English Please...

this is not my picture

Neocolonialism: is when you as a parent, for reasons best known to you prefers to not just call your child by a foreign name (which isn't bad) but go as far as denying that child the knowledge of his mother tongue. It is when Emeka only knows how to speak English and Ekpe from Ibibio, Portuguese.

You pride yourself in making pathetic statements like," don't speak vernacular to my kid, I don't like it".

"Oh no, my child does not speak Igbo". Clap for yourself. And I mean that literally.  You view your identity as very local but embrace with wide spread arms, that of another who could care less about identifying with you.

You would prefer your kids to know foreign meals like "Spaghetti Bolognese" or "Fettuccine Alfredo", all those Italian names that sound 'designers' in itself, but would turn up your nose at the mention of "ofe onugbu" without perceiving the inescapable heavenly aroma of 'ogiri ísì'.

In a changing world where multilingualism has become paramount, how could you be so mean to your child? How? You start with a foreign name, turn up your nose when a grand parent insists on a native name; and then go a step further to get them speak Spanish; don't you see what you're doing? French language would be understandable seeing we have Francophone as neighbors.

There is 'nothing' like mother tongue. I am 'telling' you. A Chinese child speaks or understands Chinese first before the language of his host country. But my naijas people? Odiegwu! A Benin parent will name his daughter 'Adalia' and don't know what it means. And you ask him if she's got a native name, he answers,"wetin I wan carry am do". Heck, dude no longer bears the name on his international passport as he now bears 'Martinez'.

Those in Nigeria are also not left out. A child born in the western Nigeria quickly learns the Yoruba language and then you wonder if his native name is only a nickname.

Dear Parents please stop it. Be proud of the geographical identity God has given you.

Neocolonialism: the geopolitical practise of using capitalism, business globalisation, and cultural imperialism to influence a country, in lieu of either direct military control (imperialism) or indirect political control (hegemony)
-Wikipedia