‘If you have suffered racism, it will forever leave a sour taste in your mouth’ – Tunde Obe shares his experience

He shared that his father was a diplomat who often got transferred and it was during his time in America in 1974 that he had his experience. 

In the thread he shared on Twitter, he disclosed that he went to visit a white friend when he was just seven or eight years old and met his mother. 

The woman let him into their house but sicked their dog on him and he was forced to run away while she shouted racial insults. 

He wrote:

“If you have suffered racism, it will forever leave a sour taste in your mouth.. My father was a diplomat (Ambassador), so he was always transferred to different countries.. In 1974 he was transferred to America.. We lived in Washington DC. I grew up with a free mind… .towards all races.. I had friends of all races in school and I never discriminated..

“One day I went to visit one of my class mates at his home.. He was White.. His house was not too far from mine, so I walked. I got there and I rang their bell. His Mom, a White lady, came out….Looked at me with disgust and asked what I wanted.. I mentioned my friends name and she opened the latch on the gate to let me in..

“She said I should follow her, as she walked towards the backyard, where I assumed my friend was.. As soon as she turned the corner she called…their dog’s name and shouted, “Sick Him!!”.. This huge Alsatian dog just went for me..

“But I guess because God still had plans for me, I made it to the gate before the dog could pounce on me.. Luckily for me, the dog stopped at the gate.. I didn’t stop running till I got home..

“That experience has remained engraved in my mind till today.. I will never forget how she was shouting “Get the Nigger”, as I ran for my dear life..The first time I would experience such hatred.. I had done nothing to deserve.. I was only about 7 or 8 years old..

“This was in 1975, or thereabouts.. Racism has been around for a very long time.. I pray that one day it will be relegated to the dustbin of history, where it belongs.. People should be judged by their character, and not their skin colour..”