NaijaPositive.com

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

I think there is an inherent inferiority complex in many folks I come accross here. Many tend to believe that speaking their native tongue to their kids will result in their having an accent, and limit their ability to pass off as true Americans. Yet these same parents wonder what went wrong when these kids fall short of their expectations and settle for very little ambition.
You find perfectly educated people pleading with their kids to finish high school mainly because they failed to enforce values at an earlier stage.

chiboy
4/20/04

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

My own take is the parents of these kids should be wholly blamed for having their children neglect their cultural heritage.

Yara
4/20/04

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

A lot of our children understand the language but cannot speak, or are ashamed to speak.

I observed a Chinese mother and her 8 year old son in the super market. He apparently wanted some candy and kept asking the mother for the candy in english. She just ignored him. After some time, he asked for the candy in chinese and she finally recognized his presence and bought him the candy.

If we use a lot of our associations to establish educational as well as other programs for our children, this will be an avenue for them to learn the language and the culture.

Nsikan
4/20/04

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

The responsibility is that of the immediate family not assoiciations. True associations can help, but if you make no effort in teaching your children their mother tongue or culture then even the association cannot save you.

chiboy
4/20/04

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

I was very happy when I saw this discussion. This has been something that has been giving me grief since I saw what is happening to the young ones in Diaspora. First of all I must say that I don't have children yet. I am not even married yet. But that will not prevent me from adding my 2 cents.

I have seen countless examples from other ethnic groups like the chinese, Indians, Eastern Europeans. Looking at these groups, the excuse of 2 busy working parents can be eliminated because everybody from this group should have the same problem if that was the case.

Our biggest problem which has been pointed out above is Inferiority Complex!! Some people might not agree with this but I strongly believe this. The moment we believe and take pride in our culture and heritage, even the children will pursue the knowledge themselves eargerly.

If any of you have had the opportunity to attend a Chinese party, when you get there, not a single word English is spoken. All the children included. When the same children open their mouth to speak English, if you were not looking at them, you will think that they were Caucasians.

You have all been to BiafraNigeria parties. The opposite is the case. You will hear pockets of groups speaking in the native vanacular and when you listen amongst the kids, you will only hear them speaking in English. Anytime I see this, I get ashamed. The Damage that the "white man" did to us is indeed great.

I have had the opportunity of doing some studies in the Carribbean. When I got there, people were excited to hear me speak english with an African accent! They will come to me and make me speak in African, the fascination you see on their faces is thrilling!! Even though they did not understand me.

Living with the Carribeans showed me firsthand what happens to a people with their culture and language stripped from them. We have it, and we are stripping it away from our children.

As an Igbo, the greatest good you can do to your child in Diaspora is to instill the language and culture which gave us the knowhow, the confidence to survive in the harsh world outside our enclave.

It is time for us to have something to be proud of.

Osetutu
4/20/04

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Let us teach our children our culture

This is an issue we Africans, especially Nigerians should take seriously. We got to teach our children our own language, we our self must be proud of the culture. I agree with you Cxsm, parents from other cultures teach thier children thier language.

A good example are the Espanic, in the United States, the first language most of thier children speak is Spanish, they speak Spanish at home and they speak English at school. So also goes for the American-born Indians and so on. Can't we look at these examples of these people who promote thier culture? Do you know what? many of American-born Nigerian children are even more interested in speaking Spanish after knowing how to speak English, instead of thinking of how to learn how to speak and understand their Nigerian languages.

Most Nigerian parents give their children the impression that their culture is inferior, instead of promoting thier culture. Don't these Nigerian parents know that their children are part of the future of Nigeria? My advise to all Nigerian parents in the Diaspora is to try all their best to give a positive impression to their children, in terms of thier culture. They must make sure they expose the sufferings Nigerians at home are going through, so that they can be of help in the nearest future.

Jibola
4/21/04

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Of cultural heritage!

The issue of cultural heritage can be viewed from both sides of the coin. This is to say that it has both negative and positive conotations, in my opinion it is negatively lopsided. Why does anyone think that Nigeria is still a very divided country today? Because of acute diversity of cultures and idiosincratic notions that could not be enmeshed into a harmonious whole!

Ok, let's proceed. No nation on earth has equalled the feat attained by our beloved new nation, the USA. But the early founding mothers and fathers when they 'crossed the rubicon,' burned their boats and established shinning legacy for all of humanity to emulate. What am I talking about? They made away with most of their traditonal values which they came with from Europe, invented new ways of speaking the English language, developed unique cultural norms that is adaptable to the environment. Although they still retained some aspects of their cultural heritage, but bye and large they were not afraid to question the old ways of doing things from Europe. This has evolved into the democratic form of government that whole world yerns for! Although it should not be forced down anyone's troat!

As we all can see today, Nigeria is a nation that should be as technologically advanced as South Korea. But one fundamental factor is holding us down. The issue of cheiftancy titles etc. As some of my friends have mentioned in their write ups. 'A 419'er or other individuals with nefarous activities would be crowned a chief, at the expense of well meaning and hard working Nigerians.' Why not, the chief is not supposed to lift a pin he or she just sits there and everyone works and pays them homage. That is leadership by example. Is'nt there a saying like 'too many captains rock the boat'? Well we have too many chiefs in Nigeria and everyone aspires to be one!

Nigeria is a very lucky and blessed nation but we need the kind of leadership that would enhance positve attributes in her citizenry. The present democratic adminstration is doing fine, but more needs to be done to bring Nigerians together. More emphasis should be placed in establishing educational institutions, professional and academical ones, especially technical institutions. Emphasis should also be placed on learning the English language, which is the foremost element in unifying Nigerians! Also broken or pigeon English should alse be given attention and integrated nationally because it is our best language for relaxation and humor, just as Ebonics. We continue to let the fear of the unknown rob us of our greatmess!

cheers!
Arty
5/9/04