10 signs you have been in Nigeria for Long

Nigeria is a peculiar country and after living
here for long, you will come to accept and love
all its peculiarities. When you move to Nigeria, it
seems so unusual, but thrilling and alive with
opportunities. You marvel at its strange
surroundings and its people. Being Nigerian is
much more different when compared to being
Mexican or American. Several jokes abound as
to how Nigerians display their unique
differences when faced with similar challenges
alongside citizens of other countries. When
you’ve lived in Nigeria for so long, a lot about
you changes. You think different, talk different
and behave different. A foreign resident who has
the unique traits of a Nigerian may start to
wonder if he has lived in Nigeria too long.
Here are top 10 signs that you have been in
Nigeria for too long:
1. You develop a sixth sense
Nigerians can smell anything fishy, especially
when it has to do with a business deal. In the
same manner they can recognize a good deal
or an opportunity when they see one. If you try
to behave like a Nigerian when you haven’t
really learnt how to be one, you may end up
becoming the victim. Like we say “cunny man
die, cunny man bury am” and ‘cunny’ is our
way of saying ‘cunning’.
2. You become a hustler
Nigerians don’t just thrive, they hustle. At any
stage of our lives, whether we are awaiting
admission to a higher institution or just
graduating, the ‘hustle’ stays on our minds.
And just in case you’re wondering, hustle in
Nigeria refers to the innate struggle we have for
survival and the many schemes we come up
with to achieve it.
3. You are now used to Nigerian Foods
Nigerian foods are very delicious but most
foreigners find it disgusting when they arrive.
When you discover that you are now okay with
Nigerian foods, in fact you eat Pounded yam
and Efo riro like you are from Ekiti State, it
means you have stayed too long in Nigeria and
you are now a confirm ‘Naija’ person.
4. You Speak in Naija slangs
When you’ve stayed in Nigeria long enough you
learn the use of slangs. We use them often
times to make our conversations unintelligible
to people outside of your discussion circle. Kids
use them to communicate in the presence of
their parents and so on. Some include ‘para’ for
angry, ‘egunje’ for bribe, ‘gbagaun’ for
grammatical errors, ‘gbedu’ for music, etc.
5. You dress uniquely, you have falling in love
with ‘Ankara’
Staying in Nigeria for long affects your sense of
style. We have our famous ankara, adire and the
other traditional wears and most foreigners get
to the various funny but beautiful combinations.
For weddings, ‘aso ebis’ ( or parlance for
uniform dressings at a wedding) are the order of
the day and you find yourself wearing one when
you are attending a Nigerian party.
6. You get thick-skinned
Living in Nigeria over time also toughens you
up. You see, hear and experience so many
things that make you resilient and thick-skinned
to life’s hard knocks. Eventually, situations and
challenges that people struggle through become
a bit of a walk-over for you.
7. You become a go getter
Living in Nigeria is an achievement. A lot of
odds are against Nigerians yet we fight to
succeed. When you are used to waking up as
early as 4 am just because you want to get to
the office promptly, its a sign that you have
been in Nigeria too long. When your mind is set
on a goal and you work towards it until it is
realized. Being a ‘go getter’ is evident in the
spree of successful and flourishing SMEs you
see in Nigeria.
8. You know how to bargain with no shame
Anyone who has lived here for long buys things
uniquely when they’re in a market place. When
we sell, it’s also different; Nigerians can sell ice
to an Eskimo. We are good at pricing (a
Nigerian parlance for bargaining), we know how
to beat down the price of an item to the barest
minimum. We price with no shame!
9. You attend comedy shows and laugh at
Nigerian jokes
Nobody understands Nigerian jokes like
Nigerians because most jokes are cracked in
pidgin English and you can only understand the
language when you have stayed in Nigeria for
long.
10. You have a deep sense of cultural norms
and traditions
A typical Nigerian upholds certain traditional
ways of doing things. You become family
conscious and relate well with the people you
call friends. Our music is different and most
Nigerians like ‘owambe’ (partying and
celebration gatherings). There is respect for
elders and you can tell what part of the country
either by the name, appearance or accent.
Have you been in Nigeria for long? Share with
us in the comment below, your experience and
signs that indicate you have become a Nigerian.