Left-handed People Possessed By Demons? “MY EXPERIENCE”.

image from BBC

Growing up as a leftie in Nigeria was and to some degree still is a challenge (not surprising), as most Nigerians are very superstitious and this applies to all areas. For example, it’s a popular belief in Nigeria that if you pick up money from the floor which does not belong to you, you would most definitely turn into a TUBER OF YAM!. Hearing this while growing up scared the heck out of me, of course I do not want to turn into a meal you would eventually eat up, so I steered far away from Naira notes I saw on the ground. Although I haven’t seen a lot. But I think the aim was to stop the habit of stealing or taking what does not belong to you.

That aside, years ago in Nigeria, left-handers were considered to be possessed by demons, stigmatized or even seen as bad people and therefore treated as outcasts. Although I believe a few people still have such mindsets, but I can tell you for a fact that I am very much not demon possessed, I do not worship the devil or have anything to do with it.

This queer mentality confuses me a lot and also of course angers me. Just because my left hand is my dominant hand that makes me demonic? or inhuman?

Luckily, I have amazing parents, who never ever forced me to use my right hand in any way or manner, they did not even teach me to hand things over to people with my right hand, so it was something I discovered on my own, of course by people yelling at me when I gave them things with my left hand. Apparently it is seen as being disrespectful or rude, but if 10% of the worlds population were right handed, would that be seen as disrespectful? I guess not.

I mean it’s bad enough that left-handers don’t have scissors’ made for them as much as the right handed a do. Writing in spiral notebooks and three-ring binders is a special kind of torture, Every time you swipe a credit card it’s on the right side of the machine (ATM), Old-school can openers only work well in the right hand, Lefties have to reach across the can and turn the crank at a really awkward angle, Oh and Remember those desks with the chair attached? Definitely not made for lefties and when you hold a measuring tape with your left hand, the numbers are upside down, and the list goes on!

Here are some facts to note if not aware concerning southpaws (Lefties):

• Firstly, only 10% of people in the world are left handed, with The Netherlands taking the lead and America taking the 2nd spot.
• Also, in simple terms, left-handers think more with the right side of their brain, while right-handers think more with the left side of their brain. People are often surprised to hear that the brains of left-handers are different from those of right-handers. But it is clear that they should differ in some areas: left-handers use their hands & feet differently than right-handers do. It is only natural that the parts of the brain that control movements should be different in left-handers and right-handers. NOTE: So you forcing a left-hander to use their right hand is basically forcing and confusing the brain to act incorrectly! leading to dullness and other harmful effect on that individual.
• They say left-handers are better at multi-tasking. I do believe this to a degree though!
• International left-handers day is on the 13th of August. Yup, we have a day!
• Left-handers are more prone to migraines.
• They are very creative.
• They are more likely to draw things that face the right
• They Write in unusual positions . To make their handwriting slant the right way, the majority of left-handed people twist their wrists clockwise, so they’re writing from above: This form of writing, known as crab claw, leads to smeared ink (or smudged graphite), prevents the writer from seeing what’s been written, and is uncomfortable – musnim.com.

I strongly believe that the hand one uses should not serve as a basis for the way one is viewed. Similarly, mannerisms exhibited should not be attributed in a negative light towards lefties, as humans have both their negative and positive attributes and traits, as such, they should be judged based on that. Learning to accept one another is also very key, particularly in this part of the world (Africa) where there is a lot of beliefs in spiritual entities and concepts which some are continually being debunked.

Here’s a list of a few famous left-handed people in the world:

• Oprah winfrey
• Former President Barack Obama
• Lady Gaga
• Angelina Jolie
• Prince William & Queen Elizabeth II
• Keanu Reeves
• Bill Gate
• Mozart
• Aristotle
• Celine Dion
• Mother Teresa
• Nnamdi Sambo
• Funke Akindele
• Gordon Ramsey

And many more amazing left-handers!!

I desperately urge for more equipments and tools be made for left handers and an even more acceptance of left handed individuals, especially in this part of the world (Africa).