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Original poster

Am I English or Nigerian? Both?

59 replies

Dami090496 · 03/12/2023 21:13

My parents are Nigerian, Mum is technically British Nigerian as she was born in London.

Ok so I was born and raised in London till age 13. Spent 2-3 years of childhood in Nigeria in between.

I went to Nigeria at age 13.

Spent my teenage years and tiny bit of adulthood and came back to England at age 21.

I have been living in London ever since.

OP posts:
Shalopea · 03/12/2023 21:20

How do you feel? Both cultures will have influenced your becoming. I feel between 2 identities too. Neither completely one thing nor the other. It is strange. I’m also raising little “foreign” children who don’t know my native tongue or have that deep connection to my homeland. There is a sadness in it.

LakeTiticaca · 03/12/2023 21:26

British Nigerian

underneaththeash · 03/12/2023 21:33

It’s up to you.
I couldn’t imagine 30 years ago that my black friends, born in the UK weren’t British, but maybe I was being presumptive. They seemed British to me.

theduchessofspork · 03/12/2023 21:34

Well you can define yourself, but I would say British Nigerian.

Original poster
Dami090496 · 03/12/2023 21:34

I feel closely to both.

But sometimes, I feel one over the other. It's a strange feeling 😂

OP posts:
CatsCocktailsCareers · 03/12/2023 21:36

Another one for British Nigerian.

theduchessofspork · 03/12/2023 21:37

Dami090496 · 03/12/2023 21:34

I feel closely to both.

But sometimes, I feel one over the other. It's a strange feeling 😂

Yeah I’d imagine

But is it also a bit of a gift??

Kendodd · 03/12/2023 21:38

Both.
If it was me I wouldn't describe myself as half British and half Nigerian, I would say I was 100% British and 100% Nigerian 😊

Kendodd · 03/12/2023 21:39

Do you have both passports?

EmmaEmerald · 03/12/2023 21:39

underneaththeash · 03/12/2023 21:33

It’s up to you.
I couldn’t imagine 30 years ago that my black friends, born in the UK weren’t British, but maybe I was being presumptive. They seemed British to me.

I like this though, I miss it

30 years ago I was accepted as British because I was born and raised here

now I'm linked, by others, to a country I've never seen.

OP you have lived in Nigeria for a while so I guess it's up to you.

Comedycook · 03/12/2023 21:40

What passport do you hold...or do you have dual nationality? That's your official nationality I suppose. Anything else is how you feel and not for others to determine.

FatchyPog · 03/12/2023 21:43

It’s completely up to you how you identify! Sometimes these discussions place undue emphasis on citizenship or residential status at the expense of ethnic heritage, especially when someone is born in a Western state like the US or UK but the truth is that most of us are from more than one part of the world. You wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for your Nigerian ancestors.

Original poster
Dami090496 · 03/12/2023 21:46

Yep I have dual nationality so English-Nigerian definitely fits the description.

Of course I can also choose British and Nigerian as well.

I should just be happy I have 2 cultures to call upon and when it comes to watching sports I can support both!

OP posts:
WhenLoveIsDone · 03/12/2023 21:50

Both English and Nigerian if you like.

One of my children has dual nationality and she identifies as English or Xish depending on the company she's in and what is most convenient to her argument at that moment.

She doesn't like the term British though.

MooseLooseAbootThisHoos · 03/12/2023 21:50

I'd say you are both and can choose based on how you're feeling each day on which you most feel like.

Having had your childhood in one country and your teen years in another makes it a hard thing to call.

As generally to me the ethnicity of someone's parents doesn't factor. Most of my school friends' parents aren't British. But my friends pretty much were all born in the UK, a few moved over during primary school.

I think the process of being school age in the UK is what makes someone British to me. Those shared British experiences. The TV shows. Etc.

But as your schooling was split then I guess you have both. Hope that makes sense?

DojaPhat · 03/12/2023 21:51

Is this something of a bone of contention for you?

Thatswhy11 · 03/12/2023 21:54

What did your parents teach you? Do you speak Nigerian language? I don't think we can answer. I think how you define yourself is made up of how your parents have raised you, what you have been around and how you feel.

Lizzieregina · 03/12/2023 21:56

I think you get to decide.

I was born and grew up in England to Irish parents, moved to Ireland as a teen, then to the US as an adult (have lived here longer than everywhere else combined).

I have three citizenships but if anyone asks, I’m Irish.

MooseLooseAbootThisHoos · 03/12/2023 21:56

Although maybe my comment was a little unfair actually.

As I've been watching Celeb and the other night Fred was talking about the UK with Farage and using the word "us" to talk about British people.

I guess I also subconsciously equate accent to if someone is British or not. But strong accents are set for life (my grandmother left her home country early 20s and most people couldn't understand her still in her 80s as her accent was still so strong!)

But the way Fred spoke about the UK I really got the impression he felt he was one of its people and I guess that's really what makes someone British.

If you can talk about a country and it's people with words like "us" then surely you're one of the people of that land?

Tulipsroses · 03/12/2023 21:59

It really depends where you live in the country. I am very similar to you and I called my self British when I lived in London. However when we moved to an English countryside everyone always asks me where are you from (a stupid question for someone who lived here all his life).

Kendodd · 03/12/2023 22:03

With regard language, I have a friend with three nationalites, British, French and German. She grew up living in each country for a while as well. She says she doesn't even know what her first language is. She speaks all three, but doesn't know which language she thinks or dreams in. She says if she stops to think about it, already it changes and she then 'decides' which language to think in from then on but doesn't know what language she was thinking in before that point.

underneaththeash · 03/12/2023 22:10

EmmaEmerald · 03/12/2023 21:39

I like this though, I miss it

30 years ago I was accepted as British because I was born and raised here

now I'm linked, by others, to a country I've never seen.

OP you have lived in Nigeria for a while so I guess it's up to you.

Show quote history

Thank you for replying to me, I miss it too.

Sugarfish · 03/12/2023 22:13

I’m half British half an Eastern European country. Born here but also lived in the other country as a child and speak the language. I have a British passport but I also qualify for the other which I am looking into because of Brexit. I like that I’m part of both but it’s not something I think about that deeply. Neither were my choice. We were all born where we were by chance.
I call myself British as it is my birth country and my life is here, the British cultures and way of life feel like home.
I also lived on a completely different continent for a few years and it never really felt like home. To me it’s the feeling of familiarity and the life I build in a place that gives me a sense of belonging.

Original poster
Dami090496 · 03/12/2023 22:15

I feel exactly the same with British. Its too broad for my liking.

I know alot of people say British but I prefer English as it recognizes that I am from England.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dami090496 · 03/12/2023 22:18

It is to be honest. It feels like a strangle between both cultures everyday 😂

OP posts:
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