Popular Journalist Blasts Chimamanda Adichie Over Lagos Igbo Comment
Popular journalist, Nicholas Ibekwe has berated multiple-award winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie for claiming that Igbo people in Lagos are ashamed to speak the Igbo language.
He said, “That Chimamanda’s statement àbout Igbo who grew up in Lagos being ashamed of being Igbo is the most unkind and thoughtless thing I have heard in a long time. I will explain.
“It’s rude for someone who did not grow up in Lagos & who did not have to put up with the constant jeers of ‘Omo yibo” and who didn’t experience the frustration of explaining to ignorant people who think Igbo are an uncultured, ill-mannered people to make such a general statement.
“Chimamanda got her fact skewed. Many “Lagos Igbo” are scared to speak the little Igbo they can speak not because they are ashamed of being Igbo, No. They do that to avoid the condescending jeers from their fellow Igbo.
“I have never felt inadequate about being Igbo, many “Lagos Igbo” I know don’t feel that way. Yes, my wife is Yoruba. My kid have both Yoruba and Igbo names. I don’t feel ashamed of being Igbo. I fly the Igbo flag everywhere I go like that who was born and raised in Nnewi.
“Let me give the writer some credit. She was partly right when she said the civil war made Igbo ashamed of being Igbo. But she got it wrong by blaming those of us who grew up in Lagos for this.
“After the civil war many of our parents were poor, marginalised and needed to ascend the social & economic ladder quickly. That means stripping themselves as much of your Igbo as possible. So our parents stop speaking Igbo to us at home. They didn’t want us to face what they did.
“So those of us who were born after the civil war in Lagos heard very little Igbo at home were never encouraged to speak it. That is why many of us understands the Igbo despite spending little time in the East but have problems speaking it.
“I tell my mom this any time she complains of us her children responding in English to her when she speaks Igbo. She does argue any time I say this because she knows it was something they caused. Nobody is born with the ability to speak a specific language.
“Having said that. There seems to be a renaissance of the Igbo language and culture among “Lagos Igbo”. It gladdens my heart. Many of us are actively trying not to repeat our parents’ mistakes.
“Less Igbo kids are being named “Pollinus and Perpetual” and actually have only Igbo names. This is good and more parents should do it. It is a start. And take the kids to your ancestry homes during vacations. It helps. This year mine will spend their long vacation in Orlu.
“So it is painful to read a writer who should know better make such thoughtless and unkind statement. It really is. The condescension from fellow Igbo is largely the trouble. It is not because we are ashamed of being Igbo. I am not. Many I know are not.
“Let’s even talk about her your parents who grow up in the ani Igbo discourage you when you tell them you want to go home. “Don’t go here.” “Don’t eat from A” “If B offers you a seat don’t sit”. I don’t know if it is Nollywood but it’s just crazy.
“My response is usually, if people are this wicked in the East how come everybody there is not dead already or living in abject poverty or afflicted by incurable diseases.
“After my NYSC, I made a conscious decision to travel home. My mom wasn’t too sure if I should be allowed to go alone because I may not know those to avoid. I went anyway and had fun. I am still here today and fine.
“Yoruba kids will laugh at you for doing anything really. They will even make fun of your name. It is what kids do. Every Igbo kid who went to school in Lagos in the 1990s experienced this. But let’s talk about the laughter from you kin when you attempt to speak the language.”
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He said, “That Chimamanda’s statement àbout Igbo who grew up in Lagos being ashamed of being Igbo is the most unkind and thoughtless thing I have heard in a long time. I will explain.“It’s rude for someone who did not grow up in Lagos & who did not have to put up with the constant jeers of ‘Omo yibo” and who didn’t experience the frustration of explaining to ignorant people who think Igbo are an uncultured, ill-mannered people to make such a general statement.
“Chimamanda got her fact skewed. Many “Lagos Igbo” are scared to speak the little Igbo they can speak not because they are ashamed of being Igbo, No. They do that to avoid the condescending jeers from their fellow Igbo.
“I have never felt inadequate about being Igbo, many “Lagos Igbo” I know don’t feel that way. Yes, my wife is Yoruba. My kid have both Yoruba and Igbo names. I don’t feel ashamed of being Igbo. I fly the Igbo flag everywhere I go like that who was born and raised in Nnewi.
“Let me give the writer some credit. She was partly right when she said the civil war made Igbo ashamed of being Igbo. But she got it wrong by blaming those of us who grew up in Lagos for this.
“After the civil war many of our parents were poor, marginalised and needed to ascend the social & economic ladder quickly. That means stripping themselves as much of your Igbo as possible. So our parents stop speaking Igbo to us at home. They didn’t want us to face what they did.
“So those of us who were born after the civil war in Lagos heard very little Igbo at home were never encouraged to speak it. That is why many of us understands the Igbo despite spending little time in the East but have problems speaking it.
“I tell my mom this any time she complains of us her children responding in English to her when she speaks Igbo. She does argue any time I say this because she knows it was something they caused. Nobody is born with the ability to speak a specific language.
“Having said that. There seems to be a renaissance of the Igbo language and culture among “Lagos Igbo”. It gladdens my heart. Many of us are actively trying not to repeat our parents’ mistakes.
“Less Igbo kids are being named “Pollinus and Perpetual” and actually have only Igbo names. This is good and more parents should do it. It is a start. And take the kids to your ancestry homes during vacations. It helps. This year mine will spend their long vacation in Orlu.
“So it is painful to read a writer who should know better make such thoughtless and unkind statement. It really is. The condescension from fellow Igbo is largely the trouble. It is not because we are ashamed of being Igbo. I am not. Many I know are not.
“Let’s even talk about her your parents who grow up in the ani Igbo discourage you when you tell them you want to go home. “Don’t go here.” “Don’t eat from A” “If B offers you a seat don’t sit”. I don’t know if it is Nollywood but it’s just crazy.
“My response is usually, if people are this wicked in the East how come everybody there is not dead already or living in abject poverty or afflicted by incurable diseases.
“After my NYSC, I made a conscious decision to travel home. My mom wasn’t too sure if I should be allowed to go alone because I may not know those to avoid. I went anyway and had fun. I am still here today and fine.
“Yoruba kids will laugh at you for doing anything really. They will even make fun of your name. It is what kids do. Every Igbo kid who went to school in Lagos in the 1990s experienced this. But let’s talk about the laughter from you kin when you attempt to speak the language.”
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