My grandma told me a lot how “un-nigerian” I sounded. She always said I spoke with my nose and talked too fast for her hearing. That explained why a 2minute conversation ended up in 10minutes with her because she always asked me to repeat myself.  She wasn’t the only one. My mum also complained of how much I slurred my words and strangers would ask me if I just got back from America when I hadn’t even seen the inside of an airplane since I was two. It’s funny how it’s the people who haven’t even crossed borders that try so much to sound like an Americana. It was not the way I was built, I did this consciously. I tried my best not to sound like an Igbo girl. One time, I pronounced blossom /ˈbläsəm/ as /’blōsəm/ and I was called out by my friend. She laughed so hard at me and said I sounded like my people. I felt very embarrassed and I made a mental note not to make that mistake again. Growing up in a society where having a western accent opened doors, it was important for me or so I thought not to be perceived as an ‘Igbo girl’ in the way that I communicated. This was such narrow minded thinking but I didn’t care about that because I was so bent on getting rid of my accent. This was something I came to find, a lot of Nigerians were doing. From the newscasters on tv, to the musicians, nollywood actors down to the people at school. When people asked me if I spoke igbo, I felt a rush of accomplishment when I said ‘Oh no, I don’t speak Igbo. I was born in Lagos.’ Even though I understood the language but they didn’t have to know that. Technically, I wasn’t lying I told myself.
Moving to New York will get rid of what’s left of my Igbo accent in no time, I thought. I didn’t care what I sounded like as long as I didn’t sound Nigerian. With the way I spoke, some people thought I was British and an employer thought I was French. No one thought I was Nigerian. So when I was asked where I was from and I said Nigeria, I surprised people. And the more I lived, the more I began to sound more American. I started losing the pronunciation of my t’s and talking like I had water in my mouth or should I say wad-er. Why was I choosing to blend in? Why did I think that to sound smart, I had to forsake my accent? I felt my identity fading away. How will anyone know I am Nigerian without my telling? More than ever I needed to accept myself and be proud of who I am. And as soon I realized this, the regrets came flooding in. I should have been enthused in learning how to speak my language. I should have traveled with my family to the village to learn more about my culture. I should have stuck to my accent.
Some people might say ‘Get over yourself. It’s just an accent!’ No its not just an accent. It’s my history. It’s my culture, It’s a reminder of who I am and where I am from. If we are so willing to change something as ‘minor’ as our accent because we feel inferior with it, what is to stop us from losing the rest of our culture to this western lifestyle we so much adore. So there I was, hanging on so tightly to the few strands of cultural identity I had left. I started making a conscious effort to sound Nigerian because living here, makes it easy to forget. It is easy for me to speak in an accent everyone can effortlessly grasp and it is quite frustrating when they have to ask me to repeat what I’ve said but, what has easy ever accomplished? No more high pitched, over-cheery tone for me(that was what I sounded like). I’m over trying to ‘impress’ anyone with a fake accent and if you are the kind that is easily swayed by that, I suggest re-orientation. I’m grateful to my family and friends because they always tell me when I’m trailing off with my americana accent and I am glad for their honesty as it keeps me in check. My partner says that I sound different from when he first met me and I respond ‘This is the real me, too late for you now’. You can sound just as smart, refined and enlightened as anyone else without having to fake your accent. Realizing something as little as this, caused a ripple effect and broadened my mind to other things I take for granted. I have found a new love for my culture and an overwhelming sense of pride when I say I am Nigerian...... Read more on (cheeksinthebigcity.tumblr.com)

Proudly Nigerian...I won't change my accent to please anyone.