Before I go further let
me make a few things clear. One, I am not Igbo, so I may not share the same
cultural experience as Jidenna. Despite the negative and stereotypical things I’ve
heard about Igbos (some perpetuated by Igbos themselves especially in the
media- Ill Bliss, I’m looking at you with your numerous “container” lines), I
have found them to be nice (their women sexy too, but am fasting). None has
kidnapped me yet… and, not to brag here, but I’ve been told I’m light-skinned
too!
Two, the above statement… I am light-skinned. I had to
mention it twice, because apparently this is something you can cash in on, not
just here in Nigeria, but anywhere there’s a spectrum of Black people that
range from, in the words of comedian Redd Foxx, “burnt almond’ to “damn near
white”, see here. But let’s get serious here, as someone who may or may not
have grown up in and out of Nigeria (my memory fades), I have discovered that there
is an unreasonable fear of Nigeria or what may happen to you in Nigeria
perpetuated by Nigerians living/growing up/having grown up in the diaspora. It’s
like all those IJGBs (I Just Got Backs) that come back from four years in
England and all you hear is a dinner conversation of complaints on how Nigeria
doesn’t work that you just want to shoot them before dessert comes… that’s if you
have dessert in Nigeria, lol. Yes, Nigerians living here have the same
complaints, but we move on instead of dragging the conversation and making it
seem so unbearable, innit?!
Had Jidenna made these statements- and I’m not denying that
he may have had to import AK47s and what not, how did he pass them through
customs? –when he was 13, I would’ve forgiven him. Actually, I’m not mad at him
to be honest, but I would’ve understood his statement. All it takes is one or
several incidents to heighten your fears of things you’ve been told about or
may have experienced before, no matter how isolated they are. They happen here a
lot when we chastise each other’s ethnicity just based off one Aboki or because
the dealer that tried to swindle us was Igbo, never mind that if he was Yoruba
you probably would not have made a stereotypical connection that has been
drummed in your head by your parents/friends/neighbours and so on.
But the fact that Jidenna said this as a grown man is
perhaps what is heartbreaking. He did mention his actions were based on past
experiences. Experiences neither you nor I can confirm or deny. And while his
fears- after all he doesn’t live here remember –may have been warranted, I
believe they were based on the WRONG reasons! This is why I think we need to
chill with some of the comments. Yes, it’s okay to criticize our brother, but
biko he is one of us. And since we Africans like to act all communal and shit even when
someone’s business is really none of our business, let us take our child and
remind him that we are not all opportunists- except me, I could use with the
traffic to my blog from time to time –and forgive him, abi?
This is the part where
I end this with an Igbo proverb, but I can’t remember one, so feel free to
insert you own. Oh wait, just remembered one (don’t know if it’s Igbo though), “The
child that says his mother will not sleep, will also not sleep!” Biko, Jidenna…
let us sleep! Wait… pause, I meant… oh, fuck it!
