Margaret calls Nigeria home, but found lots of heart in Nebraska
By Margaret Nongo-Okojokwu
Graduate student
“Dear Margaret Nongo-Okojokwu, Congratulations! You have been chosen to participate in the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. As you know, the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative. As a Mandela Washington Fellow, you will arrive in the United States on June 16, 2017, where you will spend six weeks taking part in academic and leadership skills sessions and network with other young leaders in the fields of business, government, and the non-profit sector…”
This formed the opening paragraph of the congratulatory letter that changed my life’s trajectory in 2017. Boldly stamped on it was the seal of the Embassy of the United States of America, Abuja Nigeria. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I read it more than 10 times, it was unbelievable. However, impostor syndrome soon set in as I presumed the letter was sent to the wrong address.
Then came the second email on March 15, from the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, validating the first.
It read “Dear Margaret Nongo-Okojokwu, you recently received an email from the U.S. Embassy regarding your selection as a Mandela Washington Fellow. Congratulations! Based on your interests and previous experience, you have been placed in the Civic Leadership Track at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in Lincoln, Nebraska. Your placement is final and cannot be changed...’’
Beyond the fact that this second email validated the first and confirmed to me that this was not a hoax, it gave me a little bit of a concern.
“Where is Nebraska?” I asked myself. “Why haven’t I heard about Nebraska during any of the times I’ve been to the United States?’
In the past, I had traveled to Texas and Pennsylvania for different programs, but never had I heard about the state of Nebraska.
I decided to research for myself.
I went online to begin #OperationFindNebraska. Findings revealed Nebraska as a Midwestern state known for its farming, agricultural production and natural attractions, amongst others.
What stood out for me was the population of Nebraska, which stood at 2 million, a far cry from where I lived in Lagos, Nigeria, which has a population of 21 million. The state’s nickname: The Cornhusker State, was also a standout.
Therein, it dawned on me that I was being sent to a “rural village” with its lack of people. I assumed that Nebraska had very little to offer a “Lagos city girl” like me. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed.
Journey to Nebraska
International Passport, check. Visas, check. Boarding passes, check. My to-do list was getting checked, and I was excited to embark on my journey to discover Nebraska, where “The Good Life” was promised. While in the plane, I asked the flight attendant of our Atlanta-bound Delta flight if she could provide me with some answers to my questions about Nebraska.
‘’Hello ma’am, my destination is Lincoln, Nebraska, and I’m just curious to know what the place is like?’’
(Scoffs) ‘’Nebraska? What are you going to do in Nebraska? I mean do people go there? I can’t really remember the last time someone mentioned the name Nebraska to me.’’
Shocked and in disbelief, whilst I opened my mouth to respond, telling her about the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship Program for young African Leaders, I realized I was talking to myself as she had quickly moved on to other tasks.
Fourteen hours later, we arrived in Atlanta and were left to figure out the final steps to our destination. My colleagues, Enoobong Udoh and Tochukwwu Uwakeme, were as confused as me, none of us knew anything about Nebraska.
Arriving in Omaha, we were greeted with the warmest of smiles soothing our nerves after such a long journey. The Global Nebraska team of the Mandela Washington Fellowship was at the airport to welcome us. This felt so good. Professor Ted Hamann and Rachel Ayalon not only served us cool refreshments but added a warm dose of hospitality.
For the first time in my life, I felt like a VIP.
In the days following, we were guests at a grand opening reception with Chancellor Ronnie Green and a host of other dignitaries. We were connected to our peer collaborators, and my networking instincts led me to Jan and Randy Bretz who later asked to be my peer collaborators as well. They gave me my first “Nebraska Nice” experience. I ate my first traditional American dinner at their home and tasted apple pie.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship program in Nebraska trained us as civic leaders in academia and helped connect us to the non-profit community and development organizations in Nebraska and Kansas. We visited historic sites and interesting organizations too numerous to mention.
It was a fun, learning adventure. We met with angel investors, cooked delicious African dishes, witnessed an electrifying Jazz In June concert, met amazing tutors like Professor Frauke Hachtmann who remained in touch long afterward, giving me the nudge to return, and Professor Michelle Carr Hassler, who taught us about solutions journalism.
Professor Matt Waite made us drone experts in just four hours. Professor Rick Alloway helped to amplify our voices. Dr. Sonia Feigenbaum and Dr. Maegan Stevens-Liska, our mama bear, knitted everything together perfectly.
After six weeks in Nebraska, #OperationFindNebraska got a beautiful answer filled with love and new friends. It was no longer a map with some weird imaginations. It was home to some of the best humans on earth.
The warmth from the people, the communal life, their care for the less privileged, their unflinching support for their sports team (this is where I add a spirited Go Big Red!), makes Nebraska home.
And thus, when we boarded our return flight to Washington, D.C., at the end of July I told myself quietly, “Once is not enough, I want to see more of Nebraska!”