Topic:Oburoni No More
TheWays United States different from Nigeria: Race Class and Caste
Fromthe views given by Kim Foote in the article Oburonino more, thereare several ways in which life in the U.S. is different from the wayit is in Nigeria. This statement is given on the account of a ladywho had gone to the United States as a foreign exchange student(Foote 335). At the return to her country of origin, Ghana, thestudent experiences a whole lot of negative reception from people.This occurrence was way different from what she had expected. Theproblem that the student faced was more or less the same as the onethat I face, being an international student from Nigeria in the USA.
Oneof the biggest differences is the color of my skin. While most of thepeople in Nigeria are black skinned, the U.S. is made up of people ofdifferent races. Therefore, this creates a shock on any foreigner whois used to seeing people of the same complexion all the time (Tumang,Patricia and Jenesha 335). Also, despite the fact that the countryhas a high level of civilization, cases of racism are still many.Most of the people who are black, such as me do experiencediscrimination from the whites and light colored inhabitants of theU.S. This ill treatment most often affects us as it makes us feeldejected due to being considered inferior. Another significantdifference between the two countries is the types of cultures thatexist in both. The Nigerian culture is quite indigenous and ischaracterized by people who are quite social. In contrast, theAmerican culture is an assortment of cultures from various parts ofthe world since the country is made up of people from variouscountries (Okpeh et al., 96). These people have diverse views,virtues, and values. As a result, it is quite difficult to identifywith such a culture.
Peoplein the U.S are also generally, quite less trusting, less social andapprehensive. It is, therefore, a bit challenging to interact with acomplete stranger without the person being suspicious of ill motives(Barak, Gregg, Paul, and Allison 27). The situation becomes quiteworse, especially when he is white while the other person is black.It is also evident that while most people in the U.S. areindividualistic, Nigerians are so co-operative in nature, and theyeasily get out to assist regardless of whether they know one anotheror not. The family values in the United States are also degraded,with many cases of contract marriages and broken and single families.In spite of the different problems that are experienced in Nigeria,most people still attach a huge value to the family, and they viewmarriage as sacred and do respect it.
.Although the U.S. has its caste system in terms of racialstratification, the caste system is more pronounced in Nigeriacompared to the country. The one in Nigeria is most often defined bygaps in the social classes which are quite wide. Some of thedifferences highlighted between the two countries play a huge role inmaking an African-American living in the United States to travel backto his country of origin so as to be in a place where he has somesense of belonging.
WorksCited
Barak,Gregg, Paul Leighton, and Allison Cotton. Class,race, gender, and crime: The social realities of justice in America,Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. 27
Foote,Kim. Oburonino more.2006, 335
Okpeh,Okpeh Ochayi. HistoricalPerspectives on Nigeria’s Post-colonial Conflicts.Printed and Published by the Historical Society of Nigeria [by]Unimark Limited, 2007. 96
Tumang,Patricia Justine, and Jenesha de Rivera eds. Homelands: Women’sJourneys Across Race, Place, and Time. Seal Press (CA), 2006. 335