dasparrow:

I don't know how long you resided in the States but you are lucky if your experience with Akatas have been pleasant. I have lived in the USA for over 13 years though I am in Nigeria at the moment serving (NYSC things). Most black immigrants living in America have had a crappy experience with Akatas, you are just an exception that your experience with them has been pleasant. I attended college and worked in New York City and I worked in Las Vegas as well and the Akatas in these cities are bigoted as hell. I remember many years back, my roommate from the Dominican Republic who is black was telling me how Akatas made life at her job miserable. Things got so bad, she had to quit the job.

I was still residing in my birth country in western Europe when some friends of mine who were actually from St Lucia, Kenya and Mali respectively warned me about Akatas when I told them of my plans of moving to the USA. These friends of mine only visited the USA as tourists and had crappy experiences with Akatas. When I got to USA, I was initially living in Brooklyn, in a black neighborhood. Akatas were aggressive and hostile towards me for no apparent reason except for the fact that I am an African.

I was listening to a Jamaican radio station and the radio presenter was talking about the beef going on between the Caribbean and Akata communities because a Jamaican woman won a seat in the government in California and started receiving death threats from disgruntled Akatas because the person she campaigned against was an Akata.

I am happy for you that your experience with Akatas was/is pleasant but I insist that your case is an exception. Most Africans living in USA have been called all sorts of names including 'monkeys', 'fvcking Africans' and 'booty scratchers' by Akatas and treated like crap. You are welcome to lobby their cause on Nairaland all you want but that will not change the reality of things on ground for those of us who were victims of Akatas' uncalled for hostility and constant aggression.

I will be lying to you if I tell you that I will sincerely treat Akatas with lots of love and hospitality should I run into them here in Nigeria. I am not very good at pretense and if I don't like you, then it shows in the way I will treat you. I am not a fan of Akatas and I will never be. I am so happy to be far away from them at the moment and I hope never to run into any of them while serving here in Abuja. If most of them truly see Africans as their distant cousins, then they won't treat many of us with so much scorn and hostility in their home country. I leave you with a quote from a bellanaija commenter who moved back to Nigeria after 10 years in the USA. Please pay attention to the bolded part of her comment:

new bride April 24, 2012 at 12:24 PM

"I moved to the US right after high school and lived there for 10years. THose 10years were the best and worst of my life! I was permanently homesick, the weather made me physically sick, the discrimination (from white americans and african americans) made me emotionally sick and I just never felt like I belonged there. Despite all of these I enjoyed growing up away from home and discovering my true self, I made friends and bonded with my cousins who were in the same situation as me.

I moved back in 2006 and to be honest, I don’t regret it AT ALL!!! While I enjoyed the luxuries of western living, I was also quick to realize that as a black, non-american woman, it would have been really difficult for me to advance in my career (advertising). that’s the main reason I moved back. I have a fantastic job and advancing very well in my career.

Occassionally I miss the living in the States, especially the food (i’m a junk food die hard), TV shows, summer concerts and shopping. My remedy is to visit once a year on holiday, so in those 3 weeks, I shop till I drop, eat till i almost burst and have as much fun as I can. I also travel to the States quite often for work, but it’s never like my holidays.

I know some people who will never move back home, but to each his own! I’m doing me, so do you!"

Comment taken from: http://www.bellanaija.com/2012/04/24/living-abroad-what-do-you-think-about-nigeria/

You sound like you have a personal problem with some specific akatas. Take your anger out on whoever those individuals are, and stop spreading lies about people you have never met.

Honestly, I think you are lying, or you just don't know how to make friends.
What makes me think this, is that some of the things you have posted are just complete lies, or your own fantasy. For example, black Americans supported Obama for his entire candidacy. You can look his primary election results and see the akata turnout. That was a bad lie. Anyway, the Akatas deep support for Obama is actually proof that they are NOT discriminatory towards Africans.


I lived in New York, also in a black neighborhood, and there are soooo many people from all over the world there. Nobody cares if you are not American in New York. Walk down any street and you will find people speaking different languages, and people from all over the world. I honestly have no idea what you are talking about.

I have noticed something while traveling. Some immigrants travel to foreign countries and try to avoid interacting with their hosts. They stay in their own groups and never talk to anyone else. Like the Chinese in Lagos that never learn a Nigerian language because they only interact with other Chinese. Were you like this? It is easy to think everyone dislikes you when you don't talk to them.

This brings me back to what I have noticed in Naija. Akatas that are very nice are treated badly for no reason at all. I think there is some deep hatred and jealousy we have for other blacks that is unhealthy. Even when we see black British people, that might be descended from Jamaicans, we think they are Nigerians that are faking their accent. Then we treat them badly, because we "feel" that they are looking down on us by pretending to be British.

The akatas I have met have been very happy to interact with Nigerians, only to be treated badly for no reason. I have never seen this happen in the US. The only people that tell stories of being disliked are usually people who spend their time trying to prove that they are 'better' than akatas. That is wrong. Nobody likes insecure people.

hurricaneChris: Me think say plane no de crash for obodo oyibo?

Lol even in US waiting to hear the lame xcuses as a cover to their imperfections.

Thanks to God though

Why would it be the US's fault if a foreign plane, operated by a foreign country, crashed while trying to land in their airport?

tpia@:
if only nigeria were much more developed, there wouldnt be so much animosity since fewer nigerians would look for greener pastures outside.

just vacation, tourism, and thats it.

The akatas I know that vacationed in Africa get treated so bad.

I was in a hotel in Calabar, and the workers were rushing to help all the non-black guests. Of course, they treated the African guests a little worse (we all have experienced this ). HOWEVER! If you opened your mouth and had an American accent, the people in the hotel would get nasty!

Stories have been told to me about Nigerians cheating Akatas in business deals, just out of hatred for them. I have been in rooms, where everyone will smile in the akatas face while they are present, but as soon as they walk outside the door everyone starts yabbing them. If they think they can get away with it, some will even switch to Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, etc and yab them while they are still in the room.

It just seems unnecessary, and I honestly don't understand it. Especially since we don't treat white, asian, and arab Americans like that.

dasparrow:

There are Akatas in Lagos? Since when?

Anyways, if you have ever lived in USA for an extended period of time, you won't be here asking this question. I don't think that I have encountered a set of Negros that are so hateful and bigoted in my life like the Akatas. They make living in USA a frustrating experience especially after one has to deal with racism from the whites and then serious hatred and beef from them the Akatas.

Their hatred for black Africans is second to none. Many of them equally resent black people from other parts of the world living in USA as well. Akatas are quick to cry foul when they are discriminated against by the whites but they will turn around and do even worse to a black immigrant living in their country. They also never admit that they are wrong and most of them cannot be trusted because they will stab you at the back at the slightest opportunity they get. They join their white counterparts in asking condescending questions about Africa, look down on us and laugh at our culture, our way of speaking (accent), and think that everyone in Africa is poverty stricken.

Akatas at first did not even support Obama when he initially ran for the position of president of the USA in his first term all because Obama does not have Akata blood flowing in him. It was only after it became clear to them that Obama might win the election did they now support him. Many black immigrants living in the USA from the Caribbean, Africa, and South America do not like Akatas because of the way they have been harshly treated by them. Most Akatas are also very rude and aggressive in addition to being very discriminatory.

Akatas should realize that what you sow is what you reap. They think they can treat black Africans/immigrants living in USA like shyte and then be given the royal treatment when they find themselves in foreign lands? No, no, no. It does not happen that way. What goes around certainly comes around. Lastly, I leave you with a recent quote from a bellanaija.com commenter by the name of Sarah Adebayo. The quote to an extent summarizes how Akatas feel about black Africans. Please pay attention to the bolded part of her comment:

Sarah Adebayo July 5, 2013 at 3:36 PM

"I still don’t undertstand why some African Artists are so stupid trying so hard to Americanize their names ! That is so stupid, I do love so much my Nigerian names!!! and heritage.. African Americans don’t care much about us! do you see them going to Africa for vacations or trying to be Africans They don’t give a damn about the African heritage or culture, because according to them, Africa brings them shame, disease, poverty, corruption… We are always trying to be like them: Dress like them, talk like them, do our hair like them and now trying to call ourselves like them.. .That is so stupiiiiid!! and ridiculous.. I am so proud of my Nigerian and African heritage… I am so Proud… I am so proud to be an African and I am so respected by my coworkers, friends, colleagues even when I have to lead meetings in dangerous Nepal, or Kabul… Stay yourself.. be yourself, be African."

Comment taken from: http://www.bellanaija.com/2013/07/05/zaina-moeazy-maria-okanrende-sean-tizzle-justina-koch-okoye-more-at-loudnproud-live-series-june-show-in-lagos-photos/

So Bob, now you know where the deep hatred for Akatas is coming from.

I lived in the US for some years. I didn't experience any of the things you mentioned, which is why it is so shocking to see the hate directed at akatas in Naija.

There are a lot of akatas in Nigeria. I know a few personally. In my professional experience, akatas that work for American multinationals try to transfer to an African division of their company if the opportunity presents itself. Most of the akatas I know work with GE, building hospitals right here in Naija. I am going to visit two friends from the US this weekend. They are married, with a small child, and just moved to Abuja. Their company sent them here to identify investment opportunities.

The people I know are very educated and had an unrealistic view of Africa before they came, but not in a negative way. They all thought Africans would welcome them like long lost family. They didn't expect how different it would be to be the majority race. We don't really care about being black in Naija, but being black plays a large role in daily life in America. They think once they come to Africa, they will finally be accepted, only to find out that everyone still views them as foreigners. WE know that they have more in common with oyibo Americans than they will ever have with us, but they expect to relate with us just based on skin color. I lived in Ghana for a while too, and always felt sad at how emotional akatas were when they saw the slave castles. Fully adult men would be crying, and women would be on the floor wailing like someone stabbed them. If you have ever been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, and seen all the Jewish people crying, you will understand.

Unfortunately, everyone in America thinks Africa is poor. Which is sad, but is not based out of hatred. Americans think every country is poor. In college, all the immigrants (from China, Latin America, Eastern Europe, etc) would get asked dumb questions. Chinese kids had the hardest time from what I saw. Americans think Asians are smart and hardworking, but they also think that Chinese people don't have normal human emotions. They get treated badly and get made fun of a lot, especially if they wear glasses. Americans think most people in China are slaves with no rights and that their parents were all peasant farmers. I remember riding in a cab with an American, a Chinese, and a Finn. The American was "explaining" that Chinese and Finnish education is inferior to American education, and that because of their superior education, Americans would always be smarter. There was a big fight in that car!

Anyway, our experiences have been different, so I can't say who is right or wrong. I do think that we should work on understanding our foreign cousins better though. I don't think they mean any harm when they ask if we live in trees. Africa is portrayed as poor in the American press, and let's be honest, in comparison to the richest country, we ARE poor. Turn on the TV, or go outside, and all the ads in the US have starving African children in them. I used to hate those commercials! We should do what Ghana does, and encourage akatas to come back to Nigeria and invest. Many of them don't know how much opportunity is here. It's better for Nigerians if akatas are getting rich in Africa, instead of oyibo colonizers and the Chinese. The akatas will never betray us.

Let's all try to be friendly towards eachother!

Are you THAT hungry?

Tafee: who is mechelle obama i guess commissioner agric ogun state

Why so hateful?

Orikinla: Is this a big deal?

She is African American and not white.

Wow, you have a lot of hatred for our black cousins.

You must be Igbo.

I have noticed this in Lagos. I am not a tribalist, so I don't understand.

Can someone explain?

Making history as the first bridge in the country to have public lighting powered by an independent power project

If commissioning streetlights is not important, why is this the first one in the country?

[size=20pt]OBAMA CANNOT COME TO NIGERIA BECAUSE OF BOKO HARAM!
[/size]
Why is this so hard to understand?

Obama isn't ignoring Nigeria.

The amount of protection that would need to be put in place before his arrival would take JTF away from their very important job of routing the Boko boys. It wouldn't make sense.

[size=18pt]Maybe....he is a Manchester United fan.[/size]

It's his birthday, he can have whatever kind of cake he wants.
Now if the British attacked one of their Governors for having the Nigerian team on his cake, you will be the first one to call them racist.

frankyychiji: my queen you are right. But its still too early in d day to do that. Personally I will need decades to heal.

Keep spreading hatred and you'll end up in another civil war.

These are facilitated private sector investments, it is not a handout.

The Export-Import Bank and OPIC finance international deals with American companies. When Fashola purchased fire engines in Lagos State recently, the Export-Import Bank financed the deal between the American manufacturer and the LASG. The LASG has to repay the loan of course, but at very low interest.

It is a win-win for Africa and America.

frankyychiji: . Parasite mentality?? Are u refering to the most industrious and enterprising race (superior race) on earth.

LMAO!!!!!!

Igbos must be determined to make other tribes dislike them.

I have noticed our friends from the South East becoming very xenophobic recently. I noticed this started when a Christian leader in Igboland stated that 90% of those affected by Boko Haram bombings are Igbos.

Looking at the rise of the Civilian JTF in the north got me thinking. Then the horror stories we started hearing from Northerners about how much they have suffered under Boko Haram confirmed my suspicions. GEJ was simply practicing divide and rule politics.

All the FG had to do was make a historically victimized group (the Igbos) think that Boko Haram was mainly focusing on them. After that, PDP had their minds (and their votes) in their hands. The Igbos banded together with another historically victimized group (the Niger Delta people) in solidarity because of their shared Christian identity, cultural ties, and because GEJ ( the supposed defender of the Igbos against Northern aggression) was a Niger Deltan himself.

PDP is smart for whipping up religious hatred among the SS and South East people. They are the only region that is 98% Christian, so it is easy to control them that way. How many people living in the South East will come across a Northerner that could tell them the real story?

Development is the only thing we should care about when it comes to politics. When politicians use "wedge issues" to distract us from that basic fact, we should all be on alert. And to those who have become convinced that APC is racist towards certain groups, ask your brothers in the Southwest how APC has been treating them. We all know ACN treats Igbos, Christians, and Niger Deltans just as well as other citizens. We also now know that it was indigenous NORTHERNERS who suffered the most under Boko Haram. Indigenous Christians AND Muslims.

Note to mods - I do not think this needs to be placed in the ethnic section, as it is more about party and region than tribe.

Datz all!

Igbos are getting too hateful and racist.

All your politicians had to do was make you think Boko Haram was mainly focusing on Igbos. After that, PDP had your minds (and your votes) in their hands.

PDP is smart for whipping up religious hatred among the SS and South East people. They are the only region that is 98% Christian, so it is easy to control them that way.

Development is the only thing you should care about when it comes to politics. Oh yeah, last time I checked it is a Christian Ijaw that is fighting your Governors, denying you the Second Niger Bridge, and ignoring your cries for development. Ask your brothers in the Southwest how APC treats them. We all know ACN treats Igbos just as well as other citizens.

You have to change the definition of "market" when speaking about Lagos. This is not your village.

Lagos is home to serious, formal, businesses. Their are heavy traders and big businesses in Lagos, not just fruit sellers. An old illiterate woman could not handle this position.

ABEG, shine your eyes well because it is 2013, not 1813.

Ajibel:

Many apologies for the insalt but u are just so dumb with this statement. You berra modify ur post.

You can always count on paranoid and arrogant Igbos to think everything is about them.

The only thing I know for sure is that this report hurts PDP's feelings!

Okija_juju:



So why would he and his wife keep visiting all these slave places and acting like they give a damn?!




They should just buy their tickets, go see the darn place, take photos and fuucck off! All these sentimental crap, crying, carrying naked african babies, walking around our impoverished neighbourhood crap is for what then?!



If the Nigga is gonna use us to make himself look good for the world, then he might as well give something back.

Ummmm wasn't it AFRICANS that sold African Americans into slavery.

See your life!

Chillisauce:

He shouldn't be crying na! After all, if no slave trade, he wouldn't have been Americans president..

He should just flex abeg

His WIFE was crying. Not him.

Okija_juju: Okay!!

So Obama has seen half the shiit those white boys put us through. He should Visit Ghana as well and see the Castles in Cape Coast.. Then go back and ask himself one question;



How has his presidency helped Africa/Africans.. No be to come snap Photo go back go lounge inside White house.

I hope you are not Ghanian.

He already went to Ghana. Way back in 2009. It was one of his first foreign trips as President.
He went to the slave castles and his wife was crying.

Dis one...

How much left?

I posted this same story in the Islam For Muslims section and got banned.

atlwireles: If they send them abroad most of you will complain. If you think most of these young men are not educated, then you are missing the point of amnesty. Calling them terrorists is just childish, but if that rocks your boat then knock yourself out.. Figure out why there was a problem and resolve it. The alternative is to send them to another training school abroad.

LWKMD. Which country is going to grant visa to ex militants?

Hope you are not thinking UK?