Presenters on Nigerian radio and television stations are fond of ‘tongue twisting’ or speaking in unnatural, fake accents even though some of them have never left the shores of Nigeria. With reactions from some presenters. Love FM, ITV and now Star Time channel 331 TV presenter, Emma Bricks Oko, in an interview said that fake accents are put on by people with complex issues. Bricks is one of the best presenters in the country even though he has never considered faking his accent. “I’m a TV presenter; I don’t fake an accent and I have never dreamt of it. I don’t know what may come up in the future while in the profession that will make me do it, but to be honest with you, some people are born with foreign accents without travelling outside the country,” he said. But how can someone be born with an accent without travelling outside his country? He further added that “all professions have a way of making people outstanding if you are innovative. So if anyone who is practising or delving into the profession feels that’s the only way he/she can be noticed, then it must not be until he/she flies out of the country before he/she can get an accent. Moreover, TV is make-believe and sometimes it’s good you add an additional effort that is expected from you as a presenter. Why not ask a musician who wears all manners of clothes while shooting videos and cannot wear it in day to day life.” he asked.
But former entertainment host and presenter with ITV and now CEO of Boss Entertainment, Popular with Jeff, says one has to be real in presentation. “Television presentation is all about being yourself and acting who you are,” he said.Whenever you turn on the radio, with the exception of Wazobia FM , all other radio stations have presenters who are in the habit of using fake accents or as Mathew Abu said, ‘them go just dey scatter fone dey go. Naija artistes too sef dey scatter the thing. I just tire. Like I know people wey never cross Cotonou enter Benin Republic for their life wey dey blow yankee accent pass the people wey
dem born for obodo oyibo. What is really up with the fake accents for real? It’s pretty damn annoying especially when you know it’s forced. What is wrong with your regular Nigerian accent? Is it too local for you? Abi you dey form chasis person? I mean “warra heck man… I need some poraroes and some warer mehn.” “Seems like the folks outside Nigeria are the ones that are trying hard to speak pidgin and keep it down to earth and some (not all) folks in Nigeria are blowing the fone by force. No be by force to have foreign accent. ‘Just because you went to Yankee on vacation for 2-months, or you went to Dubai to go and shop doesn’t mean you should come back and be blowing fone like say tomorrow no dey.’ He added, “I do understand situations where someone has lived abroad for years, maybe for school or grew up there, and came back to Naija and is just used to pronouncing certain words in an accent. Those folks are excused, but those of you that went to Accra and came back and claim to be abroad, please spare that nonsense gist for someone that cares,” he concluded.Paul I. Adujie, a lawyer, asked, “Have Nigerians accepted an inferior status already?” “Why would Nigerians born and raised in Nigeria, who then emigrated from Nigeria to other lands, as adults, with legal education from Nigeria, suddenly assume foreign accents, in derogation to Nigerian
accents? Why the preference for non-Nigerian
accents? Well, some have said that, being identified as Nigerian in America and Europe has become burdensome for them, but what is the right thing to do? Be in denial? I have recounted the above to Make the following points: I strongly believe that everyone has an accent worldwide, and that Nigerians should not be ashamed of or embarrassed about our distinctive Nigerian tongue and accents, as our accents, our colour, culture and country are why we are unique. These are no accidents or products of scientific mutations! ’He advised.
Americans and Europeans and everybody else
have accents, and they do not engage in tongue- twisting imitations of Nigerian accents or any other accents, apart from theirs, not even when they are on Nigerian soil for business or pleasure, for a day or twenty-years! Are we running away from ourselves? The late Bob Nesta Marley said, “liberate
thyself from mental-slavery.” While some Nigerians are rushing to give birth to their children in America and Europe, as an artificial insurance for their children, probably not realising that there are Americans and Europeans, born and raised in America and Europe that are poorer and more illiterate than the guy from my hometown and yours? Back to the Nigerians with fake foreign accents,
some DJs and presenters talk with foreign accents,while presenting foreign music all day, every day, helping foreign musicians and companies popularise their culture, their music and business. Nigerian radio stations have essentially become the mouthpiece of foreign things. Selling and promoting Nigerian music is good business, why sell other people’s music?
Mr Adujie, also emphasised that in New York City last year, where he is based, theatrical musicians went on strike, and city government reported a loss of tax of more than $10 million dollars; the strike was short-lived. This means, when we promote foreign music, we are not helping to develop ours,we are not putting money in our musicians’ pockets and we are not helping our government’s tax base.
I have heard it all by way of adulterated Nigerian accents! Some Nigerians living in America are more Americans than the Americans themselves. Sometimes, especially when these educated middleclass Nigerians resort to imitating the lowly slang of the streets, it can be ridiculous! As they substitute improper words and improper pronunciations for common English words, for example ‘want’ becomes “wanno” or “wanrrow”; “twenty” becomes “twenny” or “twenree” or “twenrry”; party becomes ”parry” or “parree” and ‘later’, becomes “lay-rah.” Some Nigerian commentators have written on similar subjects of de-Nigerianisation, such as corrupting or
abbreviating Nigerian names to suit American and Europeans ears and tongues?
Derenle Edun is a Channel O Television presenter and once said his father tongue can never be changed even though he was born outside the country and is only half Nigerian. The TV host is natural and represents Nigeria very well. Whenever you sit with some of these presenters they are more local than the locals and blend very well. But when on air, why do they twist their tongues to fake accents like someone who ate hot pepper..

First to comment for the 1st
tym ever