Nwanneka Tesy, a Nigerian female podcaster and entrepreneur immigrated to the U.S with her parents at the age of 7. She is a passionate mentor who strives to bridge the gap between the lofty expectations of parents (especially African parents) and the needs of their children. Nwanneka strongly believes that no one should be criticized for choosing not to have children especially after they have accessed their financial and emotional capacity to care for them. She presents the various complexities involved in raising black/African children in the U.S versus their homeland where they are less likely to experience discrimination as a result of their skin color or accent.
Nwanneka moved to the U.S at such a tender age and recalls her unsuccessful attempts to return to Nigeria. She subsequently learned that home is in the heart. While it was impossible for her to return at the time, she still kept in touch with her folks back home. Nwanneka considers Nigeria as home, specifically, her mother’s village – Nibo. She admires the communal life associated with her maternal roots and even though she is often seen as a visitor, she loves the peace that visiting home brings. However, she warns Nigerian immigrants of the dangers of attributing a “falsified sense of peace” to their homeland only to return and experience something entirely different.
Like all societies, Nwanneka explains that culture and society are constantly changing, and as a result, visiting one’s homeland isn’t quite the same as living there. She shares her experiences with her Nigerian language, Igbo and how her maternal family’s dialect is quite different from hers. She attributes this difference because of having been abroad for somtime, and the fact that languages are constantly evolving. Nwanneka seeks to change the narrative that most African parents believe that only certain professions are successful. She encourages parents to be supportive of their children’s career choices even though they might not be their ideal choice.
Nwanneka can be reached on Facebook and Instagram where she offers insights on her journey through her life.