A Nigerian Perspective: The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Personal Growth and Global Citizenship

It's almost everyone's dream at one point in time or another to step outside their comfort zone so as to see the world in its glory, embracing the unknown where magic lies and dreams come true, but the only way to truly enjoy such a thrilling experience is with a passport to your country. As a Nigerian, obtaining this green card goes a long way, and today I'll love to tell you all about it.

To start with, despite being an introvert, one of my hobbies is traveling, as I love to see new places and learn from their way of life, culture, and traditions. It's also an avenue to see the world as it truly is, not just based on what others say about it on the internet, but despite nulturing these dreams, I've got a part to play in making this a reality, and the first is me getting our national passport, which is like a tug of war, from the endless queue at the immigration office to the continuous days of revisiting because you'll definitely not get it in a day.

Well, you can actually get it in a day, but there's a twist to that being possible, and that's if you're a reputable individual in society, a politician or their relatives, or better yet, you're rich and have enough money to bribe your way to getting them to help jump the endless queue you'll meet in their office daily, so you can get your paperwork checked before you'll then be issued the passport.

But regardless of your status, you'll get it at one point in time or another if you've got all the necessary paperwork, and then fast forward to now being able to travel across the globe with our Nigerian passport, or green card, as we popularly call it. To many, it isn't as powerful as we'll love it to be, but it's still somewhat powerful, and one way to know that is when you're traveling around Africa among the ECOWAS countries; most of these nations hardly ask you for a visa before you can step into their country once you own a Nigerian passport.

We can travel around some African countries like kings without a visa; the reverse is the case outside the shores of Africa. Although there are a few countries that allow us to still visit without a visa, there are very few, and most of them are not among the first-world countries. But in total, I think the Nigerian passport can get you to around 46 countries without you having a visa.

But then, by the way, when it comes to my relations with other cultures, as a Nigerian, I'll say this is something we do effortlessly in this part of the world. I mean, Nigeria alone as a country is home to over 500 ethnic groups, meaning that if you step outside your house here in Nigeria, you've got a 99.9% possibility of coming into contact with people of diverse cultures, traditions, and ways of life.

From the Hausa, Kanuri, and the likes from the north to the Igbo from the east, Ijaw, and Ibibio from the south to Yoruba, Igbomina, and Egun from the west, it's just a beauty to behold. Despite being a nation, we still have diversity, and it's what beautifies us more. Although there are cases of language barriers, ideology, and the like, aside from that, if you're living in or paying a visit to Nigeria, then have it in the back of your mind that you'll be coming into contact with over 500 cultures.

But, by the way, outside the shores of Nigeria, there are other amazing cultures and ways of life that await our sight, from the UK to Paris, India to Japan, and the like. Aside from their diverse cultures, the locations are beautiful sights and natural parks that give one a memory to remember all day long.

Traveling outside poses some challenges, like cultural differences, language barriers, and the like, but the advent of technology has over time bridged this gap, paving the way for more intercultural interactions between people across the world. I'm proud of my country, Nigeria, although I'll love for the government to make the country better so it'll be a safe haven for tourists to visit, and that'll also strengthen our passport and make us welcome to more countries across the world.

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This is my entry for #aprilinleo day 24 for the Inleo initiative. You can also join us by reading all the details in the announcement post.

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Thanks so much for your time, have blessed day.

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