It's one thing for foreigners to have a generalized impression about your culture. It's quite understandable since they only see things from the superficial angle. And at least, in their case, there's room for correction. But how do you correct a wrong notion regarding your ethnic way of life when it's being spread by your own countrymen? Not so easy, you agree? Well, that's the case with my country people. They're grossly responsible for labeling their fellow brethren and sistren from other tribes through generalized statements. This is why many Nigerians are quickly associated with some common stereotypes they find almost impossible to reverse. Let's check out a few;
Ibos Love Money
Now, this idea is mostly believed by Nigerians due to the well-known fact that most Ibos are business-minded. They tend to be very commercial in their way of life and technically, that's not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it puts them in a light that displays their level of personal organization and ambition. But my people no fi see am laidat. To them, every ibo goes wide-eyes once cash is involved. This has cost many prospective single Ibo ladies a lot of marriage opportunities as suitors fear that by tying the knot with such ladies, they're committing financial hara-kiri.
Northerners Are Filthy
Due to the fact that a large majority of the northern part of Nigeria is situated in a semi-arid region, the lifestyle of many northerners are directed at extreme conservation- management of food, water and clothing resources. Unfortunately, when they come to other regions, they tend to display this lifestyle by living as simply as possible- bathing less often, taking up menial jobs and always moving around in work clothes. And because the people around them do not easily understand this conservative lifestyle, they just conclude that these people are the way they are because they like living like livestock- which is very far from the truth.
Efik Girls Are Sexually Insatiable
Honestly, who started this generalized idea? I want to meet that person. How did he or she know? Has he tested every girl from Cross-river and Akwa Ibom to build such an audacity to make a conclusion of this magnitude??? There's nothing wrong with having a vibrant sex life and I doubt if it's exclusive only to a selected ethnic group or race. Whether you're African or American, French or Asian, Ibibio or Abiriba, if you wan like dick, you go like dick! It's a choice, not a genetically mandated habit.
Delta Guys Have Huge Penises
How does belonging to a particular tribe automatically equate to growing it big in your pants??? Yeah, it works if you come from a family who possess the trait that allows large growth in overall body size but it's not a ethnically allocated characteristic. I've seen many girls bragging about this and I just can't help but laugh at the lie. Read my lips; your tribe has no influence on your penis size. If you're genetically inclined to not grow it a few inches beyond 5.2, it will not change even if you come from Warri!
Southerners Are Quarrelsome
The issue of Niger-Delta militants, pipeline vandalization in the South-south and high levels of cultism in DELSU and UNIPORT do not really help matters in this case. However, it is not reason enough to make such blatant conclusions. Let's analyze; is it every southerner you meet that walks around with a weapon in their hand or the trunk of their car? Is every southerner you've ever met a carnage-craving, bloodthirsty anarchist? Obviously not. I've met southerners who are as meek as sheep. Mama Iloma, for instance.
Yorubas Are Gossips
Yorubas are very social people. They love to have discussions. They love to talk and communicate and mingle with people. They love to get to the root of matters. This however, doesn't mean they all poke their noses in every issue they come across. Some of them actually enjoy their privacy and respect that of others. Others couldn't care less what's going on around them, so long as they're not affected. Being a gossip is not ethnically-exclusive. If you're a busybody, you're a busybody, whether your Hausa, Ibo or Yoruba.
Edo Girls Are Promiscuous
Yeah...NO. I don't buy it. Although a friend of mine almost convinced me by pointing out that 6 out of 10 hookers he's dealt with are from Benin or Auchi, it's still not solid enough to conclusively draw the line. Many factors can push a woman to sell her body but hardly will lust be one of them. And I seriously doubt that coming from a particular ethnic group is an automatic driving force for craving multiple sexual partners. This stereotype has caused many ladies from that part of Nigeria to be shame-faced. It's so unfair.
Imo Ladies Are Sluts
This one is mostly spread by Imo boys themselves! It's shocking. It's so popularly believed that many Imo boys refuse to marry girls from their state. And it's not nice at all. Why condemn the entire basket simply because a few eggs prefer to sample more than one penis at a time? Yes, there are some who just aren't satisfied with only one man but is that reason enough to equate the attitude to an entire tribe? Conclusively accepting this as a fact is equivalent to saying that all women from Uganda are victims of genital mutilation- which is very far from the truth so this statement not proper, abeg.
Benue Women Are Super Busty
Now, I've never met a lot of women from Makurdi but I refuse to believe that every woman from Benue are packing Double D size boobs under their gowns. It's almost as if people do not even understand the concept of genetics. Or maybe the actually do not. Are there many women from Benue state who are packing gigantic jugs? Probably. Is those heavy gifts on their chests a trait only exclusive to them simply because they come from Benue state? Probably not. Abi since when did puberty become tribally biased? Abeg!
Cheating Is Normal For Men
Nigerian men, please stop it. And Nigerian women who encourage this belief by letting their partners practise polygamy and charity-shukushuku upandan, abeg e don do. It's a choice, not a natural tendency! Don't paint the rest of us who stick to one partner black with your gonorrhoea-infested mentality, biko!!! And it's not a gender thing. A person will cheat regardless of whether he owns a penis or a vagina so please, stop branding us males as the horndogs, kwoh?
I know I let some out. Be a dear please and add them below.
...a very insightful and apt write-up!
ReplyDelete