--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm from Nigerian descent, and the…" description: "\"I'm from Nigerian descent, and the classic Nigerian mentality is 'Stay in school! You're going to be a doctor, you're going to be a lawyer.' That is wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/mnek-7800_doctor_i-m-from-nigerian-descent-and-the-classi_913951.jpg" --- # I'm from Nigerian descent, and the classic Nigerian… ![“I'm from Nigerian descent, and the classic Nigerian mentality is 'Stay in school! You're going to be a doctor, you're going to be a lawyer.' That is what it is. Thankfully my parents knew my situation was different because I definitely didn't want to be a doctor, I definitely didn't want to be a…” quote by MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/mnek-7800_doctor_i-m-from-nigerian-descent-and-the-classi_913951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/mnek-7800_doctor_i-m-from-nigerian-descent-and-the-classi_913951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/mnek-7800_doctor_i-m-from-nigerian-descent-and-the-classi_913951.jpg) > “I'm from Nigerian descent, and the classic Nigerian mentality is 'Stay in school! You're going to be a doctor, you're going to be a lawyer.' That is what it is. Thankfully my parents knew my situation was different because I definitely didn't want to be a doctor, I definitely didn't want to be a lawyer.” [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It highlights cultural pressure to pursue prestigious careers, while acknowledging individual aspirations may differ. **In simple terms:** Societal expectations can clash with personal dreams. Key Takeaway Balance external expectations with inner passions. Themes family expectations career pressure cultural norms Mood thoughtful empathetic Type personal cultural When to use this quote - education - career counseling - family dialogue Key Concepts identity choice social conformity Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel pressured by family expectations? - How can you honor your own path? A Different Perspective Not all success is defined by status; personal fulfillment matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [I'm of Nigerian descent, from the Yoruba tribe. 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And so long as the lawyers carefully keep to themselves the key to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rodell/the-lawyers-trade-is-a-trade-built-entirely-on-words-and-so-long-as/) [Fred Rodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rodell/) > [In actual fact, I wanted to be an actor, but I was a lawyer, and I was a week away from qualifying and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/in-actual-fact-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-i-was-a-lawyer-and-i-was-a/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [Believe me, I'm not longing for the days when I was going to become a lawyer. Especially come tax time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/believe-me-i-m-not-longing-for-the-days-when-i-was-going-to-become-a/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [I told my parents I was going to be a doctor and then a lawyer, but I never believed it and never tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/i-told-my-parents-i-was-going-to-be-a-doctor-and-then-a-lawyer-but-i/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [I was going to be a lawyer, and I had studied hard, but then it suddenly occurred to me in a very deep, profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-liu/i-was-going-to-be-a-lawyer-and-i-had-studied-hard-but-then-it/) [Marjorie Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-liu/) > [I followed my dreams and went to Hollywood. My mom was like, 'Wait a minute - I thought you were going to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nafessa-williams/i-followed-my-dreams-and-went-to-hollywood-my-mom-was-like-wait-a/) [Nafessa Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nafessa-williams/) > [I had always been so much taken with the way all English people I knew always were going to see their lawyer. Even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-had-always-been-so-much-taken-with-the-way-all-english-people-i/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [When I went to school, my intention was to be a lawyer. When I attended university that was still the clear intention; I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/when-i-went-to-school-my-intention-was-to-be-a-lawyer-when-i-attended/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I have two wonderful, supportive and very practical parents who were like, you're really talented and really creative. You should be a lawyer because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/i-have-two-wonderful-supportive-and-very-practical-parents-who-were/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [I had started law school at Florida State University as a part-timer. I would go two quarters, and they allowed me to drop out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-la-russa/i-had-started-law-school-at-florida-state-university-as-a-part-timer/) [Tony La Russa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-la-russa/) > [I was originally going to be a lawyer, and the only thing I remember from the art of cross-examination is - you can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-originally-going-to-be-a-lawyer-and-the-only-thing-i-remember/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I went to college on my way to be a lawyer. That's all I wanted to do was go back home and help my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope-franklin/i-went-to-college-on-my-way-to-be-a-lawyer-that-s-all-i-wanted-to-do/) [John Hope Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope-franklin/) > [Coming from a family who put a lot of emphasis on academics, I always thought I was going to be a lawyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-enninful/coming-from-a-family-who-put-a-lot-of-emphasis-on-academics-i-always/) [Edward Enninful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-enninful/) ## More by MNEK > [When I wrote 'Paradise,' it was going to be an interlude - like a segue from the song before. Then I just added more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/when-i-wrote-paradise-it-was-going-to-be-an-interlude-like-a-segue/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I almost get quite scared talking about it. It's happened, obviously. I did meet Madonna and I did work with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-almost-get-quite-scared-talking-about-it-it-s-happened-obviously-i/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [The way Beyonce works, the song is a jigsaw piece and then she will piece various elements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/the-way-beyonce-works-the-song-is-a-jigsaw-piece-and-then-she-will/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [If I'm writing a song for Karen Harding, I know I can't impose what I want to say onto her. I literally have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/if-i-m-writing-a-song-for-karen-harding-i-know-i-can-t-impose-what-i/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [There's an underlying sense with 'Tongue' that... it's really... it's real. I mean that in the sense that now I'm not afraid to touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/there-s-an-underlying-sense-with-tongue-that-it-s-really-it-s-real-i/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I always knew I wanted to work in music. There was no plan B.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-work-in-music-there-was-no-plan-b/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I'm very thankful that I'm in a position where I'll never be without a session. I'll always have someone who will want to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-m-very-thankful-that-i-m-in-a-position-where-i-ll-never-be-without/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I keep quiet and let the music do the talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-keep-quiet-and-let-the-music-do-the-talking/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I think 'Girlfriend' in particular is definitely one of the songs that is angled towards early 2000s, late '90s, R&B pop and those kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-think-girlfriend-in-particular-is-definitely-one-of-the-songs-that/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [Having the opportunity to work with someone like Beyonce is definitely going to hopefully open a few doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/having-the-opportunity-to-work-with-someone-like-beyonce-is/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [We have a lot of black British men who are killing it: John Boyega, Stormzy, Anthony Joshua, Tinie Tempah, and Idris Elba, of course.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/we-have-a-lot-of-black-british-men-who-are-killing-it-john-boyega/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I love Usher's 'Confessions.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-love-usher-s-confessions/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I don't feel pressure, I think there's fun to have. And I want to show that being gay and of color doesn't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-don-t-feel-pressure-i-think-there-s-fun-to-have-and-i-want-to-show/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I was someone who knew what they wanted to do for so long. I was always fascinated by music, always a student of pop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-was-someone-who-knew-what-they-wanted-to-do-for-so-long-i-was/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I think there's so many amazing LGBTQ artists, ranging from commercial to underground, that are influencing people at large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-think-there-s-so-many-amazing-lgbtq-artists-ranging-from-commercial/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) [Explore all 87 MNEK quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) ## More Doctor quotes > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [A creative space is an important thing. There are so many studios that feel like doctor's offices in Nashville. I couldn't write there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/a-creative-space-is-an-important-thing-there-are-so-many-studios-that/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) John Randolph of Roanoke > [The miracle drugs (neuroleptics) cause the worst plague of brain damage in medical history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-breggin/the-miracle-drugs-neuroleptics-cause-the-worst-plague-of-brain-damage/) [Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-breggin/) > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. 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