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Nigerians In The Diaspora: Subtle Messages When You Visit - Travel - Nairaland

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Nigerians In The Diaspora: Subtle Messages When You Visit by my2cents(m): 3:51pm On Apr 21, 2006
So, usually, whenever I visit naija and go to a friend's/family member's house, the first thing they tend to do, I have noticed, is tune their TV to CNN, even if they were watching something else before you got there. I have even gotten the comment "Everything wey you dey see, me dey see am too, Oh, ah ah! you no see am? I just see am for CNN"

Another one: Despite your subtle insistence on speaking your language, they always speak back in English, as if to say you shouldn't speak your language. I even had someone tell me "I was just testing you to see if you still know our language" or "you are good o! You still know our language?"

Do you guys have similar experiences? If so, why do you think they do this? Are they trying to say something?
Re: Nigerians In The Diaspora: Subtle Messages When You Visit by Hotstepper(f): 4:29pm On Apr 22, 2006
yes ooooo, in 2004 I went, It was hilarious, hahaha and am da kind of person that laughs alot so you can imagine. The 1st time I spoke was in lagos and every1 turned and looked at me and started asking questions. I had 2 speak IGBO dere and den not minding the might be yorubaz or hausa etc. I told them I came 4rom Enugu for hols in Lag. and they didn't believe saying I look diff., talks diff. etc and hmmmm am very light 2 so dat made it worst. I was refered 2 as "WHITE GURL", At a point, the boys would wanna toast you you know and they would be forcing tryna have sum stupid accent and it made it worst cuz it became harder for me 2 understand.

Back in ma villa, the people there would speak english to me and I would respond back in igbo to make them be aware that I can understand and speak but still they still wanna speak english. most of them time itz funny cuz itz like they are forcing it out. The worst part was during ma mom's trad. marriage, the MC came to me and wanted 2 ask me wat I feel about the occassion. he was like " so how do u feel about your mother's funeral?", am like hmmmmmmmmmmm itz my mom's trad. marriage. I know he made the mistake cuz he was speaking english when it came 2 ma turn unlike other people he interviewed.

Yes ooooo, they alwayz watch CNN and CHANNEL 0 tongue

9ja is a krazy place and can't wait 4 diz xmas, funnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Re: Nigerians In The Diaspora: Subtle Messages When You Visit by kimba(m): 7:16am On Apr 24, 2006
@Hotstepper
The worst part was during ma mom's trad. marriage, the MC came to me and wanted 2 ask me what I feel about the occassion. he was like " so how do u feel about your mother's funeral?", am like hmmmmmmmmmmm

You should have given that man a back-to-sender slap immediately grin grin grin grin grin grin grin grin

I observed such too, when peeps relate to me, coz they feel this guy doesnt understand the local dial, so everybody begins to speak English, hoping to impress somehow. On the other hand, isnt it strange that after they begin to speak their english, and they want to say something they think you wont understand, then they tell themselves in yoruba for example "i dont want him to hear what i want to say, so im speaking yoruba, ehen, blah blah, blah" and im right by them, and in my mind, im like, what the hell do this guys think they are talking about? grin grin grin
Re: Nigerians In The Diaspora: Subtle Messages When You Visit by Hotstepper(f): 6:31pm On Apr 25, 2006
hahahha@kimba


At ma boarding skool. we would call diz kinda ppl FELA MONGAS tongue
Re: Nigerians In The Diaspora: Subtle Messages When You Visit by kiwibabe(f): 12:16am On Apr 26, 2006
My boyfriend is igbo and very light, when in lagos people couldnt wait to try and dupe us out of money, and him being a social person was happy to oblige them with conversation, when they heard him speaking Igbo with an english accent, they kept on calling him oyinbo, it was soo funny, he kept on getting mad.

We were at the market buying cd's, the man charged his bro 150 naira for a mix cd, but because we looked and spoke differently they tried to charge us double.
Re: Nigerians In The Diaspora: Subtle Messages When You Visit by katherinae(f): 1:29am On Sep 12, 2007
i particularly dont care about the messages that are sent to me. i just act like i dont notice, its less effort that way

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