How Are Interracial Relationships Viewed In Nigeria?

How Are Interracial Relationships Accepted/Viewed In Nigeria?

Hello everyone.  This is my first post and I'm really excited.

I am a Nigerian who lives in South Africa but moving back to Lagos to start up a business online.

I am coming with my expatriate(white) boyfriend and our daughter.

Is it safe to be back in Lagos and what can I expect?

thank you for the response. i have lived here in south africa for five years and don't forget that this the country that gave racism a name called apartheid. it has not been a problem for me at all. i actually find it amusing. i am 33 years old and from the yoruba tribe and have no problem being with my boyfriend. i am not bragging but he is very attractive and we go everywhere holding hands. we are hated by both the black south african women and the white women hate him too because they think he has sold out to his pepole. when i was pregnant with our daughter, nothing changed. we went out everywhere holding hands and almost everyone stared at me, my boyfriend and my pregnant belly. it was so funny. now that i have had my baby, they still stare even more. now the whites come to me to say how cute my baby is. the blacks are simply envious and still stuck in the ages.
in nigeria of course, it is assumed that when you are with a white guy, he picked you up from the night club. what a stupid mentality. it all boils down to ignorance!!!
please keeps comments coming in.

Doubt they really have a problem with it. I knew alot of "half caste" kids when I was in secondary school. The question you will probably get or your kid will be asked is stuff like "why arent you married/why arent your parents married"

Yea half-caste is usually used for mixed kids esp where one of the parents is white. It's a weird term really.

and what do you mean? 

my family has absolutely no problem with me being with a caucasian. its funny that they are called expatriates in nigeria. half caste kids are called coloreds here in south africa. my family lives in london. I'm not worried about being in lagos. we simply have to live in either ikoyi or victoria island where we would blend in just fine.

Sadly what Black Mama said about the color caste.    TThe color caste goes like this, which  is enforced and supported by Naija:  whites are the top dog.  Near whites.  Asians and other lighter skinned people, the African is at the bottom of the color caste.  Naijas are fascinated with lighter skinned people.  So you will probably, through your husband, benefit from white privelege.


A half caste in the states is called a half breed, a mut, a mongrel, which means someone who isn't a pure bred.  The political correct term to someone's face is biracial/mixed.  To use any of these terms is considred an insult. It is funny the terms we come up with for things that have existed for ages.  Black Americans have been mixed for almost 400 years, yet we are well aware that we are the descendents of Africans.  You can be high, high yellow to blue black in black American society. 

Do you know that during slavery many of our people were whiter than the whites?  The condition of the mother is the condition of the child.

it would certainly be fun to be back in lagos. the men would think that my partner must have picked me up from the night club or picked me up from italy. we are actually moving to lagos for about 4 0r 5 years. we are starting an online business but I'm not goin to give you guys the scoop yet but once we are up and running, i will inform all. what are the priviledges my kid gets an a HALF CASTE?  which good school can she attend?

this is why i love nigerians. the sense of humor. okay, people should just stay away from the poor childs hair before they put juju on it. make me happy. any good schools in lagos for her to attend? any creche or pre school? i don't know what its called in nigeria.

@topic:

It seems that this thread has been a busy one!  I hope you're getting the info you seek, pazuzu.  I know I'm learning a lot! 

@ThiefOfHearts:

What I mean is that your signature (with regard to nappy heads and red necks) is true on many levels.  Is that what you were asking me?  (By the way--what does "akata" mean?)

Thank you!

Is "akata" a term for a male or a female?  Is it a negative term or is it fairly neutral?

You people should stop using that term "akata".Its derogatory and a mockery of black people in general

I suggest you get over it, Iman.

They have no problem looking down on Africans (Lord knows what I went through in elementary school) so I have no problem saying a word that separates me from them.

I wish I gave a damn about whether or not the word offends them alas I don't 

That's true. Most decent schools arent impressed by such irrelevant issues.

your post really bothers me why do you feel your child who happens to be mixed race should have special privileges?

Bigsis said,And that's what led to pazuzu's question.  So please let's calm down.

"Akata" translates into "Cotton Picker". It's a derogatory word used as a thinly veiled reminder of the slave trade heritage of most African Americans. It's no better than "Nigger" and you shouldn't use it regardless of how much you get taunted (been there, done that). Don't repay evil with evil.