Writing POC 101

Nigerian Characters - @Queen_of_blooms

I am a Nigerian, dark in complexion. Being dark does not mean all Nigerians are dark. We have lots of skin colors: fair, light, whitish, chocolate, light brown and lots more. All Nigerians are not dark. Nigeria is a country in Africa. Its capital is Abuja and it had three major ethnic groups which are Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. There are thirty six states in Nigeria. Nigeria has two hundred and fifty ethnic groups such as Ijaw, Igala, Ebira, Fulani, Shua Arabs, Urhobo, Benins, Ejagham, Efik, Ibibio, Annang, Oron, Eket, Nupe, Tiv, Itsekiri, kanuri and lots more. Nigeria is a very rich cultural center. In fact, our diversity is one of our major strength as a nation. Although it has its own advantages and disadvantages, its advantages surpass the disadvantages. But I am going to focus on the three major ethnic groups. I am going to write very deep about Nigerian's way of life and culture.

Nigerians speak broken English (pigin English), normal English and their dialects. As a Nigerian, you have three names not compulsory. The first name will be like your Christian or Muslim name such as Mary, John, Aisha, Ibrahim, your middle name will be your tribe's name such as Chinaza, Babatunde, Oluwasanu and you have your last name which is your surname.

OUR FOOD

Most Nigerians eat almost the same set of foods. Take jollof rice or porridge yam for instance, they are all the same across all Nigerian states except the slim difference in the style of preparation and ingredients used; especially for the soups.

Most Yoruba foods are usually a blend of different colourful food elements. It is always a pleasant sight to behold. That's the way the Yorubas like to eat, they like a combination of soups/stew/ assorted meat plus eba or pounded yam. A typical Yoruba food is a combination of Amala (yam flour) gbegiri (beans soup), ewedu (Jute mallow stew) and stew.

Hausa foods are quite delicious. Most of them are pretty easy to make. Examples are danwake, masa, tuwo shinkafa, suya, miyan zogale (moringa soup), miyan geda (groundnut soup), miyan tuashe and so on. The looks and feel of Hausa food (or Hausa soups) delicacies are that of greenish (dried vegetables) and watery types and can be easily said to be not appealing. The Igbos common food is bitter leaf soup which is eaten with fufu, pounded yam and eba. There are other food and soups such as egusi soup, vegetable soup, afang soup, jollof rice, fried rice, boiled and fried yam, beans, plantain, pepper soup and lots more. We eat intercontinental dishes.

OUR DRESSING

For men's wear, they have buba, Sokoto and cap. A man's dressing is incomplete without a cap. Some of these caps include, but are not limited to, Gobi, tinko, abeti-aja, alagbaa, oribi, bentigoo, onide, and labankada. For women, they have the iro and buba or wrapper with a blouse–like loose top with the sleeve almost getting to the wrist. Women also have gele or head gear. Just as the cap is important to men, women's dressing is incomplete if gele is not put on. Apart from this, they also have the ipele which is like a miniature wrapper that is hanged on the left shoulder of women. At times, it is tied round their waists over the wrapper. There are many types of beads, hand laces, necklaces; bangles that are abound in Yoruba land that both male and female put on.

The Hausa men adorn the Dogonriga which is a long kaftan that extends from the shoulders down to the ankle. The Babariga is like the Yoruba Agbada which is worn on top of the Dogonriga. Hula is the cap that is worn to match the attire. The Hausa women are known by their wrappers, abaya, shawl, blouses, head ties and hijabs. The Hausa women also use jewelleries, ornaments and painting a great deal. The henna drawing and paintings are also an indispensible part in their makeup.

The Igbo man wears a loin cloth that is wrapped around his waist and between his legs to be fastened at his back. They also tie wrapper over their loin cloth. The Igbo women did not cover their chest area. Maidens wear short wrapper with beads around their waist with other ornaments such as necklace and beads.

The above description is just our cultural way of dressing. This does not mean we don't dress the western way. Our traditional wears are mostly for functions such as weddings, parties that require them.

OTHER INFORMATION

We are very cultural and believe in superstitions like witchcraft and the forces of the world such as black magic. One of the superstitions in Yoruba is "it is an abomination for someone to sit on mortal" and another one is "it is an abomination to beat a male child with broom". It is believed when you beat a male child with broom, he will be impotent. We believe they are real. Nigerians love respect. No one oppresses you because of your religion. We are peaceful and despite out diverse culture, we are friendly yet rude, blunt and insultive. We love music especially Nigerian hip pop. We love beats as long as you can move your body to it. I think most Nigerians love Wizkid, a Nigerian musician.

There is terrorist group in Nigeria called Boko Haram. Because they bomb and kill people does not mean the bombing or killing takes place in every part of Nigeria. There are places in Nigeria such as the West, East and South where there are no bombing or terrorism. The Boko Haram are based in the North and not every part of the North except places like Miaduguri, Yola, Taraba and few states and it is not the entire Miaduguri, Yola or Taraba that bombing or killing is taking place.

Nigerian parents are strict. They don't take nonsense. When I mean strict, as a teenager, there are no late night parties, drinking or smoking, no boyfriend or girlfriend. It is rare but I don't know about now to find a Nigerian parent who supports his or her child to be dating during their teenage years. There are no sleepovers at your friends' house. They beat when you do something wrong. That does not mean they are abusive. For example, there was a time I insulted an elder, I received a good beating from my mother and when she asked me why, I had no reason for insulting the person. They discipline and their cane does more of the talking. That does not mean they beat you all your life. I am eighteen year old and I can tell you my mother who used to shouts, scold and beat a lot has stopped beating me. She believes I am grown enough to know what is right and wrong. And when I do something wrong, she scold and I tell you it hurts me more when she scold than beat.

Nigeria is not a village. There was a time I came across a book on Wattpad. The writer wrote about Nigeria and made it sound like a village and a place where mosquitoes will feast you to death. I was pissed off. Nigeria is not a village. There is modernization everywhere. We have phones, internet, schools, cars, houses, skyscrapers, good roads and beautiful cities. We are not poor. We have the poor, middle class and rich just like every country. Lagos is an example of a beautiful city in Nigeria and it is also a state. It is a city that never sleeps. There is no time or day you visit Lagos that it is not bustling. There is constant bustling on every street. The night life is fun, partying and lot of fun places to be.

Our weddings are colorful and extravagant with music, dance and lots to eat. We have the anko and aso ebi (family clothes where you choose a certain material for a family such as the groom's family has a certain material they choose. It is just for fun). Mostly, the Yorubas party a lot. They love partying and always want to be on fleek (a slang which means you know what is trending) for their parties.

Nigerians don't condone nonsense. Our secondary schools (which the whites call high school) don't have the jocks, mean girls, nerds, wall flowers, cheerleaders and so on. Students are students. Quiet right you have the brilliant student but no one calls him or her a nerd. Bullying or ragging by your mate at school in my country is rare. We have this usual African hair which is coarse or strong. Well now, most Nigerian ladies are relaxing their hair so that it will be silk or for a reason or the other. I am proud of my African hair. It is not long neither is it short just okay. We are don't have extremely long hair compare to the white or Asians. Those you find with long hair are maybe fulanis and from somewhere like Adamawa state or Igbos or if they have a parent who is hairy.

Nigerians are extremely jovial and respectful. A typical Yoruba man can greet you 100 times in a day if needs be. We love partying and enjoyment generally. Yorubas are extremely glamorous in dressing! The Igbos are highly creative and technocratic in nature. They do well in business and technology. They have a strong family bond and every successful member of a family becomes the succor for others. The Igbos love class and elegance! They are self-preservative and fraternal in nature!

I hope this helps. Thanks for reading.