I've been on a facebook fast for a while. So it was by word of mouth I got to hear about the huge fb furor over the district 9 movie. The "iRep naija" crowd, as EDJ would call them, ran amok because of the portrayal of Nigerians in the film. Well, I guess it would not be a bad idea to explore a related issue.
Are you proud to be Nigerian?
If you are, Have you got reasons? (btw, if you have to think up your reasons then Houston we have a problem)
In my experience, you are likely to fall into one of four categories.
Category A: I am proud to be Nigerian. My reasons are emotional. It is my home and that's sufficient. My friends and family may be all over the world but they are green white green in spirit. The culture runs in my veins and for that reason I perceive expressions of my culture in movies, music and life as having superior value to anything foreign. Nigeria is not perfect but it is my home. That's the only reason I need to be proud of my country.
Category B: Abeg free my soul. I am not Nigerian. I am a world citizen. I am free spirited. Nigeria is an onyibo idea. Besides, it is symbolic of dysfunction, corruption and retrogression. How can I be proud of failure? I am not proud of 'that' country and I have even more contempt for those that have pride in Nigeria. When someone asks me where I'm from, I am more comfortable saying West Africa or Ghana.
Category C: I am proud of Nigeria because I am obligated to be proud of my country of origin. An undeserved devotion as far as Nigeria is concerned, but necessary all the same.
Category D: I am proud of naija parties. Have you seen the latest episode of 'Desperate house wives'?
Please Choose your category and feel free to carve your own niche.
Having stated your category, how is your kind expected to react to the District 9 issue? Do you think Nigerian pride is unconnected with the D9 wahala? Do you think freedom of expression should be limited to only that which is of good taste?
PS: For those that are living in a deep cave on the dark side of Europa, Jupiter's moon. District 9 was a movie about extraterrestrials getting stuck on earth. It was modeled as a metaphor for apartheid South Africa with the marginalized aliens playing a role equivalent to SA blacks. For those that were prone to miss the metaphor, the aliens happened to get stuck in SA.
PPS:The movie depicted Nigerians as cannibals, warlords and cool with extraterrestrial prostitution. And the baddest naija guy in the movie was named Obasanjo. te he he he.
