For someone that led a dual life growing up, it was almost impossible to be myself. I was living in a not so cool neighborhood but schooling in an ‘elite’ institution, thanks to parents that valued quality education at the detriment of their own lives and careers.
As early as 8, I knew that a summer vacation in UK USA and the likes was a tall dream for me while it was in reality one of life’s normalcies to my classmates.
I can particularly recall a lunch break situation. I had taken the famed “ewa agonyin” to school because mum had to resume work earlier than she normally would.
This delicious meal if you know it well can be both generous in taste and aroma. As soon as the lid of my box was lifted, 23 pairs of stunned eyes landed on me. I instantly knew that my fading uniform or forlorn face wasn’t enough attraction for that kind of attention… my food was the culprit.
They hadn’t perceived that kind of smell before and since it was different from the “proper breakfast” of this world, I had to be different to have even considered consuming it.
I was hurt.
Ashamed because I wasn’t like them, like what they thought I should be.
Growing up and meeting the number of people that I have has taught me an important lesson.
Everyone has an idea of who you should be when they do not even know themselves. If others can’t appreciate your uniqueness, you are either in the wrong place or they aren’t your people. Be who you are! It’s your skin, own it!
Even your favorite celebrities are constantly faced with this issue.
Like American hip hop mogul Sean ‘Jay Z’ Carter’s recent statement: “I’ve never looked at myself and said that I needed to be a certain way to be around a certain sort of people.
I’ve always wanted to stay true to myself, and I’ve managed to do that, and fortunately I’m excelling while being me.
“People have to accept that.”
I will not only be true to my essence but also be unapologetic about it.
Accepting my uniqueness has enabled me to appreciate other people’s peculiarities.
And M.I summarized it here:
Be Black,
Be Beautiful,
Be Strong,
Be Correct,
Be Nice,
Be Good
Be Right,
Be Tight,
Be Alright
Be Creative,
Be Native,
Be Real
Have Skills,
Stand Tall And be all you can be.
After all, if we were all the same, robots had better occupy the planet.
. Fadoju tweets from: @BabajideFadoju.