Saturday 12 June 2010

Nigeria: A conversation with Madam Hollandais


A chance meeting and much more
Not that I noticed her at first when she moved to the table beside mine on the train to Frankfurt for the comfort of using her laptop and the conductor came round to check our tickets.
She lives in Africa but has a German address, she said to the conductor to my hearing, and well, a conversation ensued almost immediately, she first thought I was probably Kikuyu, she had lived in Kenya; my apparel did not belie the stereotype of other places, but when I said I was from Nigeria, she boldly asked where from and responded that I would be Yoruba.
In fact, she is a resident of Abuja, the Nigerian administrative capital and she would pass for the atypical but knowledgeable and sincere white African in my book with all the accolades that entails.
The blouse was Vlisco Hollandais over which was a dark jacket with another colourful Vlisco Hollandais pocket square, I was in conversation with Madam Hollandais as she is known in Nigerian circles.
We parted ways in Cologne but I do not think this would be the last of our conversations.
[Edited, redacted and amended 14th June 2010.]

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