We raise kids as a community.
When you see children fighting or doing something wrong, you warn them, and sometimes you even beat the madness out of them. Parents would blame the elderly for not disciplining the child properly. This culture is fast disappearing, though.
Women seem to keep their pregnancies a secret.
Don’t go romancing bellies or asking about due dates. Allow the owner to talk about it while you make just little contributions. We are a highly religious people and no one knows your intentions for asking. Infarct the pregnant woman might see you as a suspect.
Rejecting gifts is frowning at.
“You must be a horrible person to reject gifts or is it because you can’t do the same for others?” you must accept gifts from people and decide what to do with them later.
You don’t go around asking family members about their salaries. Either people are underpaid or overpaid in this country, and only a few want you to know that secret. The top earners are worried that you might ask them for help, and the low earners want to keep their poverty a secret and still have some respect.
We usually don’t discuss our difficulties, We do not discuss our success or our achievements with strangers. We’ve got to trust you first. In the western world, people are very open-minded and can discuss and trust strangers, I’m not saying that there are no westernized Nigerians who have adopted such an approach, but average Nigeria will have to know you too well before opening up some sensitive issues with you.
Not believing in God is disrespectful,
You ‘re either a Christian, a Muslim, or other — which could bring you instant displeasure anyway. Saying ” saying There is no God” is the fastest way to be hated and probably get killed if you’re in the midst of religious fanatics. Here you have to believe in something, or you’re totally on your own
We don’t waste food when we visit people
If you’re offered a meal while you’re visiting, try to finish your food or eat as much as you can, it’s rude to say no, it’s worse when you eat a little, “Is he insisting that my wife doesn’t know how to cook?” Or did he think that we can’t afford to feed him
It’s disrespectful to sit when the elderly is standing close by,
Create a chance or offer your seat to the elder, let him be the one to reject it. We are cultured people, and the elderly are one of the most respected people in our society, you don’t sit while the elder is standing, otherwise,
people around you will punish or curse your father for raising such a useless child.
We care about our neighbors
We don’t ask “how fa” or “how you dey” which is our version of “how are you” while walking away without caring about the reply. We ask you “how are you” because we care and we want to help if need be. In some other country people live in the same apartment for years without knowing who the person living next to them is, in Nigeria, you must know the person staying close to you, either through the flat meeting, or the person comes to your door to tell you your music is so loud, or when he comes to ask for something, maybe his gas suddenly finishes while cooking or related story. Or he complains that your car is always packed at the wrong place.
Married women are sacred unless you’re a close relation.
There are ways you can’t hold nor look at them. In some parts of the North, you might not be allowed to lustfully stare at girls. Mind your business when you come across married women, you can keep your joke for single ladies.
In some places, people don’t like hearing “thank you” and “please” all the time.
If you need something just ask, saying “thanks” and “please” make things seem huge, and if a person considers a little favor huge it shows they can’t do the same for others.
You don’t openly ask for the sex of a newborn baby unless the mother tells you.
So my mum got a call from one of our aunty who just put in bed, that’s a good new one she said happily before dropping the call, I asked her the baby’s sex and she frowned at me like I said something awful. We may always want to know your newborn baby’s sex, but it’s your decision, or when we probably visit you. Some of those traditions are shifting in this new era, some people are openly questioning now.
do you think I miss any? put them down for next update
photo from google
You did great
Nice guidance for indomie generations. Keep it up
I haven’t checked in here for some time since I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂