Signs Your Non-African Friend Is Becoming A Nigerian

Hola Bloggie!

It.just.hit.me! My non-African and non-Nigerian friends are beginning to sound very much like me (well Nigerian). Let me explain. So I told you I’m in diaspora. Well I've been in diaspora for a while and the friendly and integrated person that I am, (yes thank you very much) my friends come from all over. Therefore, we all rub off on each other but since I’m super proud of my heritage, I know that mine rubs off on them more :D.

Thinking back, I realized that these changes became evident a while ago and it feels amazing that my friends are becoming my people (I mean they are my people without converting but now they are my people people? Whatever you get it). So just in case you were wondering if this also applies to your friends, here are a few things that I've noticed in my friends.

Ø  Mannerisms

o   They no longer express themselves with their words alone. No. They use everything now and I mean everything. Their faces, their fingers, they point with their mouths (I believe this is purely a Nigerian trait but I could be wrong).

o   Also, they have mastered the art of hissing and “eyeing”. They know that those signal the end of a conversation, a joke or rudeness.

o   They appreciate the medicine that is laughter (not saying other countries are always sad, but most people outside my country marvel at how happy I am without defined reasons).

o   They call unrelated elders aunty and uncle and understand that this is done out of respect.

Ø  Vocabulary

o   They can understand and/or speak Pidgin English.

o   They know at least one word in one of the 250+ languages in Nigeria.

o   They can use some insults and I mean well (as in the Nigerian skill of being politely rude). They understand “waka” (this is not the one from Shakira’s song. No clue what that one means).

o   They understand and can sometimes imitate ‘the accent’.

o   Vowels are no longer vowels; no these have become actual words. Saying “a”, “o” is acceptable and enough for communication.

Ø  Food

o   They love love love food (yes I’m a foodie). They have eaten plantain, jollof rice, moi moi, and if they've hung out with me too much, perhaps pounded yam and they ask for these foods by name.

o   They eat their pounded yam with their fingers and not with cutlery (everyone knows it’s so much sweeter this way).

o   They have had chin-chin, puff-puff, and any other snack I know how to make (or like to eat).

o   They aren't afraid of pepper. No. They welcome all things spicy (some even eat pepper soup).

o   When they eat meat, the bones don’t look like bones anymore. Now they crack and suck their bones (if you see some, fear go catch you sef).

Ø  Entertainment

o   They love Nigerian, Ghanaian and Indian movies (sorry other countries, these are the ones I watch). They know most of the actors and actresses by name.

o   They listen to a ton of Nigerian music. Sometimes they’re the ones to let me know when an artiste has released a new song.

o   If there’s a new dance from the continent, they are very aware and we try to practice these dances together.

Ø  Most importantly, they never ask why my English is so good. They know that English is my first language and that Nigeria was colonized by the British.

These are all the changes that come to mind right now but I'm sure there have been others.

Adios Bloggie!

Tonia

Disclaimer: I may not be completely responsible for all these changes in my friends but I am definitely part of it (pats shoulder, looks smug).