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.
25 comments:
I think A but some of the things in that category don't apply to me. The movie was exaggerated and untrue but I will always identify with Naija o!
Lol me am Category A with certain qualifications..
I am Nigerian First, Igbo Second..
I rep the country first, before I rep my tribe..
Even though somebody recently called me a "tribalist".. A whole me "tribalist"?? Such an insult..
..I'm Biafrian..
@nwanyi
i like your courage jare
thats why you guys will never run the country, cos other nigerians are afriad you guys will live out your biafran dream
i am a nigerian, i dont fall into any of your categories
i definitely am in category A that being said the minister of foreign affairs(i think, well she is minister sha Dr Dora Akunyili) has something to say about disrtict9 pls watch! i tend to agree of most of what she has said
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD35v1GGuiI
I am Category B and also partly Category D.
HAVE you seen the latest episode of DH? That Katherine woman is crazy o!
@ Ttolla
Stop encouragin nwaniyi, people like that leave in a deluded world lol..
Biafra ko, biafra ni..
BURRAMINT..
i WATCHED the video
i am a category A person. my reasons are emotional and there is no other country i wish i came from. i am not proud of Nigeria anyway, but i am proud to be a Nigerian.
@Nwanyi
what's Biafra.
@Nice anon
My Chocomilo. You make a good point. I dey category B but say the word and A it shall be.
@Azazel
I'm a bit of a radical about this. Category B. Countries are just a way of foisting inequalities on otherwise equal humans to create 'economic & social gradients' for the profit of not many.
@Nwanyi
Biafra is a very attractive dream. I would be an advocate, if it wasn't such a pipe dream.
@titi
I said carve your niche. Define your own category make we see.
@burramint
Dora was shockingly stupid and ignorant for banning the movie in Nigeria. As a minister of info, that was the single most powerful thing she could do to misinform Nigerians of the plight of their bad rep.
D9 did 9ja a favor. Offering a peek into hidden prejudices in foreign minds.
You can not police the thoughts of free humans and you can't expect or demand that they never express ideas you find distasteful. That way leads to fascism.
I say the correct response to D9 is to have our own vitriolic rubbish in the name of artistic freedom. Keep foreigners on their toes for once.
@EDJ
I stand with you on this one. B.
DH?? That's like uber chic gospel. I walk the path of "Fringe" and "Stargate universe" can't wait for new series of "V". I'm geek like that.
@Azazel
We all need to give Dora a collective slap.
@HYAW
Proud to identify with what you are not proud of?
@Enoch
I LOVE FRINGE! Are you for real? That show is the best thing on Fox since Family Guy. I am still waiting for when Peter finds out he is actually from the parallel universe. I was always wondering why whenever Walter says "Do you remember when we..." Peter would always say "No." I thought at first it was cause of their estrangement, but when we found out abt the parallel universe last season I finally understood!
Didn't you see my list of approved TV shows on my blog? list of approved TV shows on my blog?
I should also add that I am a big fan of Battlestar Galactica. I watched all 4 seasons in about 2 days this summer. It was like watching the bible from Genesis to Revelations.
And don't get me started on Lost.
But back to the topic. As a category B/D my response to D9 is that Nigerians will be JUST FINE. If you don't like the portrayal then do something about it.
Do you know the other day at work some1 actually said to me, "You're a Nigerian so you can help me avoid scams. I saw that 60minutes episode."
Ppl out there cant be delusional enough to assume that foreigners don't have a basis for their views on Nigeria.
Don't Nigerians stereotype Americans all the time? Haven't you watched those Naija movies where a Nigerian living abroad, visits the country and falls in love with a Nigerian girl? Whenever the American-Nigerian comes back he is always portrayed as a general idiot, walking around saying "yeah man!" and partying his life away in "amoral" pursuits. Then the good Naija girl rescues him and converts him much to the relief of his parents. It may not be on the same level as D9, but Nigerians have misconceptions too.
As I've said on my blog,
"Nigerians are a special group of people--prone to overreaction and irrational support of their country."
See my entry titled "Not Nigerian Enough? Well Excuse Me!"
Lol my friends are always talking about Fringe..
Is it reallythat good?
@ Enoch
So true @ "Nigerians are a special group of people--prone to overreaction and irrational support of their country."
We do tend to Rep our country to extremes sometimes
I'm def in the A category. NAija for life and to the core. LOL
D9 did themselves, lazy thinking/writing, possible xenophobia. For me, more popularity for naija. Any publicity is good publicity!
Abi o Myne..
Dats what am sayin @ any publicity is good publicity.
LMAO@ say the word and A it shall be. Mba i don't want that. varying in opinions is a good thing
@EDJ
Whosoever loves Fringe is my sibling :) Do you look for the observer in every episode? And yes, JJ Abrams is really setting things up to seem like Peter is from a parallel Universe, but I wouldn't be shocked if he pulls off an M.Night Shyamalan and plays it out like Walter is the foreign universe guy. I'm not too happy with the new season though, the first episode with the shape shifters had some really sloppy writing. The scene where Charlie got killed and his form replicated by the shape shifter required way too many change of clothes in a few seconds to make sense. Well, small price to pay to enjoy the series.
Funny I'm into Stargate universe and have never really paid my dues with Battlestar Galactica. My bro always tried to get me initiated but it just never worked. I love how Startgate universe dishes out themes from the bible, And to think I got sucked in because of Robert Carlyle. I'll definitely do battlestar galactica once time permits.
Back to the topic. The professor that handled my compiler optimization coursework did a similar thing to your coworker when he found out I was from 9ja. He was genuinely puzzled and tried getting me to explain why he gets so many letters from princes. lol.
You really don't want to get me started about Naija.
@Azazel
You don't watch Fringe? You sir, have an incomplete life. If you love cutting edge science like I do, it's a must. Besides the plot lines are not glib like so many other shows.
@Myne
lol. @any publicity is good publicity.
@Nice anon
My puffpuff. I'm down with that. But I hope you know I can be a very opinionated radical.
Lol Enoch
I will try 2 catch up on them shows.
But smh @ the employer wonderin why he gets so many letters from Naija princes
"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."
haven't seen the movie, but it sounds like it got all that right lol
Cat A mos def. But with some exceptions.
D9 is a movie. Movie producers will continue to insult mexicans and asians in their movies. They have only added Nigerians to that list Big deal.
We have bigger fish to fry jo.
@Ttlolla-And the leaders of the country so far have done such a great job haven't they?
Yeah, it's a pipe dream..like communism. Because human beings just can't ey?
I fall firmly into category B!
@ EDJ naija parties suck!
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