I am a Nigerian West-African, originally from Delta State in Nigeria, and lived in Lagos State my entire life.
Whenever I travel or encounter someone from a different country than mine, I usually get asked about where I’m from.
The honest answer to this, and indeed the answer I give, is “I am from Nigeria.” This answer results in varying follow-up statements and questions, such as:
“Do you speak African?” - There is no such language.
“I thought you were African.” - Yes, I have been asked this. Dear people, Nigeria is in Africa.
“What is it like in Africa?” - I can only speak to my experience in Nigeria, not to everyday life in the rest of my continent. And even in Nigeria, it varies from state to state. Just like life in New York and life in Maryland are by no means the same.
“You don’t have an African accent.” - What?
These questions and/or statements irritate me because they do not seek to understand my identity.
A lack of research and general disinterest has made such statements commonplace.
The same people understand the difference between America and Canada, England and France, Puerto Rico and Colombia.
I fail to understand why it becomes a challenge to understand the concepts of countries and continents the further one gets from the Western world.
Australia is one of a kind. Africa is not both a country and a continent.
It should be a simple concept. Except that for some reason, it isn’t.
For those that need to see this, to all the people who have made continental generalizations:
Yes, I am African. But it does not end there.