(This article was featured by Bronzepage Magazine in the US in 2016). Written by Nekpen Obasogie
False Stereotypes of Africans: My Lived Experience in Canada
False Stereotypes of Africans: My Lived Experience in Canada
When many African immigrants are migrating out of their various countries they have little knowledge of what they will encounter or how they will be perceived outside their homelands. Most often, they are confronted with different types of unexpected stereotypes and misconceptions about Africans in their host countries. Being an African can expose black people to labels that exclude and marginalize African immigrants once they step on the shores of new lands. As an immigrant woman from Nigeria, I have been a victim of stereotypes in Canada. It’s clear that some people are still carrying with them some outdated information about Africa and its people.
In 2009, for instance, when I was still a very new immigrant in Canada, there was a man who usually drove my friend and me around the city of Montreal. He was very personable to us, as he would drive us with our babies to grocery stores and to complete other minor errands around the city. One day, he asked me why I chose to migrate to Canada. As I was explaining the reasons why I migrated from my home country of Nigeria, the next question from him was, “Did you guys live in a house in Africa?” At this moment I could hear the sound of empathy in his voice. He deeply felt sorry for me because I had lived in Nigeria! I told the man that we had lived in a house in Africa but he had assumed that we, and all Africans, had lived in a moldy house on a reserve. Some people still think that all Africans live in the woods as primitives.
In 2009, for instance, when I was still a very new immigrant in Canada, there was a man who usually drove my friend and me around the city of Montreal. He was very personable to us, as he would drive us with our babies to grocery stores and to complete other minor errands around the city. One day, he asked me why I chose to migrate to Canada. As I was explaining the reasons why I migrated from my home country of Nigeria, the next question from him was, “Did you guys live in a house in Africa?” At this moment I could hear the sound of empathy in his voice. He deeply felt sorry for me because I had lived in Nigeria! I told the man that we had lived in a house in Africa but he had assumed that we, and all Africans, had lived in a moldy house on a reserve. Some people still think that all Africans live in the woods as primitives.
I was very surprised that many people are still ignorant of the situation in Africa and unaware of the day-to-day lives of ordinary Africans. But then, I was still very new in Canada so I wasn’t sure how Canadians thought about Africans. After I moved to Toronto in 2010, my life in Canada seemed to be improving. However, another odd question came to me, this time in the form of a gesture. The incident happened in a car dealership in Toronto in 2014. I went to the dealership to buy a car and there were about five middle-aged men dominating the office. As I was negotiating with the seller, I said I was going to ship the car to Africa. As soon as I mentioned the word ‘Africa’ the mood of the men changed dramatically. One of the men said, “Oh, are you from Africa?” As a black African woman I thought that was self-evident but I answered, “Yes.” He responded, “I heard that when you go to Africa you walk right into the woods. Everybody lives in the woods in Africa - my dad told me that.” Then the rest of the men joined him in a round of laughter. Their laughter was clearly a form of mockery of my African heritage and racial background. I tried to clarify the reality of life in Africa but the men were not interested in listening to my explanations and they kept laughing.
The fact that the man had learned false information about Africa from his father showed how false labels about African people can be passed on between generations – almost like a proud family tradition. The man passed false information to his work colleagues and probably also to his children. How can the circle of misconceptions about Africa be broken? This incident struck with me because I knew that simply ignorance was at the root of the Mockery that had been sent my way. I don't think the men were really malicious, although they were rude; they just didn't know the facts.
I felt that I had to do something in order to bring awareness to people who might have being living with such an ignorant perception about Africa. It is true that some African countries are less developed than many western countries. But, the notion that most Africans live in the woods in the 21st century is laughably outdated. Generally, the media outside the continent falsely represents Africa. The media is responsible for constantly bombarding people with negative images of Africa and her people. Inadequate attention is paid to the talents of many African people and, as a result, the achievements and high level of development in the continent remain unrecognized.
I’m a Nigerian woman and I’m proud of being black and of African origin. If I could choose another life, I would choose to be the same person I am now. I would not change anything for any reason. What I want to see changed is the negative labels and stereotypes that are imposed on people based on their skin colors and nationalities. When we say “Africa” we mean a continent. I would like to make this clear to some people who think Africa is a country.
Africa is not a country but a continent with many countries, with thousands of tribal groups, cultures, languages and different development levels. As a Nigerian, I believe that the diversity of Africa is not realistically represented in the media. Instead, Africans are represented through one-dimensional labels. The media depicts African countries as being dominated with people living in extreme poverty, rummaging around in the woods, and dying from diseases. There is too much governmental corruption in African but that does not define the people.
Misrepresentations of Africans have negative impacts on the lives of many African immigrants in their various host countries because they can affect education and employment opportunities as well as social integration processes. The media should make an effort to offer realistic portrayals of Africa that emphasize the diversity, cultural vitality and accomplishments of the people.
The fact that the man had learned false information about Africa from his father showed how false labels about African people can be passed on between generations – almost like a proud family tradition. The man passed false information to his work colleagues and probably also to his children. How can the circle of misconceptions about Africa be broken? This incident struck with me because I knew that simply ignorance was at the root of the Mockery that had been sent my way. I don't think the men were really malicious, although they were rude; they just didn't know the facts.
I felt that I had to do something in order to bring awareness to people who might have being living with such an ignorant perception about Africa. It is true that some African countries are less developed than many western countries. But, the notion that most Africans live in the woods in the 21st century is laughably outdated. Generally, the media outside the continent falsely represents Africa. The media is responsible for constantly bombarding people with negative images of Africa and her people. Inadequate attention is paid to the talents of many African people and, as a result, the achievements and high level of development in the continent remain unrecognized.
I’m a Nigerian woman and I’m proud of being black and of African origin. If I could choose another life, I would choose to be the same person I am now. I would not change anything for any reason. What I want to see changed is the negative labels and stereotypes that are imposed on people based on their skin colors and nationalities. When we say “Africa” we mean a continent. I would like to make this clear to some people who think Africa is a country.
Africa is not a country but a continent with many countries, with thousands of tribal groups, cultures, languages and different development levels. As a Nigerian, I believe that the diversity of Africa is not realistically represented in the media. Instead, Africans are represented through one-dimensional labels. The media depicts African countries as being dominated with people living in extreme poverty, rummaging around in the woods, and dying from diseases. There is too much governmental corruption in African but that does not define the people.
Misrepresentations of Africans have negative impacts on the lives of many African immigrants in their various host countries because they can affect education and employment opportunities as well as social integration processes. The media should make an effort to offer realistic portrayals of Africa that emphasize the diversity, cultural vitality and accomplishments of the people.
A black American musician named Tyrese Gibson made a video after his trip to some African countries. He was shocked with what he saw in South Africa compared to the one-dimensional images of Africa in the western media. Gibson observed many similarities between South African cities and American cities. It can’t be denied that many negative images of Africa in the media are accurate because Africa does have problems, but they capture only a small part of Africa’s reality.
Many negative images are based on outdated information but, most importantly, the many positive aspects of Africa are not represented in the media. This confirms to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s (2009) assertion that “the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story” (The Danger of a Single Story, TED Show). For example, statistics show that Nigerian immigrants in the US are the most educated of all the country’s immigrants and have high annual incomes (BET News, 2012). But these statistics and many other achievements of African people are not depicted in the media.
One of the problems in Africa is that political leaders, such as those in Nigeria, are quite corrupt and badly mistreat their people and mismanage the country. They serve themselves rather than the people. This is the main reason why many talented citizens in Africa are forced to flee to the West. There is great natural resources wealth in Africa but corrupt leaders enrich themselves while leaving many citizens destitute. The political and economic degradation in Africa is caused by the actions of a small number of corrupt political and economic leaders, and Africans who migrate abroad continue to face social discrimination based on the actions of these leaders. It is necessary to distinguish between the small number of corrupt African leaders and the great masses of talented and hard-working African people who have much to offer to their host countries in all parts of the world.
Many negative images are based on outdated information but, most importantly, the many positive aspects of Africa are not represented in the media. This confirms to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s (2009) assertion that “the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story” (The Danger of a Single Story, TED Show). For example, statistics show that Nigerian immigrants in the US are the most educated of all the country’s immigrants and have high annual incomes (BET News, 2012). But these statistics and many other achievements of African people are not depicted in the media.
One of the problems in Africa is that political leaders, such as those in Nigeria, are quite corrupt and badly mistreat their people and mismanage the country. They serve themselves rather than the people. This is the main reason why many talented citizens in Africa are forced to flee to the West. There is great natural resources wealth in Africa but corrupt leaders enrich themselves while leaving many citizens destitute. The political and economic degradation in Africa is caused by the actions of a small number of corrupt political and economic leaders, and Africans who migrate abroad continue to face social discrimination based on the actions of these leaders. It is necessary to distinguish between the small number of corrupt African leaders and the great masses of talented and hard-working African people who have much to offer to their host countries in all parts of the world.
By Nekpen Obasogie
This story is based on personal experience
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