THE NIGERIAN SOUND.

'Concussion', a movie about a Nigerian Doctor who made a significant discovery on the impact of multiple concussions on the health of Rugby players. The role of the Doctor was played by Will Smith. Nigerians were quick to condemn Will Smith for not interpreting the role effectively because he did not speak in Nigerian accent, considering that the character he was playing was born and bred in Nigeria. They said he did not make efforts to learn how Nigerians speak before playing the role. The trailer of the movie was catchy and I made efforts to watch the movie ASAP. Indeed Smith did not speak in an accent that is similar to what I know as Nigerian accent.

But it occurred to me that alot of us don't really know how a true Nigerian accent sounds. We hear it less and less everyday. The Banker that attends to you does not sound like it, neither does the flight attendant on your local flight, nor the school teacher or the Pastor in your church, or the presenter of your favorite radio program,the list is endless.

Indeed Hollywood has a very fallible portrayal of the Nigerian sound,but also our Nollywood has proved to be misleading as well. Our actors and actresses mostly the young ones believe that the more foreign or more precisely the more American you sound, the more polished you appear. This further confuses the general populance on what the Nigerian sound truly is like. When you watch Ghanaian movies or a movie from Kenya, you hear their sound, a sound that is unique to only them, a sound they choose to retain, a sound they choose not to polish away.

If you watch 'new generation' Television channels or programs, you will almost be confused. You will wonder if the broadcast is for Nigerians or some other populance that only understands foreign accents...... hence the need to strive at it. I will forever be endeared to the voices of Ruth Benemesia Opia, Cyril Stober, Shola Atere, Frank Edoho, etc. They do not speak too fast nor too slowly, we need not strain our ears to hear them clearly and most importantly they(still) sound 100% Nigerian.

Somehow we have the mentality that you speak good English only when you sound foreign. Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka are internationally recognized grammarians . With rich knowledge of syntax, phonetics and all the rules of English Language but when they speak, you still hear the Nigerian in them. You may say they are old school, but even our 21st Century Chimamanda Adiche still retains her Nigerian sound.

If these English Language gaints still 'speak home' why does the 19 year-old girl from Mbaise feel the need and pressure to cultivate a fake accent as soon as she is admitted into the University or the 28 year old dude who suddenly echos British accent just because he is trying to chat a lady up.

Accent is the crust of a language. It is a form of identification or signature that you carry around everywhere you go. It reveals where you are coming from, how far you have come and how rich your experience of life is. Everywhere we have them different, the thick crust of the Russian tone, the loose rhyme of the American flow, the guarded sound of the British, the heavy wordings of the Yorubas', the high pitch of the Hausas' and the peculiar tone of the Igbos'. None is more beautiful than the other. If we continue to erode our accents, how would we know whether we are close to a brother or sister when we are in a distant land.

Indeed we should remain in awe of our different accents, but a person need not strive to sound like another, such attempts are hardly ever successful. You may succeed in eroding your home accent but you may never fully pick up another, you will still sound different from them.

We are Nigerians, we should show our pride through the way we choose to sound and groom our children the same way.

Interesting topic....
I never saw that movie, but I didn't even know there was a debate on his "lack of authentic" Nigerian accent...
I'm quite sure the man practiced many times and tried his best...
But what Nigerians don't know is it is extremely difficult to mimic any foreigner's accent (let alone the Nigerian accent).
Although I have Igbo blood, I wasn't born in Nigeria (nor have I ever lived there)....and therefore, don't have the authentic accent.
No matter how hard I try, I can never fully 100 percent sound authentic.....
My dad gets frustrated when I sometimes cannot authentically pronounce Igbo names or words.
I have to remind him that I am trying my best....but it isn't my native language.
I even saw some African movies a few weeks back that starred a very popular actor and a very popular actress in leading roles trying to replicate the "American" accent and it was hilarious! They were even trying to use some slang...lol. I had to rewind some parts several times....to just listen cause it was funny. I understood them perfectly, but their portrayal was captivating....
The "accents" weren't so bad, but it was quite apparent that they weren't American nor could they ever fully authenticate the accent.

It's interesting what you wrote though...which was the basis for your post....
You said that Nigerians don't even speak their accents properly or something like that....if I interpreted you correctly.
Hmmm....

Well I can't debate that since I wouldn't know if that's correct or not.
But I think that people should "be" who they are.....the accents are what make people unique.
Although I think some people try to change their accent due to a variety of factors...
But that accent isn't going anywhere....so embrace it happily.

Fantastic article. Our brothers a day sisters who travel to the US, live there for three months and then come back with accents, kindly take note.

I deal with a lot of foreigners in my line of work and when in speak with them, I find myself unconsciously deepening my Nigerian tones because I do NOT want to sound like them.

Please tell them

This is a good write-up OP, indeed, it is becoming tiring to listen to the radio these days, from Toolz to Toke Makinwa and IK, everyone has a foreign accent. You turn on your TV and switch to Ebony Life and you get the feeling the programs aren't quite Nigerian. Some of them even sound South African.

The owners of these media organisations are not looking for people with Nigerian accents, that is why most of their employees usually finish from some school in the UK or US or at least, some IVY league private school. Everyone else has to work their way up and the more foreign and 'exotic' you sound, the faster the doors will be opened for you. These days, I have to listen keenly to even understand what these people are saying, but that is the world we have found ourselves in.

This brings me to the question:

What does a Nigerian accent sound like?


Being a nation of hundreds of languages, we must all know that the intonation of the people differ according to their ethnicities. The Yoruba man has a distinctive way of speaking, so does the Igbo and Efik man, the Hausa man is even more complicated, because their accents greatly differ according to their level of education. Then, there is a totally different accent in Nigeria, which isn't particularly foreign, but doesn't have the distinct intonation of any ethnicity. This accent is usually borne by those who grew up in cosmopolitan areas like Lagos, Abuja and other such places.


So, let me list some random actors with accents:

Nkem Owoh (Osuofia)
Odunlade Adekola
Ime Bishop (Okon Lagos)
Chidi Mokeme
Sadiq Daba
Nse-Ikpe Etim
Joke Silva


These actors all sound distinctly different, but if a Hollywood actor had to play a Nigerian character, which of them would you suggest he studied to better capture a Nigerian accent? The TRUE Nigerian accent, if we put it that way.

I don't know if you've watched Black Panther, if yes, what did you think of the character M'Baku's accent? Did it sound Nigerian to you?

Then people like me turn up and folks claim even our Yoruba has a fake English accent.

I tire!

safarigirl:
This is a good write-up OP, indeed, it is becoming tiring to listen to the radio these days, from Toolz to Toke Makinwa and IK, everyone has a foreign accent. You turn on your TV and switch to Ebony Life and you get the feeling the programs aren't quite Nigerian. Some of them even sound South African.

The owners of these media organisations are not looking for people with Nigerian accents, that is why most of their employees usually finish from some school in the UK or US or at least, some IVY league private school. Everyone else has to work their way up and the more foreign and 'exotic' you sound, the faster the doors will be opened for you. These days, I have to listen keenly to even understand what these people are saying, but that is the world we have found ourselves in.

This brings me to the question:

What does a Nigerian accent sound like?


Being a nation of hundreds of languages, we must all know that the intonation of the people differ according to their ethnicities. The Yoruba man has a distinctive way of speaking, so does the Igbo and Efik man, the Hausa man is even more complicated, because their accents greatly differ according to their level of education. Then, there is a totally different accent in Nigeria, which isn't particularly foreign, but doesn't have the distinct intonation of any ethnicity. This accent is usually borne by those who grew up in cosmopolitan areas like Lagos, Abuja and other such places.


So, let me list some random actors with accents:

Nkem Owoh (Osuofia)
Odunlade Adekola
Ime Bishop (Okon Lagos)
Chidi Mokeme
Sadiq Daba
Nse-Ikpe Etim
Joke Silva


These actors all sound distinctly different, but if a Hollywood actor had to play a Nigerian character, which of them would you suggest he studied to better capture a Nigerian accent? The TRUE Nigerian accent, if we put it that way.

I don't know if you've watched Black Panther, if yes, what did you think of the character M'Baku's accent? Did it sound Nigerian to you?

That accent is what I call the Nigerian Urban Accent and I think it is the Closest to what you'll call the Nigerian Accent. but I still think it varies Though from each urban Area to another. but is still greatly recognized and different from every other Accent. every city adds they own flavour to this Urban accent.