New York, USA – Last month, Globe Opinion drop one serious question for we readers: “How e be to dey American?” Na only correct people we dey expect to respond but we no fit believe the kind wahala we see. More than 100 responses come land, and as dem respond, you go feel small small anger, pride, hope, and anxiety wey fit make person laugh and cry at the same time. Some responses show say people dey feel bad about their leaders (abi who no go feel am with Trump wey dey run am somehow?).
Yet we still see some fire where people dey appreciate their country, as dem talk about all the freedoms and rights wey America go give dem (even when dem dey vex for the flaws wey the country get). Like say dem dey prepare for Independence Day wey dey come, people still dey hail America resilience. Some people wey send their response include teachers, musicians, caregivers, and even dem veterans wey show say dem get faith for this American project.
Omo, Ian Thomson, one military veteran wey no fit hide him true feelings, talk am straight: “Being American no be simple, but na the values wey attract me.” E even tell us about him experience wey e get when im dey face humanitarian issues in war front (like when e see one small pikin wey don jam injury). “For America to be America,” he talk, “we go need to banish the lie wey dey fly everywhere.” (We like when dem dey talk sharp sharp tok in Naija style!)
On the other hand, Alex Chueh, writer from Cambridge, tell us how e don talk to stranger every day since last year. Na different level of American experience, as e dey connect with all kain people from coffee shops to parks. Only for say people dey open their heart like fresh palm wine, he gree say, “No wonder I dey love to meet people for America.” (We too sabi say Naija people dey package gist well-well for this matter!)
But no be everyone dey feel jolly about their American identity. Reya Kumar, wey dey Boston, still dey battle with mixed feelings. She talk about how her heart dey break even as she still dey hope say better days dey come. “America get hope to change,” she write. Some people even send their minds come about how them dey desire better from America, cause e go dey bad to just fold hands.
Jon Dickinson point out something wey go make everyone reason: Omo, as palliative as the dream of America fit be, e no dey easy to achieve am if people dey fear to shout as e dey. From public school kids learning about America to young adults wey don pass through so much, everybody just dey worry say, “how future go be for my children?”
Wetin dey sweet now, be say e be like say as dem dey groove through all these gists, one consistent matter dey shine: no matter as e dey be, people still dey hope for America to thrive. Even those wey dem dey yammer terrorists, dey claim say dem dey fight for change, make dem no forget say inside the talk, real true American values dey shine through. As as dem dey talk say “better no dey far as we fit make am happen.” Who sabi? Na these kind hopeful fears go de push America the right way.
As this Independence Day dey near, why not join hand with each other and remind ourselves say, to be American no be small thing. Na every small action wey we take everyday go help push the country move forward. So as we dey celebrate, may we also reflect on the beauty wey dey fester deep within our land. America too, fit be sweet if everybody fit learn how to love am (for one hand!), and still dey challenge am (for the other hand!). Light up that spark of hope!
