NIGERIANS ARE SO STEROTYPED

I know you must have heard of this a million times (that's if am not exaggerating). I too may have heard it countless times and I have lost count. I disbelieved this saying due to certain reasons I can't exactly say or maybe cause I'm not stereotyped like most Nigerians......or so I thought.

Recently, I heard a colleague of mine asking another lady who equally is a colleague to repeat what she said. Apparently he wanted to confirm if he heard her right. Upon repeating what she said, he asked if she was from a particular side of the country. When she affirmed, he confirmed his suspicion on all he thought about her.

He claimed that persons who hailed from that part of Nigeria behaved and spoke in a certain way. He argued his points so strongly that I had to help my lady colleague win her point.

I sincerely asked myself if there was a thought pattern encoded into the DNA of individuals who hailed from the same village to make them think alike. I couldn't understand why certain persons were accepted or rejected  based on their tribe, language, color or even family.

Before debating further (even though I have no opposing sides except for you my reader). Please permit me to share three independent events that will help drive my point home.


Occurrence 1

I anticipated my friend's marriage as she called me to drop the news of her engagement. I was so excited that I started inviting mutual friends for the wedding that had not been fixed. Shock was an understatement for what I felt when she called later to tell me that the wedding and engagement had been canceled.

Reasons for canceling the wedding came majorly from the guys people. They insisted that their 'precious' son will not marry a lady from mbaise. (Sorry to have mentioned the name of the village. Just to drive my point home). Their argument was that girls from that village were not homely and had every tendency to maltreat their husbands.

I really did feel sorry for her and having known her for years, I knew it was the guy's loss not hers. So my dear friend didn't get married at that time cause she hailed from a particular village she had no control over.


Occurrence 2

This particular Saturday was totally boring for me. Before now, I had this idea about Saturday. I defined Saturdays as that day of the week that its almost an abomination to stay at home. I was still recovering from that mindset when my Saturday was about to go unspent.

Sitting in front of my system and trying hard to concentrate on what I was doing, I immediately got a call from my friends. I literally jumped out of my PJ and got dressed  to go out. They wanted to get some ice cream and have a nice gist so I was up for it cause I had craved ice cream the whole week and I was happy to indulge.


The evening was so interesting and I was enjoying every scoop of my ice cream when Ola bitterly complained about her ex. From her story, she had dated the boy for five years and broke up with her after a slight quarrel. Now he is married just after eight months of breaking up with her. In her words men are so wicked that they don't deserve any chance to be happy in life.

Its saddening to be left for another after five years of investing in a relationship. I did agree with her that men were wicked and should be served their own cruelity as well. Quite stereotyped.


Occurrence 3

I'm equally guilty of the said crime. I met a Yoruba guy during my industrial training period. He had introduced himself with his English name and I didn't really care much about where he is from. One thing led to another and we wanted more from the relationship. He told me everything I needed to know about him including the fact he was Yoruba.

My perception about him immediately changed on hearing that. (Apologies but we are trying to elucidate the stereotyped nature of Nigerians including myself). I had always heard (not experienced) that Yoruba boys has this sugar coated tongues that will always vomit lies. I told him I was not ready for a relationship and would like the phrase "friends" to define us.

Time will not permit me to describe so many other incidence and events that has caged or demeaned us in one way or the other just because of the way people are generalized.

Who labeled men as cheats?
Who said a particular tribe should be known for a particular thing?

Nigerians are gradually welcoming diversity but this stereotyped nature is inhibiting us. Marriages, businesses and even friendship don't thrive cause of certain labels that has been pegged on us

Examples
Ibos love money so much
Yoruba boys are unfaithful and lairs
Edo people are witches and wizards
Ibo girls are after a man's money and not love
Calabar girls love sex
Akwa ibom girls are promiscuous.  Etc.

What's the way out!

Let everyone be recognized and known for his or her individuality and not based on tribe, language, color, race or even qualifications. Individual recognition is basic and when next you want to generalize someone based on these factors remember that stereotyping people pegs a wrong label on them

Strip yourself off the stereotyped nature and embrace every individual for who they are regardless of their race, color, tribe or gender.

Thanks for reading.


NB: Kender is introducing an every morning motivational piece. It would come either as audio messages or written messages. We all need a dose or two of inspiration every morning and Kender is here to inspire you.

Hugs and kisses to you'll.