Why don't people like Toke Makinwa? I got someone to listen to
her talk and he didn't find anything wrong with her accent. I get that
it's put on but if she wants to talk like that, then that's her
prerogative. She doesn't sound bad, the only issue i have really is her
exaggerated mouth movements when she's speaking, but then again, na she
get her mouth. I just don't understand why people seem to hate her.
She's alright in my book.
I guess people generally don't like the idea of people putting on fake accents and being pretentious. Madonna keeps getting subs for her british accent. The last episode of modern family i watched, mentioned madonna and her accent. I think our Nigerian accent is really nice especially when it has a certain polish to it. I remember listening to Pastor Nkechi Ene (anyone know of her) when i was in Nigeria and just loving the way she spoke. She sounded totally Nigerian but very polished and sophisticated. I loved it. Which is why even though i have been out of Nigerian for 10 years, i never consciously tried or wanted to lose my Nigerian accent. Frankly, i'm too lazy for all that. I speak, you understand me and we are good to go.
Back to the Toke hating, i heard most young people in lagos have foreign accents of some sort even those who have never left the shores of Nigeria. So if Toke who is a radio personality is trying to sound more polished and frankly succeeding (She doesn't sound British to me at all), what's the beef about? Then there's the bleaching issue.....SMH at Nigerians. I don't understand you guys sometimes sha. Unless she was Alek Wek black before, i don't see how she bleached because she still looks dark skinned to me. Besides why is that an issue and a reason to hate someone?
Anyone ever heard of the
term hate-read? I guess it's when you hate someone but still read their
blog with the intention of criticizing it. I saw it in cosmo and just
LOL.
P.S. Sounding polished to me doesn't mean trying to get rid of your Nigerian accent and replacing it with some foreign accent. Think Wole Soyinka who sounds totally Nigerian, that's what i mean.
Sunday Laughs..
2 hours ago
You beat me to this. I was going to write a post on her too. I don't find her accent as annoying as I find some other "locally acquired foreign accents. She does it well -- whatever "well" means.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of Toke goes way back to unilag...I still think most of her so called haters are those who never liked her gut right from her unilag days.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bleaching, I think she has toned it down a little. I still remember the semester she came back to school lokking all white...she wasn't really a dark person. Unfortunately hers is not toning it is bleaching which she is now trying to maintain.
I don't think she is bad as a presenter...biko the girl studied English and I suppose that is meant to make her English sophisticated even if she never stepped out of Nigeria for studies...Nigerians will never stop hating and allow people move on from their past.
I don't like her. I can't say it's the accent or whatever, and I didn't go to unilag or know her before. I just don't like her. Maybe I'm just a hater. :P
ReplyDeleteI would have agreed with you, but on the radio in the taxi this morning the accent I heard, Geez!!!! I felt so sorry for the guy's mouth and voicebox they must have been paining him.
ReplyDeleteI think Toke Makinwa is just the most visible representative of what is actually a huge and terrible problem in Nigeria so she gets a lot of hate.
When I was in NYSC camp, I joined the Orientation Broadcasting Service - the camp radio station.
I have a slight American accent - obviously from school / living in America, and I had no idea it would cause a problem.
There was this guy in the OBS. He had the most Igbotic accent on earth but for some reason he decided it was a good idea to talk like me when he was presenting.
It was a disaster. Imagine the combination of someone who has never left Nigeria (or even the East) trying to imitate an American accent that they are hearing up close for the first time.
Almost immediately complaints started pouring into the studio that they could not understand what he was saying.
I felt so embarrassed even though he's the one that should have felt that way.
I don't know what kind of insecurity/lack of cultural self esteem would make you feel the need to imitate someone's accent.
People that have genuine accents have them because they LIVE in places where that accent predominates and they acquire the accent SUBCONSCIOUSLY.
You can always tell when someone makes a CONSCIOUS effort to imitate an accent.
One or two words will give them away. e.g. Tonto Dike and "Becaurse"
Hahaha, I did have a friend in camp who went to school in an 'Asian' country speak with an American accent. Thing is no one on that camp who went to college in the US had an accent, they used to mistake us for 'locally' trained (the American down to earth-ness perhaps).
DeleteNow the dude is doing his Masters in UK and 3 months after he's innit innit for me.
People like that make people question me when I say I went to school 'abroad.' My boss actually though I was lying about the US degree part cuz I was too 'bush.'
I hate listening to radion when I'm in Nigeria 'becurze' of the presenters. As for Toke, she sounds like she grew up in the UK not one or two years (that accent should have faded) and the FGGC-UNIlag part doesn't help matters. Its hard not to pardon her (when we pardon Toolz). She does sound better on the ears when she switches for a few seconds to naija.
lmao @ Sugabelly.
ReplyDeleteThere's this girl on Inspiration FM that gives me the ibble gibblies - Ego. As in I turn off the radio when she comes on. Her accents drives me crazy. Like WHY?
As soon as Ego comes on air, I tune to another station. I don't understand the need for such accent acquisition.
DeleteAs soon as Ego comes on air, I tune to another station. I don't understand the need for such accent acquisition.
DeleteAh, thank God it's not just me. It's just unfortunate that her radio segment plays nice music, but as soon as she starts talking i have to switch.
DeleteI have the same reaction to Toke. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her accent. Afterall, she lived in England for a year or two as I read somewhere. People that still don't like her from UNILAG days need to grow the fuck up. People that went to FGGC Oyo with her and knew her even then said she's always been very fair. Whether she is now toning abi bleaching or whatever sef is not anybody's business. You don't like her accent, don't watch her vlogs or listen to her radio program. It really is that simple.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, I don't know her and I have never met her. But Naija internet bullies are the worst of the bunch. And I hate bullies in all shapes, forms and sizes. #thatisall.
i used to listen to pastor nkechi and liked the way she spoke.
ReplyDeletei also think one doesn't need too plaster an accent on to sound polished.