I am Nigerian

Marie-Udo-Affiav2Martha was born in Nigeria in 1960 where she was brought up by her Nigerian father and British mother. She came to live in the UK as a child fleeing conflict in Africa. In this clip she considers whether she thinks of herself as Nigerian or British. 



I'm still Nigerian. I haven't taken on British nationality although two of my siblings have, I went back when I was 18, supposedly for 3 months, but I stayed 11 days and I found, I felt like I did when I first came over to England. I felt a like I didn't belong there - um and I'd get looked at in the street - er a couple of taxi drivers called me a white woman - you know, I think if I was a different type of person it would be more important to me, because if I was a different type of person I might be cooking Nigerian food, and really into the history part of Nigeria and Biafra and what not - but I'm not that type of person, so I'm Anglicised but it's there -it's always there.

So where do you consider your home to be now? Would you say you're still a Nigerian and you consider yourself from there or would you say you're um you know a part of the United Kingdom and you live here and this is your home?

This is my home. But I'm not giving up my Nigerian passport, which makes it all - you know, if I ever want to travel it's a pain. That sounds a bit weird doesn't it? I am Nigerian but I'm half English, but this is where my home is. And this - I'm a real country bumpkin and I love the countryside here and um this is my home.


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