Chapter 1: Nigeria: Storied Narrative Across Time and Space: My Experiences Growing Up in Nigeria and Straddling Two Cultures in the United States

In this chapter I describe memorable, significant lived experiences of growing up in Nigeria, my ancestral homeland, and then immigrating to the United States. Specifically, I narrate my critical childhood experiences that shaped my cultural identity, my educational aspirations, and major events such as the historic, devastating Nigerian civil war and its chilling, haunting impact on my life. Next, I narrate my border crossing to the United States and my transnational, transcultural, and trans-immigrant experiences in a third space as I straddle two cultural worlds confronting multiple racialized, ethnicized, immigrantized, and linguicized personal and professional identities. I conclude the chapter by highlighting critical lessons learned and a way forward to restoring humanity in our currently troubled world.