West African student-athletes, past and present, in the University Athletic Association have had their identity shaped by their culture of origin in a multitude of ways.
First Generation U.S. Born West Africans
Most of the West African student-athletes over the years were born in the U.S., but their parents were born elsewhere. Having such a close tie to their parents’ home country has had a profound impact on their lives.
“My West African identity is everything. Even though I live here, my background isn’t American. When I go home and see my family, it is a Sierra Leonean setting. The food I eat, the music I listen to, and the customs I live by are not the same as most people here,” described Emory University senior track & field student-athlete Kenya Sei. “I am very proud of being a Sierra Leonean. In some ways being separated from Africa makes me more appreciative and grateful for my identity as an African.”
Although 2022 Washington University track & field student-athlete graduate Melvin Aninagyei-Bonsu only lived in Ghana the first year of his life, he remains deeply connected to his birth country because of his family. “My Ghanian identity has made me a more open-minded and versatile human being. I understand both the natural-born American experience and that of a foreigner.”
Case Western Reserve University freshman track & field student-athlete Bidinga Kapapi is Cameroonian and Congolese and was born in the U.S. His family emigrated in the 1990s and their African culture has permeated his life here. “It affects me every day. The language I speak, the music I listen to, the way I think about many topics on earth. It permeates the way I talk and communicate with others,” he explained.
Fellow Spartan and senior volleyball student-athlete Jennifer Ngo’s father came to the U.S. in 1988 and her mother came in 1996. “Growing up with two Nigerian parents navigating life in America for the first time allowed me to embrace the best of both cultures, weaving together elements from Nigerian traditions and American experiences to shape my identity,” she verbalized. “This dynamic upbringing fostered a sense of resilience and adaptability as I learned to navigate the complexities of cultural integration. At the core of my upbringing were the values of Nigerian culture and traditions, which instilled in me a deep appreciation for my heritage. It has provided me with a unique lens through which to view the world, allowing me to bridge gaps between different cultures and advocate for inclusivity and understanding.”
Family and Respect
Junior track & field student-athlete Jason Asare of University of Chicago is one of several UAA West Africans who articulated the paramount importance of family and respect of elders in discussing how their culture shaped their identity and values. “My West African identity has really made me a very family-oriented individual as I have been immersed in a culture that admires family bonds, community solidarity, and respect for elders,” he noted. “These values have not only shaped my relationships, but have also influenced my worldview, emphasizing the importance of communal harmony and collective well-being.”
“Nigerian culture is known for its strong emphasis on family, and I believe growing up in this kind of environment showed me the importance of maintaining close relationships with loved ones, which has helped shape me into who I am,” stated University of Rochester sophomore men’s basketball student-athlete Tomiwa Adetosoye, whose father came to the U.S. from Nigeria in 1995.
Carnegie Mellon University football student-athlete and 2019 graduate Adedamola Orimolade is descended from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. “In Yoruba culture, there is a great emphasis on respect, especially for one’s elders. I try my best to carry those values and treat everyone with respect,” he commented. “Hard work is also very important to my family. I try to work hard to repay the sacrifices my parents made to get me to this point. I know this is a common experience for many immigrant families, but I think for many West Africans, it can be even more pronounced.”
2021 Brandeis University men’s basketball graduate Akim Sanni consistently seeks wisdom from those who are older. “I have always wanted to learn more from my elders. That is how I’ve learned to delay gratification and remain perseverant.”
Doyin Ogundiran, a track & field student-athlete who graduated from Brandeis two years before Sanni, follows a similar path in learning from those who are older. “My West African identity has molded me into an individual who is highly attuned to social dynamics, particularly in how I view and internalize feedback from older adults. Particularly in the Nigerian culture, you are expected to show a high level of respect to people who are older than you in social situations. I like aspects of this quality as I feel like it has made me very perceptive to the feedback and wisdom I have received from older adults in my life,” she commented.
Eka Jose, a 2021 WashU track & field student-athlete graduate who was a UAA Woman of the Year honoree and co-founder of the school’s Black Letterwinning Athlete Coalition (WU BLAC), was born in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria before she moved to the U.S. with her family at age 7. “My Nigerian identity has shaped who I am most significantly in terms of my values and aspirations. There are certain norms amongst Nigerian cultures, especially with the way we relate to others and the standards we are held to withing our community and families. These things have definitely influenced my current mindset and were very important to molding who I am today,” she expressed.
“My Nigerian background has shaped my outlook and the goals I have for myself. There are so many things I learned from my parents, from our culture, that led to the way I do certain things and the way I handle life — particularly the way I value family and friend relationships,” remarked NYU junior track & field student-athlete Michelle Uvieghara. “Being raised in a family where cultural education is important has contributed heavily to the importance I place on my development and knowledge, eventually leading me to NYU. I truly don’t think I would be quite like I am now if I were not Nigerian.”
Standing Out
“My West African identity is rooted in my name Kofi, a name uncommon to many Americans. From people butchering its pronunciation to just wondering where the name comes from, it has always made me stand out in a crowd. I have embraced this unique identity and made it into a tool of motivation,” explained Emory University freshman track & field student-athlete Kofi Igyan. “I know that because I am different than others in the classroom, I want to make sure that difference is looked upon and admired. This has led me to taking on many leadership roles, including resident advisor at my boarding school and becoming part of my school’s leadership council. I always strive to be in a position where people will know who I am when they hear my name.”
Junior NYU men’s basketball student-athlete Emmanuel Onuama was born in Nigeria and indicated the importance of that mindset Igyan described. “My identity has given me the confidence to stand out. In Nigeria, where there are a lot of different tribes, originality is very important. I value our traditions and I am very confident because I know exactly where I am from,” he communicated.
Sophomore swimming student-athlete Tosan Obatoyinbo of Rochester, who is studying finance and engineering science, believes Nigerian values set him up for success. “Coming from Lagos (the economic capital of Nigeria), our motto is ‘Centre of Excellence,’ which derives from what is expected of us educationally. Because of this, I have become a very disciplined and hard worker,” he shared. “My Nigerian identity has given me a ‘work hard, play hard’ mindset that has allowed me to be open-minded in terms of what I envision my future to be versus what it could or should be.”
“My Nigerian identity has shaped me by giving me the work ethic and dedication needed to accomplish the goals I set out for myself in life,” said 2022 football student-athlete graduate and co-founder of Carnegie Mellon Black & Latinx Athlete Coalition (BLAC) Obi Nnaeto. “It has taught me the importance of building strong foundations in everything I do and to understand that I am building something that is honoring the past, while empowering the future of my people.”
Sophomore volleyball student-athlete Amanda Ngo of CWRU believes that the West African culture’s work ethic has served her well. “My Nigerian identity has shaped who I am because I think I just have different values instilled in me and I hold certain traits like respect and hard work to a higher standard. My culture gives a lot of respect to those who are older than you as they simply have had more life experiences,” she described. “I like the aspect that I can honor others for their life experiences and others will honor me in the same way. Hard work is something I value highly. I think that people who work hard show a drive or passion that is needed in life. I don’t believe failure is bad as long as you are able to fail and get up again to keep moving forward.”
Connection to West African Diaspora and “Third Culture Kid”
“My Nigerian heritage has instilled in me a profound appreciation for my African culture and language. I feel a close connection between myself and other West Africans across the diaspora. My heritage has also given me a fierce determination to succeed and be the best in everything I want to do,” explained freshman UChicago wrestler Titobililuwa Akenroye, who is studying economics and visual arts.
At a young age, UChicago alum Temilade Adekoya sometimes felt like an outcast for being different. “Being West African, especially Nigerian, has afforded me a community that I didn’t know I needed until I got to high school and met a lot of Nigerians and other students of West African ethnicity. Grammar school was hard at times as I was bullied for speaking a different language with my parents, having a different sounding name, or bringing non-American foods to school for lunch,” she recollected. “High school was when I fully leaned into this part of my identity and became wholly proud of who I am, where my parents came from, and ultimately my heritage. It was extremely healing to make friends with other students who were so proud of their West African identities. Those connections remain very important to me to this day, and I thank those friends for helping me grow in that aspect of my life.”
Both current WashU track & field student-athlete Ebunoluwa Opata and Rochester volleyball head coach Ladi Iya spent much of their formative years in the U.K. Iya was born in Nigeria and graduated high school there, but moved with her family to London at six months old and did not return until middle school. Opata never lived in Nigeria and has only had one opportunity to visit the country once when she was young, a trip that provided her with timeless memories of her grandparents and seeing how her parents grew up.
“I have pride in my Nigerian identity, and I am grateful for the values that my culture has instilled in me. Although I have never lived in Nigeria, I am grateful for the fact that I still grew up in a Nigerian home with parents who exposed me to the culture’s food and values,” Opata remarked. “I have always been taught about the value of respect, hard work, and hospitality, and these values have shaped, and continue to influence, who I am.”
By coming to the U.S. to attend college, Iya was living in her third country. “It has been fantastic to have been brought up within a variety of different ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds. I have a worldview and knowledge of differences and similarities of humanity that many people don’t get to experience or choose to learn. My graduating class in high school had 42 people with more than 15 nationalities represented,” she revealed. “At times it has been difficult to have a sense of identity because I was never ‘Nigerian enough’ or ‘British enough’ or ‘American enough.’ Being a ‘third culture kid’ leaves you without a sense of what home is. However, I love that I have been able to find my own identity through my West African heritage, coupled with my experiences in the diaspora. I often joke with my friends that I’m the only true African American that they know!”