In case you missed the story, Jidenna, an artist signed to Janelle Monáe’s Wondaland Record label whose hit single ‘Classic Man’ is topping radio charts here in the States; made headlines when he shared the following in an interview with VLADTV:
“Our family was light. Therefore when we go to our village… and when I actually buried my father, I had to bring a lot of AK47s. I had to employ military commandos… just to bury my father… Because when you’re light skinned, you’re heavier target for being kidnapped. Because you’re seen as more valuable. You’re seen as err… you’re White. Therefore you have more money. You’re American, therefore you have more money. If you have more money, you’re easy to kidnap. And if you’re easy to kidnap, we’re gonna get you. For me being light skinned in Nigeria, in our family, it was difficult. It was always challenging. We were hounded. We were robbed. Our family has been assaulted. We have had a lot of issues.”
His statements went viral and Nigerians worldwide “dragged” him on all social media platforms and cursed him out on his personal page. Media and news networks in Nigeria also picked up the story.
Jidenna has now responded with an open letter addressing Nigerians.
Ms. Uduak Tip: I find it ironic that Jidenna is a Stanford graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Race & Ethnicity. To me, that would mean being perhaps more tuned in to how sensitive people can be on issues like these. Also, most artists, whether American or not, realize or should realize that Nigeria and the continent of Africa is/are important music markets to pay attention to. Therefore, while you shouldn’t edit yourself to be what you are not, from your music brand perspective/branding, you need to be sensitive to the fans you may have or potential fans on the continent when you speak about Africans, especially to White or Western media. Africans are tired of the single narrative of all things negative about the continent and Africans. Thanks to social media, most are also speaking up and having their voices heard when they believe someone with influence is depicting them to be what they are not; or is telling a partial story.
Folks, what is your take on this issue?
“To all my Nigerian brothers and sisters,
I am, always have been, and always will be proud of my Nigerian heritage. I understand the pain and anger caused by some of the comments I made in a recent interview, and I wanted to address you directly. Contrary to popular belief, this interview was not the first in which I mentioned Nigeria. In fact, I’m frequently bragging about how Nigerians attend the world’s most prestigious institutions, and how we are known to produce world class doctors, entrepreneurs, innovators, lawyers, engineers, professors, athletes and artists. Unfortunately, people tend to leave these moments out, and, in this case, highlight stereotypes. I would never do or say anything to intentionally disgrace the legacy of my father nor my fatherland. But to not relay my own story, both the good times and the bad, would be a disservice.
My name is Jidenna, which means “to hold or embrace the father” in Igbo. It was my father who gave me this name and who taught me countless parables, proverbs, and principles that made me the man I am today. These same principles helped me to write the record “Classic Man.” When I brought home a 98 percent on a test, my father would say, “ah ah, where are the other two points? Go and get them, then bring them back.” My father and Nigerian culture has always stood for excellence. While the majority of my childhood memories are beautiful, I also have experienced the challenges that Nigeria has faced since Independence.
When I was 5 years old, my family was robbed at gunpoint, my mother was beaten, family members were kidnapped, and I was shot in my foot. As is the case with all kidnapping, targeting those who are perceived to be wealthy is the objective. In this instance, my father was the target because of his prominence in the community. This was a traumatic experience for my family that would shape our entire lives and our experiences in both Nigeria and America. As a little boy, I swore that I would never let that happen to my family again. As my father often said, “Once you’re bitten by a snake, you‘ll be ready to shoot a lizard!” At the time of my father’s burial 5 years ago, my family in the village was concerned about increased targeting for kidnapping since the rate of abductions had increased dramatically in the area we are from. We were traveling from America, which along with our biracial appearance, had the potential to attract attention and pose a threat to our security. In light of what happened in the past and the tense climate at the time, my family took precautions to ensure our safety. This was not an uncommon protocol at the time. I recognize incidents such as these are not unique to Nigeria or the African continent, and there have been significant improvements in the region since this period.
In the recent interview to which I’ve been referring, I shared my family’s experience traveling from the States back home for the burial. In this interview, I used the term “light-skinned.” When using this term, I was actually referring to my immediate family’s mixed or biracial appearance. See, no matter what language I use to describe my heritage, I’m certain that someone will feel some kind of way. This is a larger discussion not meant for this statement, but certainly derives from our colonial past and postcolonial present, and in the States, from the days of slavery to the present times. My comments about skin tone were related to the notion of perceived wealth and value, not my personal beliefs. My point was never to imply that biracial or “light-skinned” people are the only ones or the most targeted group of people kidnapped, or that I myself was wealthy at the time. Rather than focus on my perceived value, let us continue to focus on the value of Nigeria.
There is no question that Africa is playing a pivotal role in the future of our planet and that Nigeria, with it’s booming economy and burgeoning middle class, is a driving force. I will continue to play my role in the Renaissance taking place in Nigeria and Africa at large. We may not agree on everything, but know my heart is your heart, and my experience is part of our collective experience.”
Warning: Strong Language Used
