I was very impressed today with a young lady named Amina. I attended a conference with really high-end participants. Everyone had an accent; whether innate or improvised. No one seemed immune to it, and if you found yourself having a discussion with someone at that conference, you would suddenly realize that the words rolled off your tongue differently.
Then came Amina. She had a question to ask during one of the sessions and she signified. The mic was passed to her and then she stood to her feet and said, ‘i heveryone. I panelists, thank you so much for the hinformation you ave shared with hus. My name his Hamina’
She couldn’t even go further because the uproar from the crowd was deafening. Almost everyone was laughing and those who weren’t, seemed offended at the young lady for even venturing to attend the conference.
Looking annoyed, Amina hit the top of the microphone like a judge would use his gavel to call for order and the whole place went gradually quiet. She waited until she could hear a pin drop and then said.
‘Hi ham very disappointed hin heveryone ere. Hi ave gone for several hevents; more himportant than this one. Hand people behave themselves. Hi ave spoken to people so himportant, you probably will never get up to one minute with them. They don’t laugh hat my haccent. Why? Because they know that hit his content, hand not form, that matters. But ere? Hall you good-for-nothing men hand women with nothing hin your brains gather your laughter hand laugh hat me. More than 90% of hus ere hare Nigerians o. Henglish his not your first language o. Hoyinbo people don’t care habout your Yoruba hor Higbo. They won’t correct hanyone for you o. Hi pity hall hof you’
Then she went ahead to ask her question.
It is needless to say that the hall was dead silent after her speech.
I'd love to hear your thoughts!