American designer Khala Whitney has shared her experience of moving to Nigeria, identifying classism as her biggest culture shock and highlighting differences in how social connections are formed in Nigeria and the United States.
Whitney explained that her experience in the US was shaped by a sense of shared identity among African Americans, while she found that social status in Nigeria appeared to depend more heavily on wealth, family background and personal connections.
“When I moved to Nigeria from the US, my first culture shock was the classism. In the States, being African American connects you with other African Americans. Here, it’s more about how much money you have, who your family is and who you know,” she said.
Her remarks have drawn attention to conversations about class divisions, privilege and social mobility in Nigerian society, where wealth, family influence and personal networks can play significant roles in access to opportunities.
Whitney’s comments also highlight the differences people may encounter when relocating between countries, particularly when their expectations of community and belonging are shaped by different cultural and social experiences.
Her observation has added to the wider discussion about whether economic status and family connections influence how people are treated and the opportunities available to them in Nigeria.
