What’s wrong if Dozie is from Kaduna, Aisha is
from Delta, Tunde from Akwa-Ibom and Peter (a white kid) from Ekiti…..
By the time you mention your name, people already
know where you are from! Its hard to hide your identity! The name always gives
off the tribe one thinks you’re from
I originate from Ogun state, born in Ibadan Oyo
state, but raised in Lagos state! To the school authorities I claim Ogun state,
because indigenes pay a different among from non-indigenes, but if you ask me
where I’m from I’ll tell you Lagos!
Where you’re “from” its different from where you
originate from! For all I care you might not even know anything about where you
originate from only the name, but let’s stick to where you’ve being all your
life, it’s kind of hard because you don’t have a matching name!
This is the 21st century, Lagos is the
booming place for business, so many people from every angle of the world come
into Lagos for business, Igbos will always tell you “I no come Lagos come count
bridges”, they keep the “hustle and bustle” of the business life of Lagos
going!
It’s believed, I mean it’s a law that if you have
lived in a particular for over a long time, it means that you’re from that
place, this explains the Indian-Nigerians, Lebanese-Nigerian, British-Nigerian
and many more that live in Nigeria, but don’t claim Nigerian or are not allowed
to because of the colour of their skin. So is the same for people who are from
other parts of Nigeria living in various parts of Nigeria, they just seem to
stick to where they originate from and only having some papers as the identity
of where they have lived all their lives.
I was made fun off during my Exchange week Program
to Ghana by my colleagues, how can you be a Yoruba boy and not know how to
speak Yoruba so well?! I couldn’t take it again! I said I was from Lagos! What!
They screamed, analyzed, questioned and termed me the “Lasgidi Boy!”
People find it had when I tell them I’m from
Lagos, I tell them I’m sorry I don’t know how to speak Yoruba too well, what
gets to them is when I name an urban area in Lagos Suru-lere, it’s a place immigrants in Lagos reside in
which we have done over two generations. It’s believed that the true Lagosians
come from the down town of Lagos, in which I agree with.
Language should not be a barrier, it doesn’t mean
if you speak Igbo or Hausa or French means you’re not a Lagosian, it only
signifies where you originate from, but not where you’re from, not where you’ve
lived all your life, a place you can identify with, where most of your friends, family and people are from. Where
people can vouch for you no matter what, and not some so called home town that
the only thing you can identify with is probably the language.
Mother tongue…….
People say it’s pathetic that people don’t know
their traditional language, I’m sorry to say but tradition is a way of life and
a way life is speaking a certain language of where you’re found. For instance
the official language in Lagos is English, second is Pidgin-English, in third place
Yoruba, and whatever language that’s known around! I took in interest in
learning one of the Indian languages, because I have some Indians as neighbours.
So it’s not a terrible thing! Learn to move on!
Tradition………….
I was in fix with some people, I said give it time
the so-called Eyo festival, Oro and many other traditions they do in Lagos
would fade in years to come, they were just shouting and clamoring, “no that’s
not possible”, it’s going to remain till eternity”.
You think it’s a lie, okay do this for me if you
happen to be in Lagos, New York or London,(I’m sorry but these are places that
are filled with different nationalities that I know) ask the next ten people
where they originate from, are you done?
You probably find within zero to about three
people are really indigenes, it’s the true people of a place that carry on the
ethics or culture of the land to the next generation, but in Lagos the
indigenes are now a minority in their own land, the place is flooded with
different local cultures from different parts of the country and different
kinds of tradition from different tradition from different nationalities.
“So we have one tradition work Monday to Friday,
parties or events on weekends, that’s how far we go about tradition”.
And for traditional clothes, t-shirt and jeans,
and suits, you think its lie go out and count, if we try even try to let’s say
wear “traditional clothes”, its between lace, Guinea and Ankara! And it’s “kinda”
wrong! Your traditional clothes are what you wear every day, your way of life
every day is tradition.
Politics
It’s still hard for people around here who are not
true natives, to find it hard to get votes, if your name doesn’t sound local
you should expect less turn out in your campaign, people don’t seem to vouch
for people who do not originate from a locality, even if you have lived in that
place for a very long time. This is due to the God-fathers running the
political system you can’t lead if your lineage doesn’t have a history with the
land, dating back from its origin! It will all soon change!
My grandfather found it hard to own a land in the
North though he originates from the west! Imagine how hard it would be for him
to start a political campaign! And he lived in the north as long as he could
remember!
It’s so sad we haven’t gotten pass, if you
originate from here or not in Nigeria! So it’s hard for Chike to start a
campaign in Ogun, it would only be a dream for Aisha to be a Local Governor
Chairman in Enugu. It’s only people who lived in a particular a place that will
actually know how to deal with the issues that the populace is dealing, not some
money bag who has never stepped a foot in the locality, who doesn’t know what
the average man needs but comes up with a manifesto with what he wants it’s so
sad!
I think this was one of the reasons Ben Murray
Bruce’s campaign did go so well, (CEO of Silver bird ), he spends most of his
time in Lagos and goes home once in a while, and decided to run for office not
in Lagos but in his home town, Bayelsa, and yes! He lost, he came up with
things any Nigerian would want, but not what burdens the heart of the people!
Well another major reason I think was politics, he’s a good man! And I’m
he likes to keep his shoes clean
wherever he was, even if he finds himself in a muddy ground of politics besides
that was his first time and he was going for a political post that demanded a
lot, from someone who knows how the game is played!
Sports……………….
And the debate goes on and on international coach
or foreign coach for our Football team! I don’t really know! You be the judge!
You can’t call someone from outside to come make the best dish known to man in
your kitchen, there would be bound to be flaws! But one way or another he would
find his way, as the saying goes “always a swimmer will forever be a swimmer”!
no matter the water he find himself!
Rainbow Nation!!!
It’s high time we embrace our emerging “multi-culturalism
society”, arising among us! It’s time we should encourage the Rainbow nation
dream started by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and elaborated by (Fmr.) President
Nelson Mandela, let the colour of our skin not determine where we’re from, our
names what we can do and our accent how far we can go!
Diversity is the new strategy for winning!!
If it is
possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone….. Romans
12:18
