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Say my name, say my name


Sorry I’ve not been consistent with my blog, I’ve been super busy and super tired, also my internet has been acting very strange. I’m going to post more on what I have been up to but for now, I have to rant about a few things.

So first of all, I got into Nigerian Law School, yay me!! As of Monday this week, I started the Bar 1 program. The Bar 1 program is for students who studied law in foreign jurisdictions. This includes students that studied in the U.S, England, Cameroon, Ghana etc. Though these students are foreign trained, they are Africans. I’ll say that about 75% of the students are Nigerian and the other 25% are from other AFRICAN countries.

Now tell me why my new colleagues are having difficulties saying my name, not remembering my name, just saying it. When I was in the U.S I had people come up to me and say my name was “interesting” or “unique” or “difficult to pronounce.” You’ll have to forgive me for thinking that people in Nigeria would not have the same issues with my name. 


In the past week my colleagues have butchered my name like no one ever has and it has been very disappointing. I guess I was expecting too much when I thought Africans would ATTEMPT to properly pronounce my name. It was so bad y’all that one girl even went as far as to ask me what my English name was. Really? My English name? You can’t pronounce my native name? My name is too local for you ma’am? So I’m the fool for attempting and correctly pronouncing YOUR native name? oh okay!

I spoke with my cousin about the situation and she said they were forming. I honestly did not wat to believe her but sadly I feel she is right. If they truly are forming, my question is why? Like why bother? We know you went to school abroad, hell we all did. So who are you trying to impress? We’ve all travelled outside the country, we all have passports with stamps in them, so what’s the point?


This whole experience has been a sad one. We are Africans, the world turns their nose on us, why do we constantly do it to ourselves? I honestly had high hopes for the next generation of African leaders but if we can’t even maintain our native names or accept other people’s native names, then I weep for the future.

My name is EKIB say it with me (Eh-cub) 

Comments

  1. whole time I've been pronouncing it as Eh-Keeb. Now I know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol, that's a lot better than Erica! :)

      Delete

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