Nicole Chilaka-Ukpo was praised for coming into Nigeria and acting like a Nigerian. Most of those who praised her used the opportunity to insult Nigerian women for trying to act foreign.
But the mother-of-three has reacted to the praise and said she doesn't want it if it comes at the risk of criticizing others. She said that she appreciates the love coming from Nigerians but pointed out that Nigerian women do the things she does on a daily basis yet receive no praise from their men but she is being praised for doing the same thing.
She modestly added that if anyone should be praised, it should be her husband's family because they accepted her wholly and made her belong.
She wrote:
"PLEASE GUYS!!!
"i NEED to get this off my chest, the last 24 hours have been crazy, with countless people sending me links of blogs that shared my content. dont get me wrong, i appreciate the love! but this is EXACTLY what iam against: celebrating a white for what she learned from the original woman! do you really think i would be able to take my kids to nigeria without a strong family that got our back? do you really think i could feel home here without people that love me regardless?
capital no!
"so if you want to praise anybody, its my family! not me! i cant teach my kids what i dont know, i cant teach them a culture or language(and i do not even want to do that) thats not mine! i cant and i wouldnt even dare to! i dislike cultural appropriation with a passion!
"when you see me backing my kids, pounding pepper or yam, cooking with fire wood or speaking the little igbo i know, its because i was TAUGHT by my people! and no guys, its not an achievement, its not anything special, its not supposed to be even worth an article on any blog, its supposed to be the standard of every single white parent raising black kids!
"my problem is that you compliment me for what you expected your sister, mother, aunty, cousin, co wife to do automatically... but you forget that thousands of igbo ladies are in the abroad speaking perfect german, spanish, russian etc, AND their kids still speak igbo and english.
"i dont want to hear this „onye ocha is enjoying our culture meanwhile nigerian girls" nye nye. dont do it!
"dont bash your very own to praise me! i dont want it! its not a compliment! its an insult to your very own! its an insult to the black woman that gave birth to the human race!
"i couldnt be where and who iam without the utmost support of my family!
iam forever grateful! #IamHomeInAForeignPlace
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