The Corner Gist: "Being An Albino Is My Biggest Blessing" - Nicole

Just like others living with albinism, Nicole was born into this part of the world as well. The rapper and songwriter who also doubled as a performing artist with whom I engaged in a conversation about her skin have told me her skin is her blessing.

A lot of people have distanced themselves from or don't want to be aligned with the albinism whisper, but Nicole is different.

I met Samson Patience also known as (Nicole) during Taraba Social Media Festival which was held on 30th December at Gym Hall, Jolly Nyame Stadium. She performed alongside Panther Perry on their duet song "Go Crazy"

When I first saw her I thought it is a random skin bleaching but I was wrong, until I checked through her pictures on her Facebook timeline and saw her interactions with albino communities that is when I threw the first question to her. 

We had an amazing conversation on "The Corner Gist" 

It all started when I asked her if she is an albino

"Yes", she replied.

Don't You Feel Shy Being One?

"I am confident in my skin, It is my biggest blessing!" 

That is when I realized I was talking to someone who is not only confident in her skin, her appearance, or how she is, but who she is becoming.

THE REAL GIST

The real gist started when I asked her to tell me about her experience with being a PWA (People living with Albinism), she said this;

"Growing up I had a lot to deal with, classmates at school, a lot of people were asking questions about my skin, and everyone pointed and looked at me awkwardly. I nearly lost my self-esteem looking at the way people react to me as a result of the color of my skin, I hated myself then so much, I wished to be like other people who have normal black skin, do things better, see better because then I have sight issues" 

When I asked her how she came to overcome the discrimination and what people say about her, she has this to say:

"I realized that I can be the best version of myself, I don't need anybody to define me or tell me who I am or not who I am not and this and that, it is all up to me. If I live on people's narratives or whatever perspective they see me from, coz you know most of the time we view our thoughts just on people's ideologies, so it is crazy. I told myself, girl, it is time to start up something new, I had all these talents inbuilt in me, so I woke up one day and say oh girl you can sing, it took me time to realize that I can rap, I can write and do a lot of things, and then I met people who told me you cannot be this talented and keep it to yourself, you can use it for your good, and I was like wow, this is beautiful!. I have been trying to accept myself more, so I still face some situations that put me down we are humans, we get vulnerable and we are hurt and all these, but then either way, it is all about loving yourself, the love can come from family, hobbies and my elder sister is the masterpiece, a role model I love up to. I just have to love myself because there is no one else like me, so all I have to do is to stay away from the sun and live a happy life"

Indeed Nicole, one of Taraba fast rising rappers and songwriters is confident in who she is and becoming, she exists as a lesson to millions of people out there, and probably you.

Thank you for reading to the end.

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