What time is it? Who cares, it’s African Time

Nigeria is suffering from an epidemic that it doesn’t have a vaccine. To date, no known researchers are trying to find a cure, but the outbreak is rampant and unavoidable. Surprisingly, the ailment has a comprehensive Wikipedia page, legitimizing it as an acknowledged phenomenon. The case is known as African Time or more specifically, Nigerian [...]

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Note taking: Nigeria vs the U.S.

I was sitting in English lecture the other day, looking around the room, taking in the entire scene. Students sitting more or less attentively in chipping wooden swivel seats propped up by long, thin wooden tables. Students in sorts of different outfits, some in native ankara fabrics, most in jeans and fancy tops with matching [...]

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Valentine’s Day in Nigeria

If you were wondering if people celebrate Valentine’s Day in Nigeria, the answer is, oh yes, they most definitely do. February 14th, the day for lovers, is absolutely crazy in Nigeria, Lagos in particular. Entire streets, hotels, stores, restaurants are covered in red, pink and white streamers, with big heart shaped signs wishing passer bys [...]

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Right hand good, left hand bad

I was sitting on a bench mindlessly swatting flies away from my feet, waiting. I had already greeted all the people in the area and was just observing at this point, waiting for the tailor to finish sewing a dress. A mother was seated on the concrete porch leaning against the pillar eating and feeding [...]

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A Yoruba Wedding :: Part 1

Nigerians–particularly Yorubas–love to celebrate. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals are all occasions for huge parties complete with plenty of food, deafening music, matching decorations that extend to the smallest details and all sorts of fanfare. An intimate dinner or cocktail party among friends doesn’t align with Nigerian culture. The bigger the better for the [...]

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Thanksgiving in Nigeria

Kitchens all across the United States are filled with boiling pots, hot ovens, delicious aromas and anxious cooks hoping the turkey turns out right. The last Thursday in November is the same as any other day in Nigeria. People in America ask me, “do you celebrate Thanksgiving in Nigeria?” The answer is deep. American Thanksgiving [...]

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A different kind of funeral

I finally got out of Ibadan this weekend. My host mom invited me to go with her to a funeral in Ilobu, a village in Osun State, about 100 km north east of Ibadan. I was ecstatic at the idea of traveling to another part of Yorubaland, especially for a funeral. When an agbalagba (old [...]

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Light Switches

Light switches work the opposite way here. When the switch is down, the lights are on. Flick the switch up to turn the lights off. That is all.

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Halloween or lack thereof

Nigerians do not celebrate Halloween. October 31st is just a normal day where people wear normal clothes. I had the luck of eating more sweets than usual though because it’s my little host sisters 7th birthday tomorrow and she is bringing goodie bags for her friends at school. So happy halloween to all you crazy [...]

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The Yorùbá food culture

Food–how we eat it, how we prepare it and who we enjoy it with is a window into every culture. Yorùbá culture surrounding food is quite different than the that in the United States and everywhere else I’ve been. The Yorùbás follow a certain set of customs when eating. While they are widely practiced, they [...]

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