Land of the loud people

My Ugandan friends keep asking me whether I am already through with what they claim is “the land of the loud people”. I have only been to Uganda and Ghana outside Nigeria and the difference is startling indeed. In Ghana I felt there was a silencing blanket over the country, and in Uganda I experienced the people as incredibly friendly yet almost shy people. But Nigeria and the Nigerians are loud.

People here laugh loudly, engage in loud conversations, and seem to prefer to shout in their phones instead of talking normally. A car without breaks can be seen as functioning, but without a loud claxon no car will enter the road. Music has to come from every direction, and did I ever mention the churches that aim their loudspeakers to the street so they can sell their particular religious conviction best –even at night? And there are always, always people around. This loudness makes Nigeria so captivating; and its people are not only loud, but also warm, extrovert and fun.

Yesterday I got a hint why I feel at home here so much. I thought I was a quiet person, but it only takes the Dutch playing in the Euro soccer cup to awaken my “Nigerian side”. In fact, I think most Nigerians were impressed by the noise generated by the mere ten orange supporters! The beauty of Nigeria is that you can express yourself and that you don’t have to feel embarrassed; After all, some 140 million other people in this country continuously show what loudness is all about!