I'm trying to get a cab after work, and I see a girl waving and smiling at me...She's a face I remember so I wave back. She's walking with this girl and courtesy demands I say hello...the little queen looks at my hair (literally), rolls her eyes and looks the other way....WT.. At some other time in my life, I would have felt horrible. But old things have passed away and I'm feeling very comfortable in my skin.
As they walked away I smiled and the burning question on my mind was; where in the world am I? I am in Nigeria, Africa!!! Its so annoying when I hear Nigerian girls say nonsense like: I hate fufu, I only wear jeans, I don't eat garri, I don't speak Pigin...my answer is SHUT UP!!!!
I be Nigerian Pikin(child), African Mama and Papa. I get brown skin wey dey shine under the African sun, I love Yams!!!. I am educated, no mean sey I be oyibo. All those fake D.j's wey never cross Lagos, speaking funeh...I begy...Bros you dey Naija stop burning your throat!! Dare, you dey Naija...where all those girls wey dey your video comout from?
An artist interviewed on Mo's show asked the question; "are Africans abroad more African than Africans at home?" Good question.The artist could not understand why some Africans refused to appreciate our heritage.Most Nigerian youths would rather die than stop perming their hair (no offense to sisters who take this route for convenience and not acceptance). Some girls would prefer standing on the streets to get money for a weave than go natural and save expenses. I remember a Nigerian lady telling me "natural hair makes girls look dirty..." What!!
Don't get me wrong I love color, I love that the world is filled with different people from different races. I hate extremism and I believe in acceptance, tolerance and love but I would not respect any African who thinks that civilization is appreciation for acid and all the wonderful things that it can do to make you look different (e.g bleaching).
Amen!
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