My siblings and I moved to Canada with my mother when I was 15. One of her main reasons for moving us was because of me. She wanted a better life for me. In Nigeria she could see the same narrow vision of my future that I could, so she decided to do something about it.

Arriving in a predominantly white country, I was suddenly no longer the odd one out. Children at school didn’t know who or what I was. Eventually the word went round and I could hear people whispering ‘albino’ or worse as I walked past. One time, my dark-skinned sister and I were once on the bus, sitting separately. An old lady moved away from my sister and sat next to me. She began complaining to me about black people! It’s a very interesting experience having people not view you as black. All they see is white. Sometimes I could tap into white privilege in the strangest places.

Living in Canada, I gained three degrees, studying for 13 years to become a qualified lawyer in 2013. I loved the versatility that law offered, and I had a sense that I would end up using law in an unusual way. I started my career in the Government of Canada’s Department of Justice, but my family were continually encouraging me to pursue a career that would help other people with albinism. I couldn’t just be comfortable in Canada; I needed to help people everywhere. In 2006, I registered my own NGO in Nigeria but soon realised it would be impossible to keep it running while I was still studying. I went to church to pray for help: I asked for people to be sent to help me help people with albinism.

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March 8th, 2022

In conversation with Standing Voice

The Singers

- Neema -

Speaking Out

2021 so far

March 8^th, 2022