Some children called me monkey – Nigerian doctor recalls racism she experienced as a child in Russia

A Nigerian doctor, Obianma Onya, has opened up about her traumatic childhood experience with racism in Russia (then former USSR).

.....

Obianma, who is a mother of three doctors, said she moved to Moscow with her parents at the age of five.

She recalled instances when other children called her a monkey because of how she looked.

According to her, she initially went home in tears after each incident until her mother spoke to her, saying that being Black means she is strong. 

Since then, she “stopped shrinking, faced her tiny tormentors squarely and fought back physically.”

Offering advice to parents with children who are navigating tough spaces, she emphasized the importance of affirmative words as they help build self-esteem and develop positive self-image.

“This little girl… about five years old, circa 1977. Her name was Miss Obianma Nneka Ozokwo,” she wrote.

 

I had just started school in Moscow, former USSR. It wasn’t always easy as I was called “abizian” (Russian word for “monkey”) by by some children who tried to make me feel small because of how I looked. At first, I would go home in tears.

 

But my mother changed everything.

 

She told me, “You are Black, and that means you are strong.”

 

That truth settled deeply in me.

 

This was also the era of Muhammad Ali, strength, confidence, and unapologetic identity were in the air. I began to see myself differently. 

 

I stopped shrinking. I stood my ground. I refused to be intimidated. I fought back with fury…physically!

 

And something interesting happened, the bullying stopped.

 

Not only did I find my voice, I thrived. I excelled academically and consistently came top of my class. What started as a difficult experience became a defining one.

 

Looking back, I see a child who learned early that identity is power, confidence is learned, and strength is built.

 

To every child navigating tough spaces, and to every parent raising them, words matter. What you tell a child about who they are can shape how they face the world.

 

I am grateful for that foundation.