikan countries. The solution, act, many call them unruly. Cre- will see the foolishness of want-
therefore, is to travel abroad. ativity is endemic with Afrikans ing Nigerians to speak English
And because there are a lot of and Nigerians don't come last like British English speakers.
family entanglements and emo- in this creative drive for excel-
tions attached to those journeys lence. You may like them or you I have seen a lot of pride and prej-
abroad, some of these young Ni- may not like them, but a creative udices among Kenyans towards
gerians, when they realized that Nigerian will definitely let you Nigerains during my stay in this
there are no greener pastures know to your face that you are country. Imagine a Kenyan telling
in the countries they moved to, not doing great with your act, you how illiterate and what poor En-
sometimes get involved in crime if truly you are not. But mind glish speakers Nigerians are when
just to meet family expectations you, they do not mind teaching right beside him there is a Kenyan
back at home. However, this re- you all they know just so you do who only speaks Swahili or Swahi-
ality is not an excuse for crime. well like they do. This also, is li-accented English. Come on guys,
not an excuse to not be respect- how low can we go to prove how
• This may not totally be accu- ful to other people's opinion. mindless we can be sometimes?
rate at all levels, but in Nigeria,
it's easy to get pressurized by I remember the first time I asked It confounds my imagination when a
family members to get married my wife that we try a different style Kenyan says Nigerians are criminals
once a person hits their thirtieth of making chapati. I am not sure I and yet seventy percent of the music
birthday, which is why barely a remember clearly how that went. in his phone, both gospel and secular,
week goes by without someone • A Nigerian will naturally de- is from Nigeria. You accept the Nige-
staging a traditional wedding fend what he or she believes rian music, use it in your church ser-
ceremony somewhere. Wed- in irrespective of what you vices every Sunday morning, watch
dings are a sacred part of Ni- think. And this may mean de- in your homes every movie from
geria's cultural life, but also an fending a friend, both local or Nollywood, in fact you know Nigeria

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