The First Impression

Why are you human beings so disobedient and disrespectful? It has been proclaimed that nobody should pass this way, but you disobey in defiance to the tradition!

Ignorance is not an excuse.

You have done what nobody should do, and you shall be treated as...

The azure skies- you've seen that. The waterfalls- yet to be discovered. The lovely palm trees- you've seen many of them.

The lovely people- yet to be discovered.

Don't you think there's always an element of truth in rumours?

The First Impression is a sequence of encounters of two young Nigerian graduates with unfamiliar environment and different culture. Ada and Ugo are corps members posted from Igbo State to Yoruba State. At first, their expectations seem dashed as a result of culture shock but they are reinvigorated as the events unfold. Their aspiration is fulfilled and their stay in Yoruba State is refreshing.

The first impression is a revealing work of fiction that opens the readers' minds to the importance of cultural sensitivity and the need for us all as human beings to not always assess other people's cultural practices through the lens of our own cultures.

As an immigrant assistant professor of African descent living within the Western culture, the storyline resonates a lot with me and I believe it will help readers to mirror themselves and probably identify the unspoken, unconscious hidden biases/stereotypes that we all harbor in our minds and hearts about other cultures that are different from ours.

I strongly recommend this short fictional play to individuals, agencies and teachers who are all trying to teach and incorporate the values of diversity and inclusion, and cultural intelligence in the workplace or in their curriculum.

Toluwani C. Oloke, PhD University of North Georgia, Gainesville GA. Read more