Self/People/Immigrants

My Story: Why Nigerian Immigrants Experience Racism Differently From Other Blacks In the US

It’s not what you think.

They had a leg up with tribalism.

As a Nigerian, I experienced racism in my country. Oh! Not racism but her identical twin sister, tribalism. For example, in college, a professor banned me from speaking my language with my classmate but allowed students from his tribe to speak their language freely.

Racism and tribalism are twin sisters raised in the same home and community. Tribalism is cruel, lawless, rude, and shameless.

Yes, African-American history from a slavery perspective is shameful and distasteful for everyone involved.

How do Nigerian immigrants handle racism differently from other Blacks in the US?

Next.

Two writers touched on the issue of Africans’ inability to understand racism. One of them instructed Black immigrants never to have an opinion on racism if they came to the US after 1950.

Both writers wrote beautiful essays and shared their opinion on African/Black immigrants in the US, and Nigerian immigrants came up in some of the responses.

And they advised:

1. “When you are Black in America, do as Blacks in America do.”

It’s true most Nigerian immigrants rarely do what others are doing or follow others unless it’s profitable with a guarantee certificate. One reason greedy Westerners fell for a few Nigerian scammers.

2. “Stand behind us or beside us, but for goodness sakes don’t think yourself strong enough to stand in front of us! So, if you don’t have our ancestral experience — or even if you do, but your people immigrated to this country after the 1950s — you’re still too new to the game to tell us anything different about what we know. In so doing, you’re literally working against us.”

Yes.

They strongly advised that black immigrants must always stand behind Black Americans regarding race issues. Sure, black immigrants can learn to listen and understand. I do this as a human being and a social worker.

Hold it.

Also, most Nigerians respect people’s homes and cultures; however, for a typical Nigerian, economics trumps feelings or primitive knowledge.

The above two stories and many responses gave me something to think about, and I took the time to reflect on how cultural differences can create misunderstandings among people.

Therefore, one reason many Nigerian immigrants experience racism differently from other Blacks is:

Culture — tribalism and parenting.

First, many Nigerian immigrants in the US are selected as few who came here with highly valued skills or as billionaires’ children who came here for education or to waste easy money.

Second, typical Nigerian parents raise their children to always stay in front(economics), not behind or by the side. Many parents demand that their children bring home their best results. Results are the key in a typical Nigerian household and rarely efforts. It may be pitiful parenting. But it is the harsh truth.

Here’s an example of a typical Nigerian household:

“Did you make your bed?” Mom asked. The result is the child makes his bed. There are no excuses, such as blaming the light out or the sister not waking up on time. Mom and child know the basic house rule. The child must make his bed. The mother will never entertain any reasonable excuses or the child blaming others or things. Many Nigerian mothers are mean. But that story is for another day.

The above example makes many Nigerian immigrants not dwell too much on how people discriminate against them but are eager to do any job as a step forward.

Now, you know.

1. Many Nigerian mothers, plus I want results, not excuses or lovely talking points.
2. They had experienced toxic tribalism and could put up with her twin sister, racism in the West.

How do I know?

Some people in the northern part of Nigeria almost killed me because I didn’t cover my head in an open market. It was in a progressive city, Minna.

I am a Nigerian. I was born and raised in Nigeria and lived or spent time in most states/ tribes in Nigeria before I relocated to the US. I speak with a Nigerian accent like an Englishwoman who speaks with an English accent. You get the point.

Racism is evil.

All the isms can kill, and they are not going away anytime soon. They are part of our human existence, which people practice in every nook and canny of the world. Often, these ills are practiced openly in our family — classism, sexism, colorism, tribalism, racism, etc.

Even in the US, Nigerian immigrants can scream racism one second, and the same person practices tribalism the next minute in a community event. Discrimination is a learned behavior and can be unlearned. It starts with me. It starts with the activists.

We can learn how to love one another in our homes and community. Let’s pay close attention to our distractions and the almighty economics. What is the percentage of the population that controls the US economy? I don’t want my grandchildren to do the jobs others don’t want but do the ones a few people can.

Hate or envy is a distraction; it can destroy an individual more than racism.

Let’s go.

“They come here to enjoy what our grandparents fought for.” I heard this phrase from popular Black American writers when a Nigerian American was appointed to a top position in the White House. “They” referred to African immigrants.

Are they right? As an immigrant, am I enjoying life? Unfortunately, we are taking some of your jobs — the jobs you don’t want and, sometimes, the jobs you can’t do. One of my Godchildren is in graduate school with brutal training. What do you say to my Godchild without a social life because of a long-term goal?

Now, people blame immigrants for taking their jobs, marrying, or dating their men or women. However, people go where progress exists.

Immigrants are scapegoats, and people can choose to stop the abuse.

Nigeria saw a flock of immigrants in the 70s and 80s because of oil money. For example, I had an Indian physics and a Briton Chemistry teacher for three years in secondary school.

Listen.

There was American Women Association in my city in Nigeria. Yes, they all married Nigerian men. My cousin married a Black American, my uncle married a white American, and my former boss married a German woman. That was then and now, poverty, war, corrupt politicians, and shameless mega-pastors.

You see.

People tend to associate with progress, which is why many people are coming to the US, and more people follow Michelle Obama and Tim Denning on social media.

Before you go.

Let’s help ourselves and love one another with our actions. No condition is permanent. Racism is cancer, and I hope we find a treatment soon.

Let’s do what we can from where we are to decrease all forms of racism or discrimination and eradicate white supremacy.

We all need peace, love, and good health.

Why parents don’t have sex before their young children, or why do they drive them away when they want to have R. rated discussion? Join the conversation below.

“Never tell your child about a traumatic story during formative years. Let them have a good memory during that time with a good family story. If you don’t have a good family story, create one for them.” — Grace Ekpenyong.

Help yourself grow.