If you are a resident of the United
States you may have felt or noticed the
simmering heat emanating from the
tension within the Black community.
You may have felt the mutual
suspicion and objections and the
intense competition between the
African-American, Afro-Caribbean and
Afro-Latino, and the African
community. There is also the tension
within the African community. In some
enclaves and professional sectors, the
heat stemming from these tensions
can be unbearable.

Often times one wonders why people with common
ancestry, common history and
common life experiences engage in
self-immolating, self-defeating and
self-hating tendencies. What’s the
problem?
Let’s start with Africans.


Most Africans
I have come to know or
communicated with are suspicious of,
and love to hate Nigerians. I don’t
mean this at the individual level. I am
speaking in collective or general
terms. Every where I go, I hear
Congolese, Togolese, Sierra Leonean,
Liberians and South Africans and
others speak ill of Nigerians. They hate
the fact that Nigerians are “too
aggressive,” “too dishonest,” “love to
show off their wealth,” and are “always
loud.” They associate Nigerians (and
Nigerians only) with “419” even when
their own nationals have been caught
committing criminal offences.
Personally, I don’t know what it means
to be “too aggressive.” Does it means
that Nigerians have a quicker and
better understanding of systems and
societies they find themselves in?
Does it mean that Nigerians, by virtue
of their worldview, education, and
experiences, gets acculturated better
and faster than other Africans? Does it
mean they know how to stretch and
bend rules to suit their conditions?
Does it mean that Nigerians are
generally never afraid or intimidated
of their new environment? Whatever
“too aggressive” means, they are
always grateful when Nigerians show
them the ropes, helps them out of
difficult situations and introduce them
to wider circle of benefits.


To be a Nigerian in some cities and in
some ethnic enclaves is to be a pariah.
Africans from Mozambique, Tanzania,
Botswana, Angola, Zambia, Kenya and
other East and Southern African
countries can’t tell enough of the
“monsters and crooks” living in their
countries. I hear it every time. And
indeed, some Africans are not happy
with the fact that Nigerians have a
huge presence in their educational
system. That Nigerians are the
Nouveau riche in some of these
African countries is a source of
jealousy. Sadly, when confronted,
most of these Africans have never
associated with or personally known
such new-Nigerians. They’ve only
“heard of Nigerians” who fit their
flawed expectation.
Sadly, one also hears African-
Americans, Afro-Caribbean and Afro-
Latinos complain about Nigerians. The
image these Blacks have of Nigerians
is not unlike that of other Africans. A
Nigerians trying to secure a
professional job or contract -- if such
office is headed by an African-
American -- will find it to be an uphill
task. If no one else is listening to the
interview, you may be queried, grilled,
toyed with and asked unethical
questions just to make you loose your
composure.


Generally speaking, a
Nigerian stands a better chance for
employment consideration or a level
playing field if the man or woman at
the top is a non-Black. For whatever
reason, African-American women do
not share the opinion of their male
counterpart (regarding Nigerians).
Back to Africans: what is it about
Nigeria and Nigerians that vexes
them? Nigeria is not a global
hegemon. We neither invade nor
occupy other lands. We do not have
expansionist tendencies. We are not
even a crusading nation lording over
the West African sub-region. And even
within the African continent, we have
mostly helped, and have been a good
neighbor. By and large, all we have
done is help other African countries in
terms of their economy and or
political independence. Even though
Nigeria has her own problems we
continue to expend time and energy
and other resources on fellow African
countries.
Without Nigeria, close to 40% of sub-
Saharan African countries would have
found it difficult to gain independence
or be in existence today. Our country
remains the lifeline of several African
countries. Since 1970 or thereabout
Nigeria has spent billions of dollars
towards peacekeeping and economic
and political stabilization missions. In
addition, thousands of Nigerians have
lost their lives in the service of these
countries. For all we have done and
continue to do -- is these all we get?
Scorn and ridicule and hate?
But really, what did Nigeria and
Nigerians do to African-American, the
Afro-Latino and Afro-Caribbean
community to deserve the hostility
that is generality directed at us? If
others hate us for the obvious and
unobservable reasons, what about
other Africans? What’s their problem?

After reading through this post, i couldn't help, but recapture recent sardonic incidence i have witnessed and heard on the inhuman treatment on nigerians.
I personally feels so lugubrious when any nigeria is tagged 419 or treated bad. It boils down my spine. I have never regretted being a nigerian you know why? The spirit of a nigerian is ever ready to fly beyound where other countries stop, ever confident on him self, their hardwork always makes them standout in any convocation, ever ready to explore every opportunity as a privilage to bring out positive effect from it and that's why God has never departed from nigerians. Any where(country or continent) you don't see nigerians run for you life, because indeed nothing positive can be derived from there.
If you are reading through my comment: do not be astonished, for the facts remains; God will never let us(nigerians) down. Who God don bless don bless!
Lastly, using this platform to call on nigerians to always be law abiding citizens and also try ignore the inhuman treatment on thenm and God will surely fight for you.

unpredictedone:
After reading through this post, i couldn't help, but recapture recent sardonic incidence i have witnessed and heard on the inhuman treatment on nigerians.
I personally feels so lugubrious when any nigeria is tagged 419 or treated bad. It boils down my spine. I have never regretted being a nigerian you know why? The spirit of a nigerian is ever ready to fly beyound where other countries stop, ever confident on him self, their hardwork always makes them standout in any convocation, ever ready to explore every opportunity as a privilage to bring out positive effect from it and that's why God has never departed from nigerians. Any where(country or continent) you don't see nigerians run for you life, because indeed nothing positive can be derived from there.
If you are reading through my comment: do not be astonished, for the facts remains; God will never let us(nigerians) down. Who God don bless don bless!
Lastly, using this platform to call on nigerians to always be law abiding citizens and also try ignore the inhuman treatment on thenm and God will surely fight for you.

wow lovely write up bro! Learnt a lot from it...

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