I have a friend always says that if she asked, she will say she is from Lagos even though her parents are Igbo. She speaks Igbo and Yoruba but she says she feel more like a Lagosian than some one from Enugu. I have no problems with but she gets a lot of stick from her extended family when they visit.

My question is this, do you think it is normal, ok, for someone whose parents are from another state to identify with their state of birth than their state of origin?

It is very possible.

To many people in this day and age, the 'state of origin' thing is only relevant on forms and applications, or if you need to be allocated something based on 'national quota'.

an Igbo person can definitely claim to be a Lagosian, and it is very normal and ok to do so.

I think so too but it seems to be controversial in some quarter though I do not understand why.

The problem is that we have not yet embraced state of birth instead we are still interested in what ethnic group he or she is from.

(1) Can she she say she wants to governor of lagos state without people reminding her that she is igbo even if she does not know how to speak igbo but is very fluent in yoruba?

debosky:

It is very possible.

To many people in this day and age, the 'state of origin' thing is only relevant on forms and applications, or if you need to be allocated something based on 'national quota'.

The highlighted made it abnormal. It is not normal until we remove the quota stuff.

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To the above poster, I do not have a problem with it but her uncle gives her hell about it every time. To me, there is nothing abnormal about it, I'd just like to get other people's view on it.

tpia:

if you're Lagosian you can claim Lagos as well as any other part of your heritage you want to.
why do you feel it's abnormal for someone to identify with their state of birth?

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tpia:


If he's that worried about where she claims then he can always set her up with an Igbo guy for marriage, instead of giving her grief all the time. imo.

If she's a grown woman then isnt it a bit too late to lament about where and how she was raised?

Well her situation just got me thinking, I think it is wonderful if people are free to identify with where they feel comfortable as opposed to having an identity imposed in them. Her case is just odd because she is so adamant in saying she is a Lagosian of Igbo descent.

There are hundreds of Yoruba in the north who will tell you they are from Sokoto, Zamfara or Kebbi states. They claim to be Hausa
They were born and bred there. Some still speak Yoruba fluently, some can't speak it fluently. Some understand and can speak Yoruba but don't like to speak it so as to gain acceptance among their Hausa friends. This was another amazement I came across in my service year in Sokoto. Yoruba claiming Hausa, and pretending not to understand Yoruba. One instance: I was in an eatery one day in Sokoto University Medical school campus. There was this lady sitting in my front. One guy, a friend of hers, was speaking to her in Yoruba but she was replying in English. After the guy left I asked her whether she was Yoruba and she told me she was Hausa, that just stayed with 'them'(Yoruba) and that was why she understands Yoruba. Her dressing, and intonation(both in English and Hausa) were plainly Hausaesque, so I was left in no doubt that she was actually Hausa.
But still curious, a couple of days later, I met the Yoruba guy again at the canteen and asked him whether the lady she was speaking with two days ago was Yoruba or Hausa. He told me she was a Yoruba girl. I was very surprised. So somebody can deny being a Yoruba, claiming Hausa for that matter.
I later met many of them like that; they are Yoruba but born and bred in the north, so feel more comfortable and acceptable claiming Hausa. I met two other guys that I heard were Yoruba, but claim Hausa. One didn't know I knew but the other knew and spoke Yoruba(smattering, not fluent) tome whenever there was noboby with us, especially ladies. For the other one, I didn't want to burst his bubble, so I also pretended as if I didn't know he was Yoruba, so I spoke English to him always.

So your friend is free to claim Lagos if he feels more like a Lagosian.

nagos nagos. everyone always claim to come from nagos. we are all not nagosians. some of us are from nameless vilage

;d

Jarus:

There are hundreds of Yoruba in the north who will tell you they are from Sokoto, Zamfara or Kebbi states. They claim to be Hausa
They were born and bred there. Some still speak Yoruba fluently, some can't speak it fluently. Some understand and can speak Yoruba but don't like to speak it so as to gain acceptance among their Hausa friends. This was another amazement I came across in my service year in Sokoto. Yoruba claiming Hausa, and pretending not to understand Yoruba. One instance: I was in an eatery one day in Sokoto University Medical school campus. There was this lady sitting in my front. One guy, a friend of hers, was speaking to her in Yoruba but she was replying in English. After the guy left I asked her whether she was Yoruba and she told me she was Hausa, that just stayed with 'them'(Yoruba) and that was why she understands Yoruba. Her dressing, and intonation(both in English and Hausa) were plainly Hausaesque, so I was left in no doubt that she was actually Hausa.
But still curious, a couple of days later, I met the Yoruba guy again at the canteen and asked him whether the lady she was speaking with two days ago was Yoruba or Hausa. He told me she was a Yoruba girl. I was very surprised. So somebody can deny being a Yoruba, claiming Hausa for that matter. 
I later met many of them like that; they are Yoruba but born and bred in the north, so feel more comfortable and acceptable claiming Hausa. I met two other guys that I heard were Yoruba, but claim Hausa. One didn't know I knew but the other knew and spoke Yoruba(smattering, not fluent) tome whenever there was noboby with us, especially ladies. For the other one, I didn't want to burst his bubble, so I also pretended as if I didn't know he was Yoruba, so I spoke English to him always.

That's interesting, I definitely think that the person has a right to claim the identity he feels most comfortable with. It's just facsinating.

So your friend is free to claim Lagos if he feels more like a Lagosian.

Re: Is It Possible To A Lagosian Igbo?

Hmm you're bringing ideas to my head. This would be a good way to look for my dad's trouble.

stillwater:

Hmm you're bringing ideas to my head. This would be a good way to look for my dad's trouble.

ooh do tell me more!

@ all

Why are you equating Lagos with yoruba.

You can be a lagosian without knowing how to speak yoruba.

How can a yoruba person leaving in the north deny his yoruba heritage because he grew up in the north.You can claim to be sokotolite(or whatever) without being hausa.

@ Afrocynic

You with your therads about how Igbos are trying to claim lagos.

afam4eva:

@ all

Why are you equating Lagos with yoruba.

You can be a lagosian without knowing how to speak yoruba.

How can a yoruba person leaving in the north deny his yoruba heritage because he grew up in the north.You can claim to be sokotolite(or whatever) without being hausa.

@ Afrocynic

You with your therads about how Igbos are trying to claim lagos.

Afam, why do you always get your back up when someone mentions Lagos? I do agree that you do not have to speak Yoruba to be a Lagosian,

On the issue of being a lagosian igbo(wat a silly expression) yes obviously. And @ Afam4eva if you dont equate lagos with Yoruba, wat do you then equate it with? Igbo? Hausa?

@Olutoye

Do you agree that you live all your life in lagos without knowing how to speak yoruba?i can give you some areas in lagos where it is possible.

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tpia:

I hear there are Indian Brits who spend all their lives in England without learning a word of English.

But generally speaking, most people living in lagos who were born and raised there, speak Yoruba. They may also know their own languages but i personally have never met any such person from lagos who didnt speak Yoruba. Unless you're referring to those who only speak English, in which case some Yorubas also fall into that category since its not limited to any one tribe.

Lol, no they will understand English but not be able to speak it fluently. I worked with a guy like that once.

@Tpia

If u know amuwo odofin well you will understand what i am saying.If you are in that place you might think you in the east.I have met a few people who grew up there.

@ Asha

So let me see if i understand you because they can't speak yoruba means lagos isnt yoruba? So what kind of city is Lagos Asha?

So i i go to kingston(jamaica) and cant speak patois, kingston must then not be a jamaican city? Or better yet if i live in Hong Kong and only speak in English, then hong kong isnt in China or a chinese city?

Is that your point Asha?

@Olutoye

Lagos is traditionally yorubaland no doubt.All i am saying is that it has become so multicultural that it is possible to grow there without knowing how to speak yoruba.

I truly doubt that, you might not be fluent but you will understand it especially if they(yoruba people) are abusing you. I know the most ajebota children who will pretend not to speak or understand yoruba but God help the house maid or driver who abuses them in yoruba. And multicultarlism means nothing. London is a multicultural city, i can walk the streets of south london and feel at home hearing yoruba and pidgin. It still will not change the fact that it is an english city, not scottish nor irsh nor welsh but english. Same with Lagos, people need to stop this stupid insinuations. Lagos is a Yoruba city! And that is final.

Speaking and understanding are two different things.Where did i state NOT UNDERSTANDING?

My dear nobody is transferring lagos to east or north.Mind you london is not a good example as the lingua franca in london is english.Lingua franca in lagos is english Because i do not need to learn how to speak yoruba to survive in lagos unlike maybe ibadan.

Football

Surviving? Is it war you're going to fight in Lagos.

So by the same token, i guess if i go to Abia i wont need to speak Igbo afterall Abia's official language is  english.Infact Abia isnt an igbo city its an english one. Infact jos seff, that place is a yoruba city. I knw my cousins live in jos and dont speak it at all. All they say is "Haba".

.

@olutoye

You can live anambra,imo,enugu,abia and even ebonyi without really knowing how to speak igbo although i wish the reverse was the case.Ask anyone who served there.Some people might not be able to speak english but if you speak it or pigdeon believe me they will understand what you are saying.

@Tpia

i said speaking not understanding.

And what is all these thing with cause words

If i call u anuohia or onye ara won't u understand what i said?

Asha you dont seem to get my point. So does the point you just made make Abia a less igbo city? And if it does, wat kind of city would Abia then be?