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In Search of Communal Identity: The Role of The Black Community in Identity Formation Among Nigerian Youth Buster C. Ogbuagu School of Social Work And Department of Integrated Studies in Education McGill University, Montreal August 2007 A Thesis submitted to the Graduate and Post Doctoral Studies Office at McGill University In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy © Copyright by Buster C. Ogbuagu 2007 Library and Bibliotheque et 1*1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-50969-2 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-50969-2 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par Plntemet, prefer, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non sur support microforme, papier, electronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privee, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont ete enleves de cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. Canada Abstract This study explores the impact of racism on the identity construction of Black Nigerian youth in Montreal. Several themes, related to socialization, family, education, integration, employment, racism, marginalization and social exclusion emerged from phenomenological interviews of 10 Nigerian youth, 5 parents and 3 community leaders. These expressions of their lived experiences exposed the negative impact of racism and racist discourses of the Canadian society on minority groups. It simultaneously showed, through the acquisition of pro-social skills, the extent that marginalized groups, as depicted by Nigerian youth, formulate resiliency and strategies to resist and deconstruct their "othering," in order to construct a healthy identity. RESUME Cette etude vise l'impact du racisme sur la construction identitaire de la jeunesse noire originaire du Nigeria a Montreal. Plusieurs themes lies a la socialisation, la famille, l'education, l'integration, a 1' emploi, au racisme, a la marginalisation et a l'exclusion sociale ressortent des entrevues phenomenologiques realisees aupres de 10 jeunes Nigeriens, 5 parents et 3 leaders de la communaute. Les experiences de leurs vecues exprimees ont expose l'impact negative du racisme et du discours raciste de la societe canadienne sur les groupes minoritaires. Elle demontre en meme temps a quel point l'acquisition des habiletes prosociales par les groupes marginalises, comme les jeunes Nigeriens, resistent et developpent des strategies pour deconstruire cette perception de "eux autres", afin de construire une saine identite. Dedication This thesis and its outcome are dedicated to my late mother and Matriarch, Ezinne Mary Nwoyoronu Ogbuagu, who was called to a Higher Order and joined the Saints Triumphant, on June 1, 2007, while I was writing and compiling this thesis. Ma, you accompanied all my eight siblings and me to our first day of school, up to the University level, even when you were denied access to a formal education. In short order, and due to the discourses of patriarchy, your father denied you access to formal education because you were a woman. For your children, and all who knew you, you were an epitome of resistance and resilience, as you learned to write to some degree, and sign your name, as well as speak English, to the extent you could carry on a conversation in that language of power. For thirty-five years after our father's passing, you held on, raised and nurtured, with your "bare hands" all nine of us to the extent that we all are strong and have now come into our own. Now that you rest, we are assured that your labor was not in vain. "Be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain" [1 Corinthians 15:58]. Although in the corporeal sense, you are not here to witness the final outcome, I am assured that you are in the right place, where you are looking down at me, in the satisfaction that your resilience and steadfastness have brought this to fruition. Mma, we continue to and will uphold your ideals and legacy of truth, faithfulness, fairness and endurance. Thank you!!! in Acknowledgements This educational journey has been long and enveloped in challenges and family tragedies, but it was a journey that I certainly did not undertake alone. I have been fortunate to be blessed with the support and encouragement of a number of very wonderful people, without whose assistance this journey would probably have been abandoned in mid-stream. They have encouraged, guided, and assisted me over the past fourteen years since I settled in Canada, albeit through another family tragedy. I began my educational journey in Canada in 1999, with my enrolment in the Special Bachelor of Social Work Program, through the sustained encouragement of my educational mentor and role model, Dr. Michael Baffoe, who has continuously stood by me through the past nine years of my educational battles at McGill. "Commander" as I fondly refer to you, I will forever cherish your support, encouragement and guidance. I remember that day in the studio of CKUT Radio Station, in 1997, while we were presenting our program, Basa Basa. You pointedly ordered me, "You have all the skills, academic knowledge and a huge world experience. Stop wasting your time with these contracts that only maintain you in circles leading to nowhere and apply to the School of Social Work. All that you need are the necessary academic skills and some body of knowledge in this field to join me in working for the Black Community." I still recall that by the time I finished the BSW program, and enrolled in the MSW program, we were both already serving, and experienced a successful tenure on the Board of LaSalle Black Community, among others. Thank you, Dr. Baffoe, my brother, for being with and supporting me all these nine years, without questioning what you stood to gain personally. Words are difficult to find to capture the unflinching and invaluable support generously provided by members of my PhD committee, Professors Shari Brotman and Peter Leonard of the School of Social Work; Professors Ann Beer and Kevin McDonald of the Faculty of Integrated iv Studies in Education. Your individual and collective assistance have been immense and very sincere. Over the past six years you have all mentored and encouraged me, ceaselessly. You have provided your sympathies and support during my difficult moments as a new arrival to Canada, including family tragedies. I thank you most sincerely for continuously believing in my capabilities. You treated me with the uttermost respect, and more like a colleague than a student by your unpretentious acknowledgements that I have significant life experience, worthy of contributing to this and other bodies of knowledge. Your patience and unflinching support have been humbling and I owe you all a great debt of gratitude. I am deeply indebted to all the participants in this study, especially the Nigerian youth, and the Nigerian Community, who generously gave their time and shared their stories with me, however personal and painful some were. I thank the Nigerian parents and Community Leaders, who welcomed me into their homes. Thank you also to Amananawe, Johnson Ariwei and Mrs. Louise Paul, the first Nigerian man I met, when I arrived in Canada, and who believed in my capabilities and has stood by me all these years, including providing valuable insights into this study. I say a big thank you to my brothers and sisters of I.C., and their families, brother Jackson Mbonu Mang and his family, for his sustained support and many errands he ran to and from McGill on my behalf to see this project to its final stage. Thank you so much to Dr. Geoffrey and Mrs. Ngozi Ebere, Engineer Eugene and Mrs. Pat Nnorom, Kingsley and Mrs. Sylvie Ekeke, Professor Michael and sister IhedinmaNgadi. To Rev. Father Clement Onwunata, who continued to encourage and pray for me, even as he struggled with his own dissertation. To Dee Timothy and Da Adamma Onyechekwa, who stood by me, with each telephone call and discussion, ending in "When are you done with your "Cambridge"? Thank you, all, I am now done. Thank you Ms. Gail Campbell and Fatiha Guemiri an Eva Tsoi, for your enduring support of my academic and other pursuits, since we met at La v Passarelle, while I was searching for employment in 1997.