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Student, Artist and Writer @ Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
How Western Culture Has Shaped the Way I Think—and Why I’m Choosing to Be More Authentic
<p><br/></p><p>Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how deeply Western culture has affected the way I see myself, my people, and the world around me. I didn’t even notice it at first. It was subtle—through the movies I watched, the influencers I followed, the standards of beauty I saw online, the way success is defined everywhere.</p><p><br/></p><p>Somewhere along the way, I started measuring myself by values and expectations that weren’t even mine. I began to see my African identity as something I needed to "edit" to be accepted. My natural hair didn’t feel beautiful enough. My accent felt like something I had to hide. Our traditions felt “old-fashioned,” even though they’re full of wisdom and depth.</p><p><br/></p><p>It’s like I was slowly being pulled away from myself—and I didn’t even realize it.</p><p><br/></p><p>But now, I’m waking up.</p><p><br/></p><p>I’m realizing that Western culture, while influential, doesn’t have to replace who I am. I don’t need to sound, look, or act a certain way to be seen as valuable. I don’t need to dim my roots to shine. There’s so much beauty in being African—in our languages, our creativity, our spirit, our history, our strength.</p><p>So I’m choosing to be more authentic.</p><p>I’m learning to love the parts of myself that I was once taught to hide. I’m embracing my voice, my culture, my truth. I want to grow, yes—but not by becoming someone else. I want to evolve as myself.</p><p><br/></p><p>Because being African isn’t something I need to escape—it’s something I’m learning to honor.</p><p><br/></p>
How Western Culture Has Shaped the Way I Think—...
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Felix Grace
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Felix Grace
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