The Millenials

Last month (February) was black history month in Canada, it's  a huge annual observance  in Canada, US and the UK in remembrance of important people and events in the history of the Africans in diaspora.

                                                       

 

  Chimamanda Adichie

It's a little wonder that young blacks have achieved excellence in recent times . They include the likes of Chimamanda Adichie ,36, Nigerian,  Emmanuel  Ohuabunwa, 22,  Nigerian  and most recently Lupita  Nyongo'o ,31,  a Kenyan .Their stories serve as an inspiration to black youths all over the world. That dreams do come true, once you are committed and willing to work hard. As my dad always says “there is always room at the top.”

Just last week Chimamanda Adichie, an author won the US critic book prize for her book “Americannah”. In 2007 her novel “half of a yellow sun” which was centered around the Nigerian civil war won the 2007 Orange Broadband Prize for fiction.

   

 

   Lupita Nyong'o     
                                     

In the case of Lupita Nyong'o just fresh out of Yale University school of Drama's Acting program and after her first major role in the movie “twelve years a slave,” she clinched an Oscar award as best supporting actress for her wonderful performance in her role as 'patsey' in the movie.Today she is one of the most influential people in Hollywood. She also made a great speech at the Oscars but the part that stuck to my memory was when she said that “No matter where you are from your dreams are valid.”

  

 
Emmanuel Ohuabunwa

 On the other hand Emmanuel Ohuabunwa story, is a touching story of a Nigerian who immigrated to America as a young boy in pursuit of the American dream, Today has broken John Hopkins academic record by obtaining a grade point average of 3.98 over 4.0 to earn a degree in neuroscience. For his outstanding performance he has won a scholarship to study medicine in Yale.

According to Ohuabunwa when he relocated to America the black Americans were not nice to him and was often bullied.

In an online interview Ohuabunwa says “My parents moved the whole family when I was 13 years old. I was about to begin SS1 at Air Force Ibadan. When I got to the US, I was enrolled with my age-mates, which mearnt at 13, I was in middle school. I went to Fondren Middle School, which was in the middle of the ghetto. That was one of the darkest years for me because I encountered a lot of peer pressure. Some of the students ignorant about Africa, bullied me and called me names such as 'African booty scratcher' because to them Africans were dirty and scratched their butt all the time.” He said his experience that year gave him thick skin and he learned to stand for what was right even when the opposition seemed insurmountable and he also learned to look  at the positive things in all situations.

 In spite of this humiliation and racial prejudice, Ohuabunwa the first in a family of three was not discouraged. He faced his studies and he excelled and today the rest is history.

He is also the only black student inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa,which has prominent members like former US presidents, supreme court justices and Noble laureates.

One important message I got from all of this amazing stories is that we need to find our purpose in life and pursue it no matter our background and eventually success would be our portion. And only then can you leave a legacy behind.