Comments on: Are You a Black Man? Don’t go to Russia! http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html black looks Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:19:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Richie http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-390 Richie Mon, 14 Nov 2005 04:32:02 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-390 I schooled in Russia myself in the 90's. Things were as bad then for Nigerians in Russia, as they still are today. Sadly, it's not just the Nigerian or Russian government that is to blame. The Nigerian embassy, that is supposed to be advocating for the interests of Nigerians in Russia, is doing absolutely nothing. It gets worse. While students from poor countries like Niger, Angola, Kenya, etc get stipends from their government and live well, the Nigerian embassy withholds money meant for Nigerian students in Russia. Life was so tough for us then because we had no money to spend. So, although Nigeria may be helping students financially, the corrupt embassy officials made sure the money never got to the students. Meanwhile, they are driving around in brand new German machines with our money. I schooled in Russia myself in the 90’s. Things were as bad then for Nigerians in Russia, as they still are today.

Sadly, it’s not just the Nigerian or Russian government that is to blame. The Nigerian embassy, that is supposed to be advocating for the interests of Nigerians in Russia, is doing absolutely nothing.

It gets worse. While students from poor countries like Niger, Angola, Kenya, etc get stipends from their government and live well, the Nigerian embassy withholds money meant for Nigerian students in Russia. Life was so tough for us then because we had no money to spend.

So, although Nigeria may be helping students financially, the corrupt embassy officials made sure the money never got to the students. Meanwhile, they are driving around in brand new German machines with our money.

]]> By: Juluka http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-389 Juluka Tue, 26 Apr 2005 23:54:22 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-389 Blacks are are always seen as a threat wherever they go. But one thing that THE MAN needs to realise is that this race is like an Indian rubber-ball; the harder they bounce it on the ground, the higher it goes, BE STRONG brethrens, we are almost there. For example, look at the situation in the English Premiership League and tell me it is not so.All the succesful teams have 3 or 4 black players (does not matter whether they are originate from Africa or France). We are taking over the continent! Blacks are are always seen as a threat wherever they go. But one thing that THE MAN needs to realise is that this race is like an Indian rubber-ball; the harder they bounce it on the ground, the higher it goes, BE STRONG brethrens, we are almost there. For example, look at the situation in the English Premiership League and tell me it is not so.All the succesful teams have 3 or 4 black players (does not matter whether they are originate from Africa or France). We are taking over the continent!

]]> By: walt235 http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-388 walt235 Tue, 26 Apr 2005 20:45:27 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-388 It isn't any better in China, Korea or Japan. Even in Mongolia-one of the most isolated countries on Earth, they will tell you they hate blacks. About 2 years ago, I was in China on business and heard about a nearby village where an African student asked a Chinese (woman) student to a dance at the local university. The town nearly had riots. The military was called in to protect the African students. The next day, all 300 African students were gathered up, and given 2 hours to pack-with an armed guard watching them and were then deported. When I was in China, I was harassed on a daily basis, but not nearly as bad as Africans. Another time, I saw an African walking home from school and children were making sounds like apes, going "oogga-booga-boogaa," throwing rocks and calling him foul names in Chinese. I saw him later and asked him what was going on and he said it was an almost daily ordeal. If he defended himself, he said he would probably be attacked, arrested or worse! He left China shortly after that. A Chinese man I sort of got to be friends with was drinking beer and came and sat down with me. We started talking and he told me something very interesting. He said he didn't like the white man. But he know he (the white man) was smart and educated so he respected him. He said when he saw a black man, he saw an dirty, unintelligent animal. Not worthy of respect or any kind of consideration. Many Asian countries were once as poor as Africa a few decades ago, but they are now rich. African countries haven't made any progress, they've gone backward. So in his opinion, blacks were not due any respect at all! Don't let anyone fool you, just because they're not white doesn't mean they will like you. Even Moslem Arabs enslave Africans today, and treat them like animals as well. In Western Africa, they are killing black Christians and animists in the name of the Koran, but it is really to drive them off the land! It isn’t any better in China, Korea or Japan. Even in Mongolia-one of the most isolated countries on Earth, they will tell you they hate blacks.

About 2 years ago, I was in China on business and heard about a nearby village where an African student asked a Chinese (woman) student to a dance at the local university. The town nearly had riots. The military was called in to protect the African students. The next day, all 300 African students were gathered up, and given 2 hours to pack-with an armed guard watching them and were then deported.

When I was in China, I was harassed on a daily basis, but not nearly as bad as Africans. Another time, I saw an African walking home from school and children were making sounds like apes, going “oogga-booga-boogaa,” throwing rocks and calling him foul names in Chinese. I saw him later and asked him what was going on and he said it was an almost daily ordeal. If he defended himself, he said he would probably be attacked, arrested or worse! He left China shortly after that.

A Chinese man I sort of got to be friends with was drinking beer and came and sat down with me. We started talking and he told me something very interesting. He said he didn’t like the white man. But he know he (the white man) was smart and educated so he respected him. He said when he saw a black man, he saw an dirty, unintelligent animal. Not worthy of respect or any kind of consideration. Many Asian countries were once as poor as Africa a few decades ago, but they are now rich. African countries haven’t made any progress, they’ve gone backward. So in his opinion, blacks were not due any respect at all!

Don’t let anyone fool you, just because they’re not white doesn’t mean they will like you. Even Moslem Arabs enslave Africans today, and treat them like animals as well. In Western Africa, they are killing black Christians and animists in the name of the Koran, but it is really to drive them off the land!

]]> By: Toy Jania http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-387 Toy Jania Tue, 12 Apr 2005 08:18:24 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-387 Many people may not want to admit it but quite a lot of us are quite ignorant about what is going on outside our habitat. I personaly (ashamed to admit) do not discuss politics or get interested but i consider myself to be very humane.It was quite an eye opener for me after reading Mr. Kayode's article. I hear about war, racism in places like Rushia, Chechenya horrible things happening around the world but it never occurs to me that there could be Nigerians there. Who takes care of them? where do they go for help. Are they some of the unaccounted for bodies? After reading this article it opened my eyes a bit more and i thank God for my life but then i thought if many people were silent like me would i be greatful for my life today? where would i be? would i have even existed? I thank you Mr. Kayode for this article, even though i may not be one of the people walking the picket lines (just yet)but i surely would do something significant in my own way to help the aftermath of war, abandoned black orphans, abused children, victims of racial killings e.t.c. Many questions cross my mind and i start to wonder... Many people may not want to admit it but quite a lot of us are quite ignorant about what is going on outside our habitat. I personaly (ashamed to admit) do not discuss politics or get interested but i consider myself to be very humane.It was quite an eye opener for me after reading Mr. Kayode’s article. I hear about war, racism in places like Rushia, Chechenya horrible things happening around the world but it never occurs to me that there could be Nigerians there. Who takes care of them? where do they go for help. Are they some of the unaccounted for bodies? After reading this article it opened my eyes a bit more and i thank God for my life but then i thought if many people were silent like me would i be greatful for my life today? where would i be? would i have even existed? I thank you Mr. Kayode for this article, even though i may not be one of the people walking the picket lines (just yet)but i surely would do something significant in my own way to help the aftermath of war, abandoned black orphans, abused children, victims of racial killings e.t.c. Many questions cross my mind and i start to wonder…

]]> By: Anon http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-386 Anon Fri, 01 Apr 2005 12:18:25 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2005/03/are_you_a_black_man_dont_go_to_russia.html#comment-386 Dear Mr. Kayode Ogundamisi I read your article with much admiration and I must say that I am glad that at least someone that never lived in Russia before, saw it first-hand. I used to study in Russia, the racism out there became part of daily life. There have been cases that students were killed just for their race. It doesnt matter African or Asian, but the victims are normally from third-world countries that "dont look like them". Just after I left a vietnamese guy was killed just like that. He was stabbed to death near my hostel in St. Petersburg. We heard cases of people pushed onto the underground train tracks just as the train approached and they get killed or severely maimed. The problem, as we tried to figure out, is that the Russia government treats such issues as simple nuisance, instead of fighting it head-on and kicking it out of the society. The penalty mented out to offenders caught in cases like that is like a few hours to a whole night in the cell, and that's it. No matter the number of complaints from us, nothing seemed to change. Or maybe little changed when the complaints were just too much, like Street protests. We even had TV forums to which Russians were invited. You would be surprised at the way some recklessly addressed the issue. They called it "hooliganism" instead of "racism". Then, whenever we had to go out to the stores or even to study, we had to either go out in groups or be extra-cautious of our surroundings. We had to stir clear of groups of young boys. Some of us even had to carry gas-sprays just as a means of protection. Any sharp movement from their side could get our legs into running mode. I study for a second degree in Germany now, but I must confess that it was difficult for me to adapt to normalcy after leaving Russia. I forgot my gas-spray in my pockets once here and my friends had to laugh at me, because they just couldnt understand what I needed it for. I visited Russia again last year because I still have friends studying there. The whole cautiousness thing started getting over me again. It's sad. And it's not that our governments dont know anything about it. At least we complained and wrote statements at the embassy every now and then. Even one african ambassador got beaten once (I think it was Ghana's, but I cant recall exactly now.), since they at the embassies always replied us that it is only a student-issue. It's either our governments "third world" dont know how to go about it or maybe they just dont want to criticise Russia. Well on my own, none of my relatives or friends would go there to study any more. I would readily disallow it. And I pray that one day, something will be done to curb it all. Thank you for bringing it to light. Name Deleted for security reasons Dear Mr. Kayode Ogundamisi
I read your article with much admiration and I must
say that I am glad that at least someone that never
lived in Russia before, saw it first-hand.
I used to study in Russia, the racism out there became
part of daily life. There have been cases that
students were killed just for their race. It doesnt
matter African or Asian, but the victims are normally
from third-world countries that “dont look like them”.
Just after I left a vietnamese guy was killed just
like that. He was stabbed to death near my hostel in
St. Petersburg. We heard cases of people pushed onto
the underground train tracks just as the train
approached and they get killed or severely maimed.
The problem, as we tried to figure out, is that the
Russia government treats such issues as simple
nuisance, instead of fighting it head-on and kicking
it out of the society. The penalty mented out to
offenders caught in cases like that is like a few
hours to a whole night in the cell, and that’s it.
No matter the number of complaints from us, nothing
seemed to change. Or maybe little changed when the
complaints were just too much, like Street protests.
We even had TV forums to which Russians were invited.
You would be surprised at the way some recklessly
addressed the issue. They called it “hooliganism”
instead of “racism”.
Then, whenever we had to go out to the stores or even
to study, we had to either go out in groups or be
extra-cautious of our surroundings. We had to stir
clear of groups of young boys. Some of us even had to
carry gas-sprays just as a means of protection. Any
sharp movement from their side could get our legs into
running mode.
I study for a second degree in Germany now, but I must
confess that it was difficult for me to adapt to
normalcy after leaving Russia. I forgot my gas-spray
in my pockets once here and my friends had to laugh at
me, because they just couldnt understand what I needed
it for. I visited Russia again last year because I
still have friends studying there. The whole
cautiousness thing started getting over me again.
It’s sad. And it’s not that our governments dont know
anything about it. At least we complained and wrote
statements at the embassy every now and then. Even one
african ambassador got beaten once (I think it was
Ghana’s, but I cant recall exactly now.), since they
at the embassies always replied us that it is only a
student-issue. It’s either our governments “third
world” dont know how to go about it or maybe they just
dont want to criticise Russia.
Well on my own, none of my relatives or friends would
go there to study any more. I would readily disallow
it.
And I pray that one day, something will be done to
curb it all.
Thank you for bringing it to light.

Name Deleted for security reasons

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