How do you differentiate Nigerians

I sat on my chair and surfing the net to gather as much info as i possibly can before lunch time, and m y colleague decides to engage me in a discussion about Nigeria, on a normal day, i don't like to discuss the country, because lets face it, everyone already knows 'there is always killing in that country' but for the 'informed', 'Boko haram is at it again in Nigeria' those are the kind of opening discussions i get all the time when people want to talk about Nigeria, but he is my colleague and he is expected to have at least 50% knowledge of sub-Saharan African countries, because that is his division here at work anyway, so i was happy to be intrigued by his knowledge on my dear Nigeria.

So we talked and then he asked how i get to identify people from Nigeria, considering the fact that we have so many ethnic regions and language, (let me tell you this, i was already impressed, because he knows some of the ethnicity that people don't care to know, i know i don't.) so i explained about the Yoruba tribal marks, the accent which you must depict when any one speaks, the fact that every region has an alphabet deficiency and with that you can know who are speaking with... blab bla bla.

Then we went into the most notable people or significant people from Nigeria, he named a guy from my tribe, who is now a Swedish citizen, but he is famous in Estonia as he comes often for concert and stuff, i don't even know the guy, (thanks to google)i did a quick search and learnt what i ought to have known 'as a Nigerian' lol. it was interesting as he talked about so many people, i then told him a very famous writer would be coming to Tallinn sometime in June , i have this information because her book is been translated to Estonian language, and some parts where she used phrases from my native dialect, i 'm helping to get that translated. he was so elated and would like to read her book and maybe get to meet her when she comes.

The conversation took a downturn when he asked about sports, (i should have known this was coming) he talked about how famous my national team is, and that so many of the players are in some major European leagues, i affirmed because this is basic knowledge, but i have no idea who is who, and what football league they play for, (as we say in Nigeria, ''i don fall hand'' which means i disappointed him), he went ahead to name names, and which league they play or played for, and that he went to the UK once to watch and got an Autograph from Kanu Nwankwo, lol... 

This reminded me of when i visited Riga and i was engaged on a conversation about Nigerian football players and i didn't know most of them or their names just skipped my mind, i had to literally apologize to the dude and promised him that i would learn more about them in case someone ever asked me, (i obviously didn't)

Well, having said all this, i will go back and get acquainted with my roots and get interested on things that seem irrelevant to me, but are of worth to others, i mean with all the bad press, it is welcoming to hear that some people have faith in other aspects of Nigeria apart from its political bullshit and terrorist activities. 

US Visa

The quest to travel around and see the world, the itchy feeling you get when you are restricted by boarder control or by obtaining visa or even just by life itself. this is the time when your brain starts somersaulting with so many ideas, you surf the net and you are bombarded with beautiful exotic places you ought to be.

A friend decided to travel to the states this spring break, i helped her, we went online and got all the necessary visa requirements, she prepared all the documents, and we went into filling the form. the questions where just hilarious, i expected more from the great nation, comon! would i really answer yes to the questions 'are you a terrorist or do you plan any terrorist attacks during your visit to the United States, or do you fund any terrorist organisation, or have you directly or indirectly benefited from any terrorist organisation'. the list is endless, but i couldn't help but laugh, who in their  right minds would affirm to any of that?

Anyways we went through that stage and filled the form as honestly as it should be, and just right now at work, she sent me a mail that  she has just finished from the interview and unfortunately she didn't get the visa, she was handed a letter which was pre-prepared as to the reasons why she was rejected. all i understood from the letter was that, she will be graduating sometime in June and she doesn't have any prove that she would return back to Estonia to graduate or that she would not stay in the US for ever.

I feel really sad for her because she just wanted to be a tourist and take pictures in the Hollywood walk of fame (like every tourist does) and take a pic with the huge Hollywood sign showing behind her, this are not things in ones bucket list, but she just got excited in the last week while filling the form and now she is heart broken, who knows, maybe she should have just asked someone for an invite and go through that means rather than applying as a tourist with no family in the US. (just in case i decide to apply, all those i know who have links to the US had better stand as a shorty for me.cos what are friends for?)

we both applied for the UK visa together and we didn't meet with this disappointment, now she feels i am her lucky charm and i let her go alone to the almighty US embassy, i personally don't feel like i was or am her lucky charm, i just think she didn't verbally convince the consular or whoever was interviewing her that she would return after the holiday was over, but i cant tell her that, i just sympathize and try to put myself in her shoes, i mean comon! she paid the visa fee, i know how many watches i would have gotten with that money.(sad)

So i have to go, will be back with more of nothing.