Too poor for a third world.......

I have lived in Abuja almost my entire life. I was born in Kaduna in 2006 and moved to Abuja in 2010.For a long time, I couldn’t really say I had experienced classism or maybe just the quiet, subtle kind that sits in your chest and aches without making a sound. My name is Nomshu, and this is my story.Growing up, I never lacked anything. My family provided everything I needed: a good home, nice clothes, comfortable cars. I attended private schools, what you would call the life of an average upper-middle-class family in Abuja.I thought I had it all.But here’s the twist.At 15, I started going out more with my siblings, to the nicer areas, the polished parts of the city. That was when I began to notice the “elite kids,” the so-called nepo babies. And reality hit me fast. I was comfortable, yes, but not rich enough, not flashy enough, not fake enough to blend in.It showed.The looks. Those subtle, cutting glances that quietly said, she’s not one of us.I found myself trying to adjust, trying to belong.“Mum, can I get long braids?”“Can I dye them?”“Can I get ripped jeans?”It wasn’t just fashion. It was survival in a social space where appearance felt like currency.As I grew older, I began to see it more clearly.In Abuja, people can look down on you for the simplest things, your outfit, your phone, whether or not you own a car. Respect is sometimes given or withdrawn based on how “put together” you appear. Something as small as not owning the latest iPhone can make you invisible, or worse, disrespected.I once saw a girl who bought a BMW, yet people still mocked her because she was using an iPhone 12, as if a perfectly functional phone suddenly became a symbol of failure.I’ve seen people insult others for wearing Ankara in 2026, as though culture has an expiration date. That isn’t just ignorance, it’s classism dressed up as trendiness.And it doesn’t stop there.In some schools, students are judged by their lunch, their shoes, or the cars that pick them up.In certain restaurants, you’re treated differently depending on how you’re dressed.Even in places meant to be sacred, like churches, appearance can determine how warmly you’re received.That’s the reality.No one has the right to judge your phone if they aren’t the one buying you a new one. Until I can afford my dream phone, I will use my Android with confidence.No one has the right to judge you for repeating clothes if they are not refreshing your wardrobe every week.The truth is, many invisible social standards were created for celebrities, but somehow they slipped into everyday life. And now, people are performing wealth instead of living honestly.Nigeria is still a developing country. Abuja, despite its shine, is no exception. There are too many real issues for us to be this consumed with appearances.Classism and the obsession with a fake life only divide us further.We need to break that cycle.Let’s be real with ourselves. Let’s be logical. Everyone’s journey is different, and everyone’s reality is valid.The sky is wide enough for all of us.

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