Marty Johnson was interviewed by CQ about finding his biological parents, finding out that he is Nigerian royalty and about his trip back to his other home. I must say, I'm a little envious (about the trip, not the interview). Go check it out.
UPDATE: Marty's new name is Chinenye Ogike. It has a certain ring to it. :-)
What a beautiful story! Thanks for linking it, BL. I'm trying to figure out how to get it all on one page and mail it to my RN daughter who works with 3 African RNs - one Kenyan; one Nigerian; the other I'm not sure. I think they'll enjoy sharing this.
Posted by: Indigo | May 22, 2005 at 04:14 PM
Thanks J for linking. I think I'm about to go on a whirlwind tour!
Posted by: Marty | May 23, 2005 at 04:54 AM
Nigerian royalty?
maybe I should read the article, but "royalty" is a bit different in Bantu tribes than in Europe...certain people are eligible for becoming a tribal head, but they are (or before Europeans came, were) elected by tribal elders from those eligible...
Think King Alfred, not Prince Charles...
And the eligibility comes through the FEMALE line, not the male...so he is NOT royalty, or a prince...
As for Nigerian paradise, well, perhaps since I worked with a lot of Ibo refugees in Liberia and am old enough to remember the millions killed in their civil war, perhaps I'm a bit biased in these things...
But tell you the truth, my main bias is that of an adoptive mother. This glamourizes his birthparents (I do praise his mom for the courage of not aborting him) but ignores the people who lovingly raised him as their own...
Guess since they aren't "royalty" they don't count.
Posted by: Nancy Reyes | May 23, 2005 at 06:46 PM
Nancy, the fact that you didn't read the article shows in your comment.
Posted by: baldilocks | May 23, 2005 at 07:45 PM
Great article. Marty/Chinenye and family should go for it and they won't regret it.
That civil war that Nancy referred to is so 60's.
Posted by: Andy | May 25, 2005 at 10:42 PM