Why do so many nairalanders feel the need to define themselves in terms of "the whites" or white people?

Why does the topic of whites find its way into many, or even most, threads on here?

Your culture existed long before the western one, so surely you had an identity free of whites.  Why not continue that instead of always compare yourselves to whites?

How do you mean?

Our culture existed long before western culture . . . it ended the minute your forefathers came hounding ours calling them niggers, devil worshippers, violent cannibals, insecure, uneducated jungle bunnies who needed "western civilization" forced on them. The painful result is the disfunctional Africa we have today.

After centuries of enduring white racism, surely u dont expect us to just bury it and "move on" like you white hypocrites are always urging us to do. Try wearing our skin for 2 days and only then can you have the audacity to make noise here.

I'm sorry for the mistakes of previous generations of white people, They were inexcusable. I'm not asking anyone to move on. I just don't understand why so many people on this forum feel the need to bash whites over and over again. Doesn't it ever get old?

Is the nairaland community representative of the Nigerian people in general, in this respect?

amber_ella:

I'm sorry for the mistakes of previous generations of white people, They were inexcusable. I'm not asking anyone to move on. I just don't understand why so many people on this forum feel the need to bash whites over and over again. Doesn't it ever get old?

Is the nairaland community representative of the Nigerian people in general, in this respect?

i dont really see anywhere people are bashing whites, seems you have a very thin skin and take everything you read literarily. The average Nigerian is extremely polite to foreigners . . .

Ella,

Don't flatter yourself. When I see the list of topics in Nairaland, I wonder when we'll get over talking about ourselves. Most of the boards in the racist/sec board are about other Nigerian tribes.

I co-sign with 4 Him though. I'm sorry if our criticism about your people hurts your feelings but your people had it coming.

The Nigerian people, in general and on a larger scale, are too concerned about their health, corruption, food, and survival in Nigeria.  Not about what some white man/woman is doing in oyinbo land.

amber_ella:

I'm sorry for the mistakes of previous generations of white people, They were inexcusable. I'm not asking anyone to move on. I just don't understand why so many people on this forum feel the need to bash whites over and over again. Doesn't it ever get old?

Is the nairaland community representative of the Nigerian people in general, in this respect?

here are a few over the last couple of days.

Look at the first one and explain to me, please, how skin color got in the middle of there?!??

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=142342.msg2372708#msg2372708

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=131880.msg2371318#msg2371318

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=141588.msg2364527#msg2364527

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-140936.64.html

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=139397.msg2355397#msg2355397


White people are dogs with no respect who don't give a shit about the welfare of our husbands and are too stuck in our ways and, apparently, we go around slapping our teachers now (who knew??), while, of course, a marriage between a nigerian and a white has almost no chance of working, and our entire civilisation is headed toward impending doom due to our soddom and gomorrah lifestyles.

I'm almost scared to set foot outside my home after reading all this stuff about my neighbors!

get over it!

seriously, people here talk a lot of crap and good stuff at the same time, you need to realise what is plainly facetious and what is genuine. . .that is the key

sorry i just think it's boring to continue to see the world through such a narrow lens.

i've enjoyed my brief time spent here at nairaland - there are some interesting posters. But honestly, it's not the place for me.

I just hope I don't find the same boring mentality in nigeria when I visit.

can you seriously say you've gone through even 10% of the threads on nairaland to form the impression that we see things through a narrow lens?

Once again you are jumping the gun to conclude - I am beginning to agree with 4Him, you take things to literally and are nit picking your examples almost.

There is a WHOLE LOT (majority) going on here that has NOTHING to do with whites or colour for that matter. If you deny yourself the opportunity to experience that, then its your loss.

If you understand 1% of Nigeria after visiting, I'll give you an award - you seem to feel you can get a comprehensive mpression on such a large multi-faceted group of people from your limited interactions, you can't.

No, I didn't get a chance to meet most of the posters on here or to read even a fraction of the threads.

Just that every times I see white this or white that, it makes me cringe. People don't talk like that where I come from. I can't get away with running around saying black this and black that, even if I'm just being goofy.

I would be shocked if I heard my Nigerian husband saying any of this crap about white people, even if he was kidding around. Now I'm starting to wonder whether he thinks it and just keeps it to himself.

Actually, I have very few white friends. Most are middle eastern, african, asian or central american. And I can't ever remember hearing any of them talking in this manner. Perhaps it's because this is an anonymous forum, or maybe because it's primarily one group of people, Anyway, it's not the place for me. That's all.

Then leave. You're being picky and iditocially presumptive.

I wonder why we whites a so touchy.I love my colour cause is given by god,so what?Have u ever hear when we talk about foreigners or even black.

How many whitey shower regular,brush them teeth or even know how to get a man belly full?? We are not innocent about what people think about us!!But whites in general is the matter,not me or you in person.I know what i do and who i am and like my colour cause is given by god.

This woman want cause problem for here.
if u no like our views make u waka go another place. na by force to like you?

if u hear 1/2 of the things wey I dey hear everyday about black people from white people, you will not be saying what you r saying.
Truth is majority of white people are natural bred racists and they cant take it from the other side. "A killer does not like a sword being swung anywhere around him"

amber_ella:

Just that every times I see white this or white that, it makes me cringe. People don't talk like that where I come from. I can't get away with running around saying black this and black that, even if I'm just being goofy.

Stop being dishonest . . . how many times have WE smiled away with being called niggers? How do you think we felt seeing Obama's wife being called a baby mama? For how long do you think we have endured being labelled jungle animals with nooses put up in schoolyards ostensibly to remind us of our "place"?

Madam, you seem to have a problem. Your marriage to a Nigerian does not remove the fact that you have a closet distrust of black people.

@4him

oh boo.  I challenge you to find a post on here where I've said something derogatory about black people.

I simply don't appreciate being put into this box where every opinion I have is attributed to the color of my skin.  It's boring.  And at times, it's even bordered on racism.

what part of that gives you the impression that I'm distrustful of black people?


My husband has some negative feelings toward Chinese people.  I wouldn't say that it's racist, necessarily, but it's very annoying when he talks about chinese this and chinese that.  I'm always getting pissed at him and telling him that's wrong.

It wouldn't matter if you were talking about black people, white people, chinese people, latinos - whatever, it's just lame.

I'm not saying that racism doesn't exist in North America.  Of course it does.  But "where I come from" - my family and the people I grew up with, would think you were a lowlife if you ever voiced a stereotype based on the color of someone's skin.

amber_ella:

@4him

oh boo. I challenge you to find a post on here where I've said something derogatory about black people.

I simply don't appreciate being put into this box where every opinion I have is attributed to the color of my skin. It's boring. And at times, it's even bordered on racism.

No one would have paid you any attention if u didnt go around bleating about you being white. No one gives two shakes of a ducks tail. You'd be surprised how many white people are here that no one is aware of. They simply go about posting their opinions with no regard for skin color.
You seem obsessed with the color of your skin, you indirectly expect to be treated preferentially simply because u're white.

Move on . . . no one is noticing. Its gotten boring.

4 Him:

No one would have paid you any attention if u didnt go around bleating about you being white. No one gives two shakes of a ducks tail. You'd be surprised how many white people are here that no one is aware of. They simply go about posting their opinions with no regard for skin color.
You seem obsessed with the color of your skin, you indirectly expect to be treated preferentially simply because u're white.

Move on . . . no one is noticing. Its gotten boring.

Exactly my brother. Could not have said it better.

If you are talking of racial bashing,check out AOL news forum,a suppose internationally acclaimed media to hear all the despicable things white people say of other races,blacks especially.Media institutions like fox news are just there to bring down other races,licensed to bash,o-reiley and co,talkless of all the crazy neo-nazis forums al over the net,born to hate due to human miseries and unfullfilment as a result mere ignorance.

No sane black man bashes other other races unprovocatively,because it is mentally derogatory and fruiteless to do that,rather we point out injustices and prejudices melted on us by white system,we live it,we experience it,day in day out,it takes you to wear the shoes to feel the pain,be the bad guy then you know how it feels.

Black people are defensive,rather than offensive and it is a natural thing to do.

@Poster

In as much that I don't subscribe to racism, one cannot ignore the fact that racism is very prevalent in this part of the world. As a matter of fact, the rascism I have experienced first hand in "the land of the whites" is nothing to write home about. I am glad that posters like whitelady acknowledge the fact that whites say alot of rascist stuff about blacks. The fact that you are not rascist probably because of the way you were raised does not mean that millions upon billions of whites are the same way you are. Here in America, I walk into the store and I am followed about because most white Americans equate being black as being a thief. In Europe, it was the same shit as well and I am sure Canada is no different. So what does that tell me? It tells me that most white people when they see blacks think that we are out to rob them. Even if one tries to moves on like you suggest, your fellow whites make it a point of duty to remind us blacks from time to time that they do not like us.

You can deny all you want but at my age, after all I have experienced, I agree with another poster who said  that most whites are innately bred rascists by nature. I can't tell you how many times whites have smiled in my face and stabbed me at the back. White people say awful things about blacks behind closed doors and WE know it. Every once in a while, the way they feel about us slips out either intentionally on not. At my job, so called company execs came to celebrate end of year xmas party with us and after getting drunk started making rude, deragatory, condescending and rascist remarks about black employees So please, spare me. No matter how hard I try, I am always reminded one way or another, in subtle or not so subtle ways that I am black and therefore treated differently. I have given up on most white people and their bullshit. They do not add a grain of salt in my life so I can't be bothered Maybe, the day white skinheads, KKK and other white hate groups seize to exist, then we can come back to the drawing board. Till then, stop complaining or find another forum solely for whites or something. We at Nairaland can care less. You don't pay our bills so whatever!

And again is it not white people who look u like shit on he road if u walka with black man on the road??

@nwaka, I completely agree that there's disgusting racism here in Canada. I didn't see it until I got with my husband. Its not said out loud but it's there. Like when we're going around trying to rent a decent apartment and nobody wants to rent to us and I'm wondering "what the hell" until I have it explained to me. It's wrong. It's ugly. It makes me ashamed.

anyway, you guys know I'm right and you know that you're obsessed with defining yourselves in terms of whites.  You also know that it's wrong, but it's easier to say, "I'm black, I can't be racist," than to admit that this is a problem with your mentality.

I just sincerely hope that this forum is not indicative of Nigerians' mentality in general because I have a feeling that Nigeria is going to be a big part of my future.

Anyay, I'm glad I got a taste of this so it's not a shock if I experience this when I get there.

Is like u dont want to understand anything abi??

amber_ella:

ah, you guys know I'm right

you're not only wrong, you arrogantly continue to revel in your own ignorance.

amber_ella:

and you know that you're obsessed with defining yourselves in terms of whites.

FALSE! I admit that advanced countries are much better in terms of economic opportunities for the African . . . but for that reason millions of africans (i speak for myself) would 150% of the time prefer to remain at home than suffer racist abuse from ignorant and low life whites. Until i left my country i never knew what it meant to notice the color of my neighbour's skin.

amber_ella:

You also know that it's wrong, but it's easier to say, "I'm black, I can't be racist," than to admit that this is a problem with your mentality.

Everyone is prone to be racist. Even blacks are racist to blacts of a different tribe. You are simply one of the many closet racists who brandish their "i have a black friend" status before going on a racist rant. This forum is not a reflection of the broad spectrum of Nigerians . . . infact the vast majority come from just 2 tribes in Nigeria. There are a good more tribes out there u have never interacted with.

I mentioned earlier, grow up.
There are whites here who dont make it a point of duty to whine about their skin color like you do.
there are blacks here married to whites who go about life without crying blue murder anytime stereotypes about whites are made.
We endure stereotypes everyday of our waking lives, we havent set up internet forums solely to bemoan our status just yet.

Until you have walked in a black man's shoes you have no right to cry about racism.

4 Him:

You are simply one of the many closet racists who brandish their "i have a black friend" status

I never said that. It annoys me like hell when people say this. I'm not racist because I wasn't raised that way. Period.

4 Him:


Until you have walked in a black man's shoes you have no right to cry about racism.

Yes, I do. Racism is ugly in all its forms.

So u are not a human being or?Maybe a angel who want to show us how correct u life your life?

What am i reading here is someone looking for trouble? or begging for it. pls can somebody advise the poster to Stop or retract this thing before i start my own

amber_ella:

Yes, I do. Racism is ugly in all its forms.

we've heard you, next topic pls.

4 Him:

we've heard you, next topic please.

make una leave am for me na. shei she wan tlk white talk abi? i have time for Pigmentally challenged people

@poster,

The fact that u are shagging married to a naija man doesnt mean u should come here and say this. its very very irrelevant. this your issues with nairalanders could have been presented in a better light.

anyway since u are a woman like me, i may  let it rest but if you come back to start your talk on my people, i go fight you o! forget the fact the fact we can have our diffrences here but sensitive issues should not be presented, how would you feel if i put a topic on a white mans thread saying " All Black Naija men marrying white women are only there because of their papers" i am sure u would defend urs. realistically we all know the truth. so please stop your rant and an apology would be nice because u just came here bashing us and its very very very irritating. please go to THE DOLLARLAND FORUM

And u married an NAIJA Man ? hunny, look behind u!