25% Nigerian, 100% Curious: What Africa is to Me

Based on the title this blog post should be about my feelings and opinions, but first I'd like to talk about the words of someone else. Reading Countee Cullen's poem "Heritage" was a very interesting experience as someone who is 25% Nigerian by DNA but has never even stepped foot in Africa. Cullen shared some aspects of his experiences in Africa that I was able to understand and others that my simple American born mind couldn't comprehend. So, what is Africa to me? It's a continent in which my people were taken from leading to many of us being "African Americans" and having a negative view on Africa due to the single story that's typically shown in the media. Africa is a place where I would likely be right now if my ancestors hadn't been forced out of their homes by colonizers. It's a place where my grandfather whom I've never met in person lives. It's the reason my mother's name is Bosede Bada and my auntie's name is Funmilayo Bada. I'm probably just as clueless about Africa as any average white American is. However, I do want to know more and I want to get connected with that part of my heritage. To me Africa is like Wakanda in Black Panther. Obviously, I know that Wakanda is a fictional place with fictional aspects but the overall culture of Wakanda is how I imagine Africa to be. One day, after visiting and spending time learning about Africa I hope to be able to say more and better understand what Countee Cullen was saying in his poem.