USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series

This anecdote might seem trivial but it's not. For over two decades I have, on
the first day of school, spent ten minutes or so of my class period explaining
to inquisitive students why I go by three names: Emmanuel (my baptismal name as
a Roman Catholic). Ike (or Ikechuku the name my family gave me at birth) and E.
Ike Udogu (my nom de plume).

On a lighter note, however, I have continued to explain this situation to my
students in order that they might not think that I was "delusional or suffering
from the issue or disease of multiple personalities."

Ike Udogu

----- Original Message -----
From: Osiadi@aol.com
Date: Saturday, August 31, 2013 3:55 pm
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Don Ohadike- Eight Years After
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com

> Thank you Kwabena my brother. I agree with you. Such oral histories
> are
> invaluable and undiluted. I tell you what rude awakenings I got
> when I arrived
> the United States eons ago. I enrolled at Howard Univrsity in the
> Department of African Studies with a major in social anthropology
> and minor in
> polical science. The chairman of the department was Professor
> Chike Onwuachi of
> blessed memory. The first class was the Anthropology of African
> World.
> When the professor walked into the class, I stood up. But I
> noticed no other
> student stood. I sat down quietly, somewhat embarrassed. This was
> my first
> rude awakening.
>
> I always sat in the front because of my height. Now, it was time
> for us to
> introduce ourselves. I was the fifth in the front row. I introduced
> myself
> as 'John Osia.' The fine young lady who had just introduced
> herself asked
> me openly whether or not I was an American or a British, to which
> I replied
> in the negative. She retorted with a mocking question: why are you
> John? My
> friend, I found myself stuttering in an attmept to explain how I
> was
> "John." This was a second rude awakening. Indeed when I got back
> to where I
> was living in Northeast Washington, I had sleepless night trying
> to sort out
> what happened to me in class. I solved the second rude awakening.
> I wrote
> to my parish priest in my village to update my baptismal register
> and card
> by adding KUNIRUM because that was my African name. That name
> meant much to
> my parents and my culture. I emphasized that from there and then I
> must be
> addressed as Kunirum not John, full stop.
>
> Since there was no second introduction in the next class, I raised
> up my
> hand and the professor acknowledged me. He said : yes John. I
> stood up and
> said politely in clear unequvocative Englisdh that I would like the
> class to
> know that my name, given to me by my parents was KUNIRUM and
> that was
> the name I wanted to be known and addressed as. That 'John' was my
> baptismal
> name which came to me 12 years after my existence as KUNIRUM. Our
> professor
> was so happy that he openly invited me to have dinner with his
> family a
> week later. When I went to the dinner the professor welcomed me
> and said "you
> are perfect for African Studies...Africans should never be ashamed
> to
> project their Africaness anywhere." Thanks again Kwabena
>
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