The effective way to fight stereotypes and ridicule

There is a Nigerian delicacy called okpa. It looks like the popular moi-moi. But while moi-moi is made from the common bean, okpa is made from Bambara nut. Okpa originated from Enugu State in South-eastern Nigeria but has spread across most parts of Nigeria in recent years.

However, okpa never used to be popular outside Enugu State. In fact, Enugu people used to be ridiculed because of okpa. It was seen as something eaten by poor and rustic people.

In the East Central State and old Anambra State, the people from Anambra and Enugu divisions gave one another tags. Enugu people called Anambra people “Agbaenu” (people without roots or foundation) and Ijekebee (I je ko ebee) {where are you going?}, while Anambra people called Enugu people “Waawa,” which was the dialectical word for “no” in some parts of the old Enugu/Abakaliki divisions. In addition, Enugu people were ridiculed as people who drank tea with ọkpa. It was seen as something done by unsophisticated people. In their view, sophisticated people should drink tea with bread or biscuits.

Naturally, Anambra people did not like the Agbaenu or Ijekebee tag, while Enugu did not like the Waawa tag or to be seen publicly eating okpa. But people could not stop these tags. Some viewed them as light-hearted banter, while some saw them as unacceptable.
Then one day, Chief Christian Chukuwuma Onoh, Ọkaa Omee of Ngwo (father of Bianca Ojukwu), decided to fight that stereotype about the Waawa tag and the issue of drinking tea with okpa in a special and effective way. The UK-trained lawyer walked around Enugu Secretariat in broad daylight, drinking tea and eating okpa. Even his own kinsmen and women were shocked. But he bought okpa for them and asked them to join him. Soon there was a crowd of men and women drinking tea and eating okpa. The news spread like wildfire. After that incident, more people became emboldened to eat okpa publicly and to eat it with tea or hot chocolate drink.

When Onoh briefly held sway as Anambra State governor in 1983, he ensured that okpa was served in Enugu Government House and public events. During one of his birthdays, Onoh used okpa as his birthday cake.

While many people felt insulted when called a Waawa person, Onoh embraced the name fully. During the state creation debate of 1990/91, he led the campaign for the creation of Waawa State. In August 1991, Nigeria’s military leader, General Ibrahim Babangida eventually chose to adopt the name Enugu State instead of Waawa State. But the name Waawa did not die. It transformed from a derisive name to a name people boldly bear today.
Okpa got transformed from a food item that was eaten secretly to a delicacy that all parts of Igboland cherish. Then it went beyond Igboland and spread to other parts of Nigeria. When people travel to Enugu, one of the items their family and friends would ask them to buy is okpa.

Beyond the taste of okpa, this nutrient-dense legume is sometimes called a “complete food” as a result of its balanced macronutrient composition. The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that it contains ~64.4% carbohydrate, 23.6% protein, 6.5% fat, and 5.5% fibre and is rich in minerals. Therefore, ignorance and colonial mentality were at the root of the denigration of okpa and its eaters.

Those who stereotype and ridicule others are bullies and sadists. Their sole purpose is to belittle others and make them sad and angry. The more you show them that you are pained by the ridicule, the happier they feel and the harder they hit you. But the moment they see that you are not bothered about it, they lose their happiness and stop.
However, it must be noted that this action cuts across all parts of the world. There is no single part of the world where one clan or village or town or city or state or province or region or ethnic group or race does not have stereotypes about others. If you know of any, please mention it. It is in human nature to try to assert superiority or supremacy.

People naturally see the world from their prism because that is what they have known for decades. Their language or dialect is the normal one. The way they greet or dress or eat or dance or behave is usually the best. The way others do their things is usually seen as strange or ridiculous. Otherness is hard to accept by many people. Therefore, they react to such with ridicule or criticism.

As an Nnewi man, born and bred, I am a victim of stereotypes. I grew up being stereotyped because of my hometown for all kinds of reasons. Our dialect was mocked. We had to force ourselves to speak differently whenever we were in a mixed Igbo group outside our town. Our mannerisms were ridiculed. The wealth made by our people was demonized. But not once have I made a post or written an article lamenting about that. In my articles and posts, I celebrate Nnewi in different forms. Many Nnewi people do the same. Today, those same traits for which Nnewi was vilified are being celebrated and copied by others.

Mbaise is stereotyped among the Igbo people. When the rivalry between highlife musicians, Sir Warrior and Kabaka, raged in the 1980s, Kabaka even used it in a song in a bid to get at Sir Warrior because Warrior defeated him in a music deal. Till today, many people with inferiority complex still use it against Mbaise people. But you will hardly see an Mbaise person engage in a pity party about those stereotyping Mbaise. Whenever Mbaise people talk about Mbaise, they celebrate Mbaise. They speak their dialect wherever they are. They tell you who they are before you ask. Whatever you feel about them is your business. It is obvious that it is their success that brings envy.
It is the same with Ijebu people or Egba people or Urhobo or Ibibio or Benin or Igala or Kanuri and many other groups. They are not apologetic about their origin.

Stereotypes are not fought with lamentations or pleas or logic. Stereotyping comes from bullies. Bullies and terrorists share the same trait of not being moved by lamentations or pleas. Lamentations actually give them orgasmic pleasure, pushing them to hit you harder.

I have a kinsman called Adamu today. He is a well-to-do and loved man. Most Nnewi people don’t know his real first name. He has a scar on his face. He told me that he got it as a result of fighting with those who ridiculed him with the name Adamu while he was living in Northern Nigeria as a young man. But the more he fought, the more he was called Adamu. He just got tired and stopped worrying about it. He even adopted it as his name. When people saw that he no longer felt ridiculed by the name, the taunting stopped.

The way to kill a stereotype is to either ignore it or claim it and show that you are proud of who you are. You can even create T-shirts or memes about the stereotype and flaunt your identity. The moment the bullies see that you don’t feel pained about it, they stop, because they don’t like to do what makes you happy. Whatever people say about you is their opinion; how you react makes the difference.