Thread by @Lolo_cy

Something happened recently that made me highly ashamed of my actions and reminded me that despite all my humanitarian stance, I still subconsciously harbor deep rooted prejudices against some people.

On my way to work, I bought dates as my snack and went to the kiosk around the office to buy water.

The man caught a glimpse of the dates and asked me if I was Hausa.

I said No! It was just so random! But then he made reference to the dates
"You no be Hausa and you dey chop am"

Ah! Ah! "I no be Hausa " can you imagine!
I could feel the irritation bubbling inside of me

Did the aboki really believe that they had monopoly over dates or what

Calmly I replied "Shea na Only Hausa people dey chop am "

He responded " Na Only Hausa people I dey see o! "

In the most monosyllabic tone I replied "I didn't start eating it from Nigeria"

I started whilst I was in South Africa and I really prefer the soft ones but since I can't find them here, I dey manage this one like that!

I made sure to emphasize the "manage am like that" because deep down I was irritated by the arrogance I heard in his voice

But he replied calmly "That soft one na from Arab side them dey bring am, this one na from Niger"

Hmmm! I never knew that, I said to myself

I also couldn't help but wonder if there was really anything that we sold in Nigeria that came from Nigeria

As he offered me my change, he asked "You be igbo?"

Yes! I be Igbo

" I never see igbo person wey dey chop this thing before "

So as I collected my change, I asked him a rhetorical question " You be Hausa? "
He replied No!

Ah! Ah! He's not Hausa! I was confused until I heard him say " I come from Niger"

In that moment, I knew i had judged him wrongly and projected my misconceptions on him.

That thing I heard in his voice wasn't arrogance like I thought; it was PRIDE!

He was so proud to be from Niger, talking about their local treats and got excited when he saw someone who wasn't the norm enjoying them!

Immediately the irritation bubbling deep inside simmered down, my microaggression evaporated.

I was smiling suddenly and even began to chat with him because I had taken an interest in him

But when I left that kiosk, I was so ashamed of myself!

It was so easy to misread his intentions because I assumed he was Hausa

But what I found problematic about my behavior was that even if he was Hausa, who was I to assume the worst?

Who says that the tone of the voice of the Hausa man won't signify pride and not arrogance?

And the most important question I asked myself - Why did I automatically believe that the man had negative intentions just because he was Hausa?

I believe that many of us leave no room for people to fully express themselves because we have judged them and projected our ideas of how we believe they are and ought to be onto them.

Please search yourself!
Sometimes these prejudices are not clearcut; they are benevolent in nature but still benevolence prejudices are the backbone of some of the violent and demeaning tribalistic views that we carry!