How Nigerian is Nigerian?

yeah, that title may look wack at first but then if you take a closer and deeper look at it, maybe not so wack after all.

So, If you grew up in Nigeria, went to an abe-ogede high school, experienced the "Nigerian" way of life, can eat eba, amala and ogbono, can speak yoruba, ibo, pidgin, or a healthy combination, have the memories, the experience the whole nine yeards. Have jumped on an okada, know how to navigate danfo buses, and even know how to curse someone in a couple of the above-mentioned languages, does that make u nigerian?

what if you grew up in Nigeria, went to one of the posh schools, can only speak English (yoruba, ibo, and God-forbid pidgin are all vernacular!), only eat eba and amala if forced (somehow in Naija u only ate kellogs), would not be caught dead in a danfo bus, not to talk of on an okada. are u nigerian?

How about if you grew up in Yankee, but your parents are naija, so you understand "your" language (even if you can't speak it), you only eat pounded yam (the poundo type) cos ur mama forced it down your throat, you've prolly visited naija like once or twice- during christmas. does that make u nigerian?

Let's say you grew up in Yankee, both your parents are naija, BUT you only speak English at home, you do not understand a word of yoruba, Igbo or ur language, you only eat pizza and lasanga. You're no different from the next shaniqua- EXCEPT your name is Omogoriola Otaibayo. Are you really nigerian?

Well, I put up the above scenarios because I'm tired of explaining to people who is nigerian or not. In my class, for some odd reason, we happen to have a healthy mix of nigerians(other classes don't have as much)- and we all fall into the categories mentioned above. They say birds of the same feathers flock together, so naturally most of us are all friends. However, the rest of the class believes that there is a Nigerian "clique". They even go as far as blaming the disunity of the class on the Nigerians.

One time, I had an argument/discussion with some of my akata friends as to who is really Nigerian or not. Some Nigerians in group 3/group 4 feel as though they are being referred to as fake-nigerians. Although some Nigerians in group 1 might hold that belief, I try to explain to them that there are also Nigerians in group 2 who are just the same as those in group 3.

Also, there is this belief that no nigerian girl would date any of the akata boys in the class, and if God-forbid an akata girl started dating a naija boy, that there would be serious hating from the naija girls! I really didn't sound credible cos my boyfriend is a naija guy, but then that's my personal preference. The only thing I could say is why do Black men get stares when they have a White lady on their arm? nuff said!

In my own opinion, You're as Nigerian as you think you are. I have so many friends that grew up in Nigeria all their life and can't even speak any Nigerian language. My four year old cousin who was born in yankee, is more patriotic than I am. He would willingly volunteer to any stranger that he is Nigerian, he loves his buba and sokoto with a passion, and can eat iyan all week with no problems!

If you belong to group 3 or even group 4 and you tell me you're American but your parents are Nigerian, who am I to argue with you? can we stop all this hating please! jeez!!