IN DEFENCE OF JIDENNA... SORT OF!

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!