Why #StopRacism Is Nothing But Lip Service In Nigeria
Overview
Yesterday, the story of George Floyd, an African American who was murdered by the police shook the internet. The video of him being choked to death by a police officer was gruesome and revved up barely buried feelings of being trapped and wronged among the Black community in the USA, their brothers and sisters at home, and all well-meaning humans.
We say stop racism, but do we realize what racism is and much it can really warp a person’s mind? Racism is a viral disease that spreads from prolonged contact with other racists. Racism is a pain in the ass, a bone in the neck, a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our society.
Hatred for another race is evil and as John Boyega said “I fucking hate racists”. I see racism as a bottomless garbage can that never gets full. Storage space for all the hate and fear. All the irrational feelings of trying to make someone pay for what they didn’t do to you.
Racism is multifaceted, yet most times when we picture racism, we see it like George Floyd’s case. A white man killing a black man because of hate. We do not see the rape, the total rape of our being, and our consciousness. I will be taking this topic down to Nigeria with me, and I will show you how it has so consumed us in just a few headings.
We as Nigerians can conveniently go online and tweet, “come back to Africa” and “This sort of thing can’t happen in your own land” but can we really say we are squeaky clean down here? (See? I just referred to us as being “down” here). Can we beat our chest that we have not in our own small ways encouraged racism?
Apart from us, there are a lot of other things that will make sure racism continues to progress and evolve into different vile shades. I will be talking about some that I have seen and experienced. Know that as I write this, I write it with a heart full of pain and regrets for the Black race and our unending fall and disgrace, our struggle and our fight.
Racial Profiling
This is the act of constructing an outline of a person’s or a group’s individual characteristics. How has profiling caused and encouraged racism? Here is how: all around the world today, when you say “Nigerian”, people hear “scammer, thief, someone who would steal your purse before you blink, poor and starving, corrupt, lazy and inept”.
This is the profile that has been created for us, causing untold harm to our lives and our personalities. I am Nigerian, I have never scammed or stolen from anyone and there are millions like me. Millions who work hard for their survival without one day looking into another man’s pocket.
You see, that’s the problem of racism and discrimination. Discrimination had wide wings, and it spreads it eagerly over the innocent, the children, and even the babies. Remember when a pregnant woman was barred from getting into a hospital in China?
In sharp contrast is the profile of the white man in this country. The White man is seen as a benevolent savior who swoops in, in times of trouble. A savior who Nigerians can also run to during times when their government disappoints them (which is more often than not). Traveling abroad is revered, “ah, na Akatè o”. The first day in the white man’s country and you are already snapping pictures with White strangers.
This profile has helped to entrench the belief that the White man is ultimately smarter and better than the Black man. Why are white men called to construction sites to “authenticate” the process? All the roads they supervise still deteriorate in a few years. It is sad when these so-called investors come and cheat us of our own rights in our own land.
This profiling also encourages a feeling of inferiority. When you meet a white person, you feel like you should “meet up”. Sadly, I am guilty of this, most of us are. I meet a white person and the switch turns on, I want to prove I am not a scammer, that I won’t steal a purse. Why? When will we throw away all these invisible chains and be truly free?
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The People’s Adoration
A White man walking through the streets of a Black community in Africa is met with adoring stares, a white man walking through a Black city in Africa is less conspicuous but will still get stared at. Seems normal to you? “Afterall White people have stared at blacks since the day they first saw them” (Of course, in the zoo!)
Besides, that was centuries ago. The White and Black races are no longer alien to each other, so why do they still get those reverent smiles and stares? Profiling. Yes, that’s it. Better explained, Nigeria is one giant social media and the White man has a really sexy profile picture. When we see them we feel grateful, justified that at least a white man loves our country enough to come “down” here.
If we get a chance to talk to them we smile sheepishly and ask. “How are you coping?”
Don’t look at me like that, you know what I say is true. We offer to help them “settle in” and when they ask us questions? We begin to lament. Our country is a dump. Our friends are our enemies. Yadda yadda yadda. Have you ever asked him/her to tell you about their difficulties too? No, you are too caught up in your pity party to care.
If you weren’t, you would ask and be ashamed of yourself. Why? He would tell you all the best parts of being an American; of being in Norway, Australia, Germany. Then you will try to grapple at the strings you cut with your own hands “ehnn, there are still good things about Nigeria sha, like our Jollof” 😒
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The Mental Poverty
You notice I did not say “poverty”. Forget the statistics that say Nigerians are incredibly poor and don’t earn up to $10 dollars a week. We know how things are in this country and not being able to afford meals and live out of slums is a problem for a small percentage of people.
A hefty percentage of Nigerians suffer from mental poverty. I have a Camry but my friend has a Lamborghini. God, I am so poor” or “My girlfriend dresses so well, God when?”. Then you go on feeling small and inadequate, someone insults you and you say “Na because I no get money na”. A White business owner insults you and you say “Na Oyinbo, nai make am” 😓
We might be really intelligent people, but we need to show it more often in our fatherland. We need to learn who we really are, we have been beaten down by colonialism and neo-colonialism in turn. Raped of our identity. How long are we going to sit down and let ourselves be kicked around like dogs?
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The Corruption
This is one addition to our profile that is so true. The Nigerian economy is riddled with corruption from top to bottom. How has corruption promoted racism in Nigeria? Here is how. 👇
You know all those times when “Nigeria” cries out in pain and hunger? Those times when International organizations come around and try to help us get on our feet by donating huge sums of money? Do you realize that in the year 2020, some White good woman still sends money to Africa (which she believes is a small country with a few huts and debris all over the place) to help the starving children?
A Nigerian man attempts to cut the line and he is chased back with a stern reprimand. A white man walks in and goes straight to the counter. He is received with smiles and is attended to. Money changes hands (easy peasy! After all, it is $1 to about 400 Naira) Everyone is happy. These kinds of incidents are not isolated, my brothers and sisters. Aren’t you tired of it all already? 😫
The average Black man has been devalued like the Nigerian currency. Law enforcement drags a youth suspected of fraud out of his home, roughs him up really badly, and keeps him in jail until his family comes to bail him out. Chinese nationals are arrested for raping our land of mineral resources and they weren’t even handcuffed. Thieves are normally made to sit on the floor, what happened that day? This life no balance at all.😥
I just want to say I am Black, I love Black people and I think this individualism is not working well for us. We should go back to the communalism of our forefathers. Where one black man is all black men, and the struggle of one person is the struggle of our entire race. We will discover that a black man carries in him a million voices of his brothers and that a black woman carries in herself entire nations. We will discover our true power!
If you love what I just said, please show some love by sharing. If you don’t, then I am sorry but I can’t help you. If you want to add something to what I said, feel free to drop your ideas and thoughts in the comment box. One love✌
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