The Power of a Single Story



"This is how to create a single story: show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become." Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Who else has noticed how powerful storytelling can be? Do you realize that half the stereotypes that exist in our world today result from stories, whether shown, told, or read?

The other day, my boss said the reason Lagos is overcrowded is because of African Magic. As funny as it sounds, it holds some truth. If you have noticed, in African Magic movies, a poor character from the village travels to Lagos and within a few months returns with a Lexus and plenty of money.

The stories are often predictable and over time they have shaped the ideology that if you want to succeed you must go to Lagos, hence the congestion.

(Mind you, I am not generalizing.)

Now let us compare real life people moving to Lagos from different parts of the country in search of greener pastures to how African Magic portrays it.

If all I watch and know about Lagos comes from African Magic, it will sell me a single story about the city. So whenever I think of Lagos, I will associate it with one thing, greener pastures.

I am not trying to invalidate the boundless opportunities that come with stepping beyond your small world, a town, village, or less popular city. I am just trying to show the impact of representing an entire entity as one thing.

Dearest reader, low key, our definition of certain things is often based on single stories rather than their full reality. And over time, that is what they become, a single fractured story.

The next time you tell a story, strive to understand the whole picture rather than relying on just one side, a mere fragment.




@favvy_Okwansđź–¤. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"NOT ADMITTED"

Image
She clicks on the Whatsapp group chat,  Yet another "Congratulations, you've been admitted", with her heart heavy, she angrily leaves the group, minimize out of Whatsapp. There she is patiently waiting for chrome to load her admission status, this is the third time today she's logging into her jamb caps.  Her eyes almost eager with hope, she muttered under her breath, "God please" The network server makes matter worst by going sluggishly as she clickes "Regular admission status" she closes her eyes, hoping against hope, praying fervently, that this time it'd be different.  But it's not, because as she opens her eyes slowly, she's greeted with an arrogantly boldly written, "NOT ADMITTED", screaming at her. Suddenly the dam breaks.  Silently, tears begin to stream down her eyes, taking a rather familiar router via her chin.  The urge to throw her phone across the room intensifies, she wishes she could will her admission into exi...
Read more

TEAM WORK

Image
It can be quite frustrating when a collective effort results in only one person receiving all the praise. Even if my contribution is just 1%, it shouldn’t be overlooked. You never know how these small efforts can make a significant difference. My bubugaga is back from school, and today we did a lot of tidying up. It’s amazing how I suddenly find the energy to work when she's around, despite my usual laziness. After completing so much work, we took a break—we were honestly worn out. Fast forward to the end of the day: everyone applauded her for a job well done, as though it was solely her effort. It felt off because I felt I deserved some recognition too—it was teamwork, after all. So, the point is, you never know how hurtful it can be when someone's effort goes unacknowledged. No matter how small the contribution, appreciate it alongside the major ones. Dearest reader, do you find yourself annoyed like myself when your effort is overlooked in a team work?  @favvy_Ok...
Read more

LESS THAN ONE.

Image
There are days when my arms are too heavy to hold a pen, my brain too disorganized to put a sentence together, my thoughts an unending swirl of emotions. But then there are days—days when my smile can break through your screen, invade your life, and steal alongside your heart. Days when my excitement can be likened to that of a 2-year-old, where my inquisitiveness and curiosity know no bounds. Well, today is the latter. But like a poet I love once said, "Even if the light's turned on and my fears are not gone, I'll give it my best shot because the show must go on." So, I'd like to talk about something today: the idea of "LESS THAN ONE." But before we dive into this, allow me to tell you a story. ***** Once upon a time, I had a friend. You know that feeling of being friends with the girl every guy wants, so you get a lot of "Please help me talk to your friend"? In school, we had our lunch bought by different guys each day—one of the ...
Read more