This Man’s Brutally Honest Account of Racism in India Calls for Introspection
Many Indians have rushed to support Nana Kofi Yalley on social media following his post.
With attacks on African nationals studying in India dominating the news cycle and social media, a lot of Indians and Africans are openly talking about racism and introspecting its existence within our society.
One such note calling out racism by Nana Kofi Yalley, who not only studied in India but also works here as the Public Relations Officer at Federation Of International Students Associations in Bengaluru, has attracted a lot of attention and has gone viral.
Through his post, which he published on Facebook, Nana talks about how he had fallen in love with India initially only to be faced with different forms of racism after getting here. He writes, “India was an amazing place I always day-dreamed about from hearing about the Taj Mahal… I felt it was worth the price to at least come one day to see this beautiful country.”
But he goes on to calling out a mentality he has witnessed in the country where the entire African community gets held responsible for the actions of a few bad apples. He beseeches Indians to put themselves in the shoes of those who come to this country to start a new life and stop “ganging” up against Africans and foreigners in general.
At the end, he simply notes, “It’s only a fool who fears what he doesn’t know. Let our voices be heard.”
Photo source: Facebook
Nana’s brutally honest post has gotten support from people across all quarters, including Indians who have taken to the comments section to apologise to him and also have a frank conversation about racism in general. One comment notes, “Not that it matters, but really sorry that you are made to feel this way by xenophobic actions of my fellow countrymen.”
You may also like: A Woman From the Northeast Writes a Powerful Letter Slamming Racism in India. And It Will Move You.
Another person also rushed to his defence by saying, “Just would like to tell you that I’m on your side, this behaviour is unacceptable.”
It was a dream country to visit one day, only to find my dream come through by having a chance to migrate and stay here…
Posted by Nana Kofi Yalley on Tuesday, March 28, 2017
The full post can be read below:
It was a dream country to visit one day, only to find my dream come through by having a chance to migrate and stay here for 3 years an offer that was more than wished for.india was an amazing place I always day dreamed about from hearing about the taj mahal to the popular movie who wants to be a millionaire to the pretty faced actress in bollyhood movies . I felt it was worth the price to at least come one day to see this beautiful country.
The fact that they had different cultures,traditions etc. Made me fall in love with country more on my arrival but little did I know that it was a terror within. Where the educated will gel and want to know more about you the non educated saw you as a threat and a human eater -cannibal. Really ,in this century who feeds on the flesh of another human .
But little did I know that the country I so much fell in love with living outside was a nightmare to live in . Where the people who you lived your daily life with will end up turning against you just in case there was a problem .
They will call an attack on blacks non racial but will attack anybody with a dark skin irrespective of the difference in the 54 countries there in the continent of Africa. But say we all the same? Is that not racial? Just because we look same don’t make us same people because behind the dark skin we all have different identities. But yet attack all of us when one person does something wrong and you call it non racial?
The government of India will only speak for matters to cool down but will not pass laws to condenm racial abuse. It’s not even a case of only blacks, the case of North easterners as well same people who come from india are even hated. What else are you guys looking for. But yet you apply for H-1B to live in another man’s world and no one harms you. We were here when Indians in dubai sent a video of how they were being molested in dubai and the whole India were talking about it like it was so cruel but yet the forget that they were putting people through same situation even when they were not taking their jobs but educating themselves .
I’m suddened and fustrated , can’t seem to understand what is bringing this hatred within. Someone please explain to me. Must we also start ganging up on your fellow citizens who have gone to stay in our countries? You say who cares just because you don’t have a relative there to be attacked but if you were to be attacked your self will you dare to live to be attacked in another man’s country where you are vulnerable? That’s the choice you leave us. But we are too civilized to do unto you what you do unto us.
We are the same people investing in your economy.you wonder how ? We renting your flats at high prices, paying huge amount of dollars for fees, and spending the monies we bring in here and not saving them outside india but in the same Indian banks. Please give us some respect . The recent attack in noida is something I can’t really understand where innocent people will have to be hospitalised for a crime they didn’t commit. Who pays for the bill ? Why make someone suffer something he knows nothing about.and yet the press only tell a one sided story and no one will want to listen to the African what even breaks my heart Is when they tried a press conference the police came in and stopped it.
It’s only a fool who fears what he doesn’t know. Let our voices be heard . With so many human right lawyers and activist non of them are out there talking the truth just because they fear.
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