Vegetarian or Nigerian?

So I was with a group of people the other day and we were all enjoying our different meals in peace. Meal time for me is usually a quiet time, time to reflect, think, make money in my mind, and listen to the sound of me licking my fingers on days when I decide to eat hot Amala and gbegiri with ogufe (what can I say? I grew up in Ibadan). So, everything was going on peacefully until someone couldn't finish her meat and she asked the person beside her shey you will eat meat? and the girl replies "no thanks, i'm vegetarian".
This was trouble!!!

Looking back now, i'm sure the young girl would do anything to turn back the hands of time and just give a more Nigerain excuse like- i'm full, i'm watching my weight, or better still, my dog died and i'm showing my last respect by not eating meat...whatever, anything, but not I'm vegetarian.

For some unknown reason, everybody in the room that day was just angry. you are what? how can you be vegetarian? where are you from? you people sha like to form.
It then occurred to me that a lot of things are still very foreign to us as Nigerians and they might remain foreign for a long time. From people's reaction, what I gathered was you couldn't be Nigerian and vegetarian at the same time, or so they think, you have to choose one!
I'm proud to be from a place where we make one soup with fish, cow meat, goat meat, chicken, and of course garnish it with offals and altogether we call it ASSORTED! lol
However, lets always remember that there are people who are not moulded by status-quo and this is not just about food, but about every of life's issues. lets be slow to criticize and be open to change, lets read wide and broaden our horizon and lets not be too fast to stifle the voice of that person that dares to be different. Live and Let Live...

So, back to the matter, ask yourself, which are you? Vegetarian or Nigerian? lol, I think I choose Nigerian ;-)