Would you believe that Nigerians, despite their popularity, have been dragged through the mud of a bad reputation? Someone recently asked me, “Why are Nigerians so bad? In this place, many people have stopped coming because of Nigerians. They say they sexually harass, assault, and bully them.”
Another time, a friend was complaining to me about how, the moment he said he was Nigerian at his workplace, everyone started pulling back and changed their attitudes toward him. I have heard many people say Nigerians are criminals, aggressive, and lousy.
I wouldn’t know what other way to explain myself. Many of us have been dragged into this mud. There are times when the doors of opportunities, connections, and networking have closed simply because you said you were Nigerian. It is more than terrible.
I know many of us Nigerians are familiar with this. So, I have decided to unpack what is really going on with this plague that has become almost a curse among us. Because while you think things are getting better, they are actually getting worse.
People talk about Africans all the time, but Nigerians especially are talked about on a different level. The issue with our reputation has been going on for years, and Nigerians abroad face discrimination and defamation. They are often seen as fraudsters, drug dealers, swindlers, corrupt individuals, aggressives, and overly ambitious people. Hearing these things over and over again make you sick and tired.
To start with, Nigeria is the most populous Black nation on Earth. That means anywhere you see Black people on Earth, there is a high tendency that you will also find a Nigerian. And there are a lot of Nigerians who have migrated to different parts of the world, so it makes sense that Nigerian names are mentioned more often than those of many other African countries abroad.
I know many of us Nigerians are familiar with this. So, I have decided to unpack what is really going on with this plague that has become almost a curse among us. Because while you think things are getting better, they are actually getting worse.
People talk about Africans all the time, but Nigerians especially are talked about on a different level. The issue with our reputation has been going on for years, and Nigerians abroad face discrimination and defamation. They are often seen as fraudsters, drug dealers, swindlers, corrupt individuals, aggressives, and overly ambitious people. Hearing these things over and over again make you sick and tired.
To start with, Nigeria is the most populous Black nation on Earth. That means anywhere you see Black people on Earth, there is a high tendency that you will also find a Nigerian. And there are a lot of Nigerians who have migrated to different parts of the world, so it makes sense that Nigerian names are mentioned more often than those of many other African countries abroad.
Another thing a lot of people do not understand about Nigeria is that the term “Nigerian” is a mixture—a mixture of over 500 different ethnic groups, more than 2,000 languages and dialects, and numerous tribes and cultures. That's just a simple recipe for disaster!
Nigeria is a jumble of different people who exist and are forced to live together. In return, you get all kinds of people, both ordinary and unusual. As long as there are different people mixed together, you will always see different characters and ideologies.
As a matter of fact, people from Edo State in Nigeria are among the most migrated Nigerians abroad. Many of them were forced to leave the country after the British government destroyed and looted their kingdom. The destruction led to their scattering and migration. The same was true for many Igbos following the Biafran War.
Most Nigerians who migrate are from the southern part of the country. Nigerians from the north hardly migrate out of the country. Something to understand is that bad leadership and governance, as well as economic crises, political instability, poor infrastructure, unemployment, inflation, among other factors, have forced many Nigerians to leave.
As a matter of fact, people from Edo State in Nigeria are among the most migrated Nigerians abroad. Many of them were forced to leave the country after the British government destroyed and looted their kingdom. The destruction led to their scattering and migration. The same was true for many Igbos following the Biafran War.
Most Nigerians who migrate are from the southern part of the country. Nigerians from the north hardly migrate out of the country. Something to understand is that bad leadership and governance, as well as economic crises, political instability, poor infrastructure, unemployment, inflation, among other factors, have forced many Nigerians to leave.
Upon leaving, some become desperate to do anything if it means survival. Of course, not all of them. There are also those who work hard and receive the rewards of their hard work. But others, who now represent a portion of the population, are willing to get whatever they want by hook or by crook.
Coincidentally, Nigerians are also among the smartest people on Earth. A lot of the negative things you hear about Nigerians are strengths that have been misdirected. A scammer has to be smart and intelligent to be successful. The West has often chosen to amplify the negative aspects while ignoring the intelligence that lies beneath them. When people call Nigerians fraudsters, they do not think about how such behavior may be a misdirection of talent and intelligence. They also forget that fraud and theft did not originate with Nigerians.
If the West truly want to help, they can channel those abilities into something positive. But they would rather shut Nigerians down and demonize their strengths and intelligence. This is not a justification for the actions of those Nigerians, even if some of them have experienced hardship.
What we need to understand is that many people believe there has been a deliberate effort to ensure that the strengths of Nigerians, and Africans at large, remain overshadowed by negative stereotypes. Nigerians have played pivotal and instrumental roles in the liberation and freedom movements of the African continent. Nigerians are among the smartest and most intelligent people known in the world.
Those who focus on negative stereotypes continue to amplify weaknesses while ignoring achievements.
While they talk about the bad things that some Nigerians are doing, we must focus on the good. Look at any field or area of specialization and you will see Nigerians blazing trails and doing excellent things. There is hardly any aspect of human endeavor where you will not find Nigerians making contributions.
It takes a lot for an immigrant not only to carve a path but also to become a person of influence and affluence in a foreign land. It takes resilience and determination. If more people understood the challenges immigrants face, perhaps there would be greater empathy and understanding.
The high level of criminality and bad reputation that some Nigerians acquire abroad is, in my view, largely connected to the bad leadership, governance failures, and economic conditions that have persisted in Nigeria and many African countries, including the lingering effects of colonialism and neocolonial influence.
If people do not find the right way to do things, they will look for the wrong way. This does not justify their actions, but it is a reality that should be acknowledged. In many cases, doing bad things is even more difficult than doing good because it requires more effort to hide the evidence and cover one's tracks.
Meanwhile, for us as Africans, it is high time that we stop demonizing ourselves and start looking at the root cause of our problem. Many Africans believe that colonial powers and their continued influence have contributed significantly to leadership failures, resource exploitation, and underdevelopment across the continent. They believe that African leaders have become puppets of the West while the continent's resources continue to enrich them.
There is more to this bad reputation than simply the bad things that some Nigerians are doing. The amplification of these issues, I believe, has also been used to demonize our strengths and capitalize on weaknesses. But as I always say - their time is up!
Coincidentally, Nigerians are also among the smartest people on Earth. A lot of the negative things you hear about Nigerians are strengths that have been misdirected. A scammer has to be smart and intelligent to be successful. The West has often chosen to amplify the negative aspects while ignoring the intelligence that lies beneath them. When people call Nigerians fraudsters, they do not think about how such behavior may be a misdirection of talent and intelligence. They also forget that fraud and theft did not originate with Nigerians.
If the West truly want to help, they can channel those abilities into something positive. But they would rather shut Nigerians down and demonize their strengths and intelligence. This is not a justification for the actions of those Nigerians, even if some of them have experienced hardship.
What we need to understand is that many people believe there has been a deliberate effort to ensure that the strengths of Nigerians, and Africans at large, remain overshadowed by negative stereotypes. Nigerians have played pivotal and instrumental roles in the liberation and freedom movements of the African continent. Nigerians are among the smartest and most intelligent people known in the world.
Those who focus on negative stereotypes continue to amplify weaknesses while ignoring achievements.
While they talk about the bad things that some Nigerians are doing, we must focus on the good. Look at any field or area of specialization and you will see Nigerians blazing trails and doing excellent things. There is hardly any aspect of human endeavor where you will not find Nigerians making contributions.
It takes a lot for an immigrant not only to carve a path but also to become a person of influence and affluence in a foreign land. It takes resilience and determination. If more people understood the challenges immigrants face, perhaps there would be greater empathy and understanding.
The high level of criminality and bad reputation that some Nigerians acquire abroad is, in my view, largely connected to the bad leadership, governance failures, and economic conditions that have persisted in Nigeria and many African countries, including the lingering effects of colonialism and neocolonial influence.
If people do not find the right way to do things, they will look for the wrong way. This does not justify their actions, but it is a reality that should be acknowledged. In many cases, doing bad things is even more difficult than doing good because it requires more effort to hide the evidence and cover one's tracks.
Meanwhile, for us as Africans, it is high time that we stop demonizing ourselves and start looking at the root cause of our problem. Many Africans believe that colonial powers and their continued influence have contributed significantly to leadership failures, resource exploitation, and underdevelopment across the continent. They believe that African leaders have become puppets of the West while the continent's resources continue to enrich them.
There is more to this bad reputation than simply the bad things that some Nigerians are doing. The amplification of these issues, I believe, has also been used to demonize our strengths and capitalize on weaknesses. But as I always say - their time is up!
As Africans, we must keep supporting ourselves. We must keep strengthening ourselves. We must keep uniting ourselves. We must keep believing in ourselves.
Any time you see something bad about your brother or sister, let us call ourselves to order and find ways to channel our strengths into something positive. Let us see how we can bring progress to Africa rather than contribute to our own downfall.
Whether you are Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan, Zimbabwean, South African, or from anywhere else in Africa, we are one family, and we must unite to fight our common enemy.
Africa is on the path of progress and development, and nothing will ever stop us!Share this article if it makes sense to you. Let's spread the word. Thanks for doing so!
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