Who We Are and Who We Are Not by Chidi Anagonye

I mean, where are his sayings? Nigerians.

However, passing references to his African-ness are sorely needed, since right now he just comes across as the completely colonized African who has forgotten his roots. I think it would be over the top to have a flashback of him at home with his parents having a big bowl of okra soup rolling balls of fufu. Instead, he seems like either completely colonized African or a white character with a Nigerian name.

Frankly, I would be content if he made passing references to growing up in Senegal (not “Africa” like so many Westerners say), I would love for him to make references to the jollof wars in West Africa, particularly since Senegal is home to the original jollof rice, called benachin. I find it very colonial that despite growing up in Africa, Chidi does not mention an interest in African philosophies, oral traditions, or references to anything West African. As a philosopher, he only quotes Humes or Nietzsche and other European philosophers. Instead, he is a whitewashed version of an African man. But I would be content if Chidi recognized even pidgin English, a language common across West Africa with links to Jamaican patois. Granted, there are many people in Nigeria, unfortunately, who understand but not speak Igbo. He also does not mention speaking Igbo, despite being an Igbo Nigerian who grew up in West Africa. For some reason, he never mentions speaking Wolof or another language common to Senegal. This is supposed to explain why he speaks both French and English.

On the show, GP Chidi was born in Senegal to Nigerian parents. It is their only reference for a name as common as Rich in Nigeria that means “God exists.” But GP Chidi is a disgrace to the name.Īfter three seasons, there is nothing African about GP Chidi. Due to Chidi’s lame character, my brother has people asking him if all the time whether he is familiar with The Good Place. Chidi Anagonye played by William Jackson HarperĬhidi on “The Good Place” gets on my last nerves.” I usually like Chidi, but not “Good Place” Chidi, my actual brother Chidi Osuji.

Who We Are and Who We Are Not by Chidi Anagonye