“Rotten,” that word, “rotten.” In primary school they said you were rotten if you talked to boys. “Rotten” was a word smeared in dirtiness and sex and unmentionables all related to sex. Girls were rotten. I never in primary school heard a boy called rotten.
Afam talks about how “Nigeria has a way pf being outside the center of things”. Do you think South Africa is the same?
Omelogor’s actions have finally caught up to her. It seems that she only cares when something directly impacts her. He only left after seeing the devastation first hand. What do you think this says about her character? Was she wilfully oblivious or was it truly something she hasn’t considered?
What do you think of Omelogor’s double date with a younger man? She makes observations and seemed to find the interaction humorous.
“Rotten,” that word, “rotten.” In primary school they said you were rotten if you talked to boys. “Rotten” was a word smeared in dirtiness and sex and unmentionables all related to sex. Girls were rotten. I never in primary school heard a boy called rotten.
What do you think of the above quote and the statement it makes?
Arinze calls Omelogor “unknowable”. Do you as the reader feel that even though we have been with Omelogor for a couple of chapters now, we still don’t quite know her?
Omelogor still calls her relationship with Arinze an emotional happening. Do you think that was truly the case? Or because she has never known what love was like, this was the great love of her life? What do you think of their relationship?
Kadi’s case is brought back up in chapter eelven. What do yo think o the commentary made by Jide and Ahemen?
Omelogor talks about her visa experience. Do you think this is where her distaste for America is created? That up until that point, it was jus another country to visit or study in until her experience with the visa officer soured everything?
When in America, Omelogor struggles a lot. She critiques the Americans and their liberalism and their use of it to protect themselves. What do you think of this?
In her blog post, Omelogor continues to critique Americans and the way they operate in the world. However, she says something that really sticks. She says, “You think the world is American; you don’t realise that only America is American”. What do you think of this statement? Do you agree with her findings?
We’ve now finish Omelogor’s perspective. What did you think of her? Did you come to understand her anger towards America and perhaps why she may be short towards Zikora? Did you find anything accessible?
6 responses to “Dream Count – Day Nine”
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1. South Africa is a small country like most of Africa is so I would agree.
2. I don’t thinks she sees the world as black and white but more grey, I don’t think she was oblivious but more a case of turning a blind eye to what was actually happening.
3. If something is rotten it is bad, so maybe more seen as bad behavior ( maybe the actual word was lost in translation), it comes across as very derogatory. Society allows a different set of rules to apply to boys and girls, so boys can have sex but girls no.
4. Omelagor allows some people to see who she is but not others. she has her walls. I don’t think her parents even know who she really is.
5. Omelogar thought she really loved Arinze, she had feelings but he didn’t. They were good companions for a time and they had intimate moments and laughed togerher. as the saying say laughter is medicine for the soul.
6. Ahemen was very judgmental of Kadi and supportive of the man. Jide seem to be more on Kadi’s side. They were just passing comments on something they didn’t really seem to know much about.
7. Yes i think the visa experience was soured the feeling Omelogor had for America and thier people, and subsequently she arrived there with a bad taste in her mouth.
8. I think she is right.
9. Americans do come across as not knowing much about the rest of the world and are narrow minded, only focusing on America.
10. I felt sorry for her that she had such a rough time in America, She had a very different experience of America to what Zikora did.
Everything seems so easy for Omelogor in Nigeria she had friends and was successful in business, in America she had no friends and no support from the teachers, they didn’t seem to understand her at all. -
1. In the greater scheme of things yes but when people speak of Africa it’s mostly about South Africa so in that context I think South Africa is very much in the centre of things.
2. She was definitely oblivious and I think that’s because of how she was raised.
3. I didn’t make much of it. She was just someone that was willing to try it all it seemed.
4. It’s that whole narrative that girls are inferior to boys and that girls should behave a certain way failure which they are a disgrace to society. It’s why girls are conditioned to feel sorry about everything while men go around doing as they please and lacking accountability.
5. Even now as I have finished the book I think I still don’t know who she is and what is is about. So much was said about her but in the same breath not much was said (truly don’t know how to describe it).
6. Because I don’t really know her I don’t even know what is good for her or not. But from all the men she introduced us to she seemed to like Arinze but it didn’t look like the feel was mutual for him.
7. I truly felt like they were just speaking from privilege. It’s always easy to comment on a situation that isn’t yours.
8. Truly I just think every place has its own issues and the biggest mistake people make is expecting crating places to be perfect.
10. I definitely agree with her. When you are used to something you run the risk of thinking that everything else is like that and that’s mostly not the case.
11. Like I mentioned earlier I still think I don’t really know her and feel like this book would have been better off it if focused more on Kadiatou and Zikora’s POV more. -
1. I think so, we’re a third world country and tend to be dismissed.
2.I think she was, she only sees what she wants to see.
3. I think she comes across as cruel.
4. Different expectations for male and female are so unfair. The different standards and labels. It’s wrong.
5.I don’t think she wants to be known in the same way as Chia. I didn’t get to know her.
6.
7. I don’t think the commentary was nice. It’s like when people want to be famous by association and name drop.
8. I think she was smart to wait and try again. It seems like a lot of things are based on moods and who you catch on a good or bad day.
10. American’s do tend to think they’re the only country in the world.
11. I didn’t particularly enjoy her pov. I don’t know her any better than the start.
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South Africa, like Nigeria, is often positioned outside the global “center” of things, despite its influence on the African continent. Its history, economic struggles, and political landscape contribute to a sense of being on the periphery of global affairs, much like Nigeria.
Omelogor was likely wilfully oblivious—choosing not to acknowledge the full consequences of her actions until they affected her directly. This speaks to her privilege and detachment, which she only begins to confront when faced with the tangible impact of corruption and power abuse.
Omelogor’s double date with a younger man reflects her self-awareness and humor about social dynamics. She observes the interaction with amusement rather than emotional investment, showing her detached approach to relationships.
The quote highlights how language is used to police and shame girls for their interactions with boys while excusing the boys themselves. It critiques the gendered social conditioning that labels girls as “rotten” for perceived sexual awareness.
The statement underscores a broader theme of misogyny and double standards, where women’s actions are more harshly judged than men’s. It reflects how women are conditioned from a young age to associate their sexuality with shame.
Arinze’s description of Omelogor as “unknowable” mirrors the reader’s experience. Despite multiple chapters in her perspective, she remains elusive, as she guards her inner self and emotions, revealing only controlled portions of her truth.
Omelogor calls her relationship with Arinze an “emotional happening” because she may not fully understand love or has never experienced deep romantic attachment. Her detachment suggests she sees love as a concept rather than an experience she fully embraces.
Jide and Ahemen’s commentary on Kadi’s case highlights how legal and social systems often fail women. Their discussion likely reflects societal indifference, male privilege, or skepticism toward survivors’ experiences.
Omelogor’s visa experience was a pivotal moment in shaping her views on America. The humiliation she faced turned America from a neutral place into a symbol of power imbalance and exclusion.
Omelogor critiques American liberalism as performative—rooted in self-protection rather than true advocacy. She sees American progressiveness as selective, benefiting those within the system while disregarding outsiders.
Her statement, “You think the world is American; you don’t realise that only America is American,” critiques the way Americans assume their experiences and values are universal when, in reality, they are unique to their country. This perspective highlights American cultural dominance and how it shapes global perceptions.
Omelogor is complex—both sympathetic and frustrating. Her anger toward America is justified in some ways, but her bitterness shapes how she interacts with Zikora and others. Her privilege and contradictions make her an interesting but not entirely likable character. However, her reflections on power, gender, and identity are deeply relatable.
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1. It’s difficult to agree or disagree. I agree that South Africa can be outside the center of things from a global perspective, however this is not a fair yardstick. We may not have the same problems as first-world countries, but we have our own unique challenges.
2. Omelogor considers every angle of her life, it would be a lie to call her oblivious. This woman was wilfully oblivious in choosing not to see the consequences of her work. Her reference to her parents’ naivety is very telling. She is not that different from CEO and the other bosses. She gets to choose when to be empathetic and when to be stoic and resolute: very disingenuous! It is quite ugly! Even her “realization” is tinged with self-pity and attention-seeking…
3. I was burning with secondhand embarrassment – that was too cringe! Such a hypocrite! One of the reasons I think we will never know the real Omelogor: when she thinks and what she does are polar opposites.
4. It’s a common double standard. Boys are expected to be rotten, this labeling them so is redundant. With girls, the label is meant to shock and discourage further exploration. It is just another way to shame girls into silence.
5. I definitely still don’t know Omelogor, despite her first-person POV. Perhaps she is meant to be contradictory – the anti-hero who doesn’t play by the rules, without inventing new ones. She is the embodiment of joining the boys’ club at the expense of yourself. She is absolutely unknowable, perhaps more so to herself.
6. Omelogor is just projecting some meaning into their relationship. She thought him mysterious, a mirror to herself. When he turned out to be ordinary, even pedantic, she lost interest. They never stood a chance.
7. Sadly, people like Ahemen exist and it is worse when they are women. Excusing assault based on looks, privilege and culture is disgusting and inexcusable. Jide was the voice of reason: rape is not about desire, but power
8. I do think this is where Omelogor’s alleged distaste for America comes from. The humiliation she experienced was uncalled for – the futility of it left the biggest mark. For someone like Omelogor, everything has a purpose. Once the visa officer started shouting at her, she realised the problem immediately. Even her second (successful) application could not repair the damage.
9. After her awful visa experience, it is understandable that her attitude is more critical towards Americans. Why do they believe themselves and their views superior? I do wonder whether this also reflects the author’s frustrations with the liberals and cancel culture.
10. I do agree with this statement. Most media is skewed in favour of Americans. Their politics invade the world as do their ideas but they are unaware of their bias. They don’t realise that other cultures may have different views and might call this backward and they simply don’t care. American “culture” is highly pervasive.
11. Omelogor was not accessible for me. I did not feel like I understood any of her eccentricities. Her justifications were flat, as was her narrative. The only thing she seemed passionate about was money (and her distaste for America).
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1. I do. Living in the “Global South” / a third-world country, we are often either on the fringes of or outside of the center of things. It is as if the rest of the world (aka the “Global North” / first-world countries) exist in a bubble and all we can do is look in from the outside.
2. She’s a very morally grey character. It is likely that everything unethical about her work was building up inside of her and that instance was her tipping point over the edge.
3. It is clear she does not take him seriously and is just experimenting for the sake of her friend.
4. It is a profound statement on the gender inequalities that begin from early childhood. Male superiority is embedded within every fragment of society and children are indoctrinated with these beliefs from birth. This quote in particular comments on the unfair disparity in the way male and female sexuality is perceived.
5. Omelogor definitely keeps a part of herself locked up, perhaps even from herself. But I do feel like we know enough about her, even if it is not all of her.
7. It was upsetting commentary but accurately portrays real societal beliefs.
8. Possibly. Her VISA experience seemed to have dictated her feelings about America a lot.
9. Omelogor makes many valid points, but I feel like there is something beneath her bitter remarks. A tinge of envy perhaps? Frustration towards their obvious power that is never wielded for any real purpose? While Omelogor herself could be considered liberal in a sense, her distaste for America is not unexpected. I think a general distaste towards America can be expected from many women like her (myself included).
10. Yes OMG! I appreciated the passages addressing Omelogor’s attitude towards America the most because it echoes many of the thoughts and feelings I have been harboring for ages. America acts as if the world thinks and does exactly as they do, when in reality they are their own separate microcosm with ideologies that seep into the rest of society (but do not entirely overtake it).
11. I loved Omelogor’s character. She may not be the easiest character to love, but I understood and emphasized so much with her anger, frustration and desires.
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