I was never familiar with the word accent until I began college in the States neither have I ever thought of the possibility of ever being viewed as “sounding different”. Back in Nigeria, I was the high school student who could confidently stand in the midst of many and offer my ideas, thoughts and critical analysis of a situation. I knew when to speak, when to praise and when to rebuke. I was going to stand up for whatever was good no matter what the cost was. When I spoke, I wasn't worried about whether people thought I sounded strange or had a hard time understanding me, all I thought of was the impact I hope my words were making.
This story changed in college upon my first encounter with the phrase “I cannot understand you.” At first I understood the language barrier and did my best in making sure I not only spoke louder but did everything possible to be heard even when it meant taking up an accent that was not mine. To me, this as a way of adjusting to a new environment; it’s all about adaptation.
I soon realized that there was something more to this; I noticed the steep fall in my ability to speak without having to think it through like I was cramming a poem. My focus was no longer on what I had to say but rather on how I sounded while I said it. Every time, I encountered a situation of having to have a conversation, it felt like an interview; one that wasn’t about lending a nice suit to wear but rather lending a “nice accent” to speak in. The problem wasn’t about someone’s inability to understand me as I was fine with this and willing to repeat myself again. The problem was the facial reaction I got; a reaction that could tear down one’s confidence in a matter of millisecond. It was a reaction that said “I am definitely sure you are not speaking English and that makes me wonder where you are from”
Every language is beautiful; every accent is lovely. Intelligence is not measured by one's ability to possess a specific accent but rather a measure of one's ability to understand that we live a very diverse world full of unique individuals who together make up what we call the “WORLD.”
I will live to love the accent that was bestowed on me and cherish it because it makes me unique and will always connect me back to my true roots. It helps me leave a trail so I never forget the soil where the journey of my life began.
