Dgrant:
I worked at alongside some Nigerians and some British people at Wembly stadium yesterday for the Manchester city vs Sheffield United FA Cup semi final clash, which saw Manchester city knockout Sheffield United with a Riyah Mahrez hat trick.

I must admit that we, Nigerians deserve whatever stereotype we get from the other parts of the world, including from other African countries. Our behavior suggests that the Western world and other Africans are right about how they perceive and treat us. We can't keep blaming the government for all the ills we suffer home and abroad. We've let ourselves and the country down countless times and one of the times is captured in this thread. Have a great read.

Shortly after arriving Wembly stadium yesterday, we were given a small level of VIP treatment which almost got into my head but I was focused on delivering the service I was hired to do, whilst catching a glimpse of football stars on the ground.

soon it was meal time and we were urged to have our lunch before kick-off. We were directed to pick up a luch bag and my greatest surprise, I saw this Nigerian guy who was part of the team, taking more than one lunch bag. He filled up his bag so much that the bag broke and food almost pour out. Baba started stuffing his mouth with food so as to create space in his bag to take more food.

I spoke to him and others that were involved, but they were adamant. Suddenly another team member, a British woman turned around to observe what was going on. She was so irritated and said to another team member "that is how they behave, always scamming people and acting hungry whereever they go."

I WAS ASHAMED!!!!

I became so ashamed and I felt like disappearing from the scene. Some people that were involved in the loot became aware that they have been noticed and immediately stopped, but this particular guy continued and said "I don't care what anyone wants to say, I want to enjoy myself."

What bothered me was the generalisation that we, Nigerians/Africans are hungry and are scammers.

The Western world and the entire Europe want to keep justifying their behavior towards us and incidents like this will further validate their perception about us. We see how they treat us at airports, in the streets, random search etc and we wonder why? it's because we have no respect for ourselves and if you don't respect yourself, who will respect you? I decided to distant myself from the guys involved but to what end? we have same skin color and they see us as all hungry people and scmmers.

Well, we need to do better and change this narrative either individually or collectively by building self respect and value.

Anyway, congratulations to Manchester city, I hope they never catch up with Arsenal cause as an Arsenal fan, I want to see this premier league trophy holiday come to an end this season.

N.B: Please ignore my beards, barding and shaving isn't cheap in this country, it goes up to £15 to £25 per cut and sometime more, depending on where you live. Na to buy clipper begin cut myself.

Creamypie:
na so some of our people dey over Mumu themselves oh. A friend of mine in u.k and some naija were invited for Dinner by a white lady. As she pass dishes, go kitchen to bring an equipment, na so them rush food, put inside containers them carry along, with bare hands. She was pissed by the time she came out from kitchen, she come quickly arrange another one wey them go eat there. It was so shameful. Unit just kuma buy clipper nah, as e be say e costly to shave beards

phorget:



Nah make I quickly go learn barbing o so I go fit dey razzle rabba if i don enter that side.

Dgrant:

The Western world and the entire Europe want to keep justifying their behavior towards us and incidents like this will further validate their perception about us. We see how they treat us at airports, in the streets, random search etc and we wonder why? it's because we have no respect for ourselves and if you don't respect yourself, who will respect you? I decided to distant myself from the guys involved but to what end? we have same skin color and they see us as all hungry people and scammers.
You did the right thing, just keep being yourself and upholding the good morals expected of you. With time, they'll separate the beans from the shaft

N.B: Please ignore my beards, barding and shaving isn't cheap in this country, it goes up to £15 to £25 per cut and sometime more, depending on where you live. Na to buy clipper begin cut myself.

Creamypie:
na so some of our people dey over Mumu themselves oh. A friend of mine in u.k and some naija were invited for Dinner by a white lady. As she pass dishes, go kitchen to bring an equipment, na so them rush food, put inside containers them carry along, with bare hands. She was pissed by the time she came out from kitchen, she come quickly arrange another one wey them go eat there. It was so shameful. U for just kuma buy mini clipper nah, as e be say e costly to shave beards

Zonefree:
A glutton is a glutton, regardless of their origin.

Dgrant:
Certainly, but it would become a cause for concern when your country man displays such gluttony on a world stage and they pain everyone from your country or continent with smae brush. Its embarassing, i promise you

Zonefree:

But, did you try to communicate with him in our local parlance about his actions?

ednut1:
All this epistle for food that servers will will likely be thrown in the bin. We are not the only nation with immigrants . This article only does more harm to the stereotype you are complaining of

Dgrant:
Yes I did. Baba said he doesn't care about what anyone says. So I just kukuma keep my distance,

AImiron:
nah like that you go spot ppl wey collect lapo to Japa, baba no Dey eat well cos he's repaying loan, free Wembley food make him forget home training.

Well, Arsenal will go trophy less this season, don't get your hopes high. It's sealed already.

ednut1:


All this epistle for food that servers will will likely be thrown in the bin. We are not the only nation with immigrants .

Originalsly:


You are only confirming what he is saying..... and will do same to continue to give all a bad name. I guess thus is the mentality.... food will be thrown into the bin .... therefore grab all you can ... eat all you can... as quick as you can ..... no need eating what is first presented ... and waiting to be offered a second serving .... and after it's over for you to be offered bags to carry home what's left. And we wonder why we are singled out for hassle and extra scrutiny abroad.

ednut1:


I rarely eat at events as i’m a choosy eater. Agreed they messed up but why must we litter the internet with things like this. Do you see chinese, indians, mexicans or other Africans countries casting their own country upandan online . The internet is full of Nigerians making videos and posts about this or that in uk. Are we the only immigrants 🤣The Nigerian passport is a stigma abroad because of crimes and fraud by some bad eggs. Plus we come from a poor country with nonchalant government. 70 years ago the Chinese abroad were also seen as lesser people and treated with disdain. Is that the case today

Dgrant:
There is something called an embarassing behaviour. That the left over food would probably be thrown in the bin doesn't give him the right to gluttony and embarassing the rest of us. Embarassing comments were passed and all attention was directed at us and for what? for the wrong reasons\. No matter how much food would go to waste, you shouldn't take more than was assigned to you. Could have have possibly finished all the food because he didnt want any of it to waste?

This article further exposes some of the reasons we are not respected internationally and one of them is lack of respect for ourselves and lack of value.

When we were younger, our parents often forbade such behaviors when we visited our friends or neighbours, why? so as not to embarass them by making people feel they don't feed us enough.

We should take out the key learning from the article are bahave better in public.