Where Are You From?

Every African fellow who lives in the Caribbean once comes to be asked this question when talking to Bajans or any other Caribbean. As soon as you open your mouth, your accent discriminates you so that you are automatically taken for a foreigner. To me "Where are you from?" means much more than just a curiosity expression; it is a very tricky question. I might be wrong, it is debatable. Its real meaning depends on the person who asks the question and how the question is put. When one asks me : "Are you from Nigeria?" I always answer: "Not yet" I sometimes add: "maybe in a future life!" People usually laugh everytime I give this kind of answer. That is the way I have found to avoid answering this extremely embarrassing question. But when I am in a bad mood, I simply ignore the question or sometimes express my anger, because it may empower the questioner to go beyond the boarders of courtesy.

"Come on, Man, take it easy, you are in the paradise of Barbados and don't live in your African jungle any more. Life nowadays is much less complicated to cope with, and the world has become a universal village. Don't worry about that, Buddy! It is just a question. Right? "