Nigerian-American singer Jidenna Theodore Mobisson says he had to bring in a lot of AK47s and employ military commandos when he came to Nigeria for his fathers burial. In an interview with music channel, VladTV, Jidenna said in Nigeria, light skinned people are more likely to be kidnapped than dark skinned people as they are seen as more valuable.
Read shocking comments made by the singer below
“I have had a particular type of upbringing that is not the traditional. Whatever the traditional is for a light skinned mixed African American. I am Nigerian-American and more specifically I am Igbo American, Igbo being the ethnic group where I am from and that means you are in the South East of Nigeria.
You are way from the city so it means when you go to your village you are the only person or one of the few people that look like you. In my case, our family is light. Therefore when we go to our village, when I actually buried my father I had to bring in a lot of AK47, I had to employ military commandos because when you are light skinned, you are a heavier target for being kidnapped because you are seen as more valuable. You are seen as white therefore you have money.
Watch the Video Interview
You are American therefore you have more money. If you have more money then you are easy to kidnap and if you are easy to kidnap then we are going to get you. So for me being light-skinned in Nigeria, in our family, it was difficult. We have been hounded. We have been robbed. Our family has been assaulted. We have had a lot of issues. You can say these to a family that is dark skinned color. They may or may not have these experiences but for us we have always been the target but when you come to America, its the opposite. The police may look you over. They may not pull out the gun faster the way they would have done if you were darker”he said.
Read what Nigerians are saying about his opinion about Nigeria
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