On Aug. 13, the world marked International Left-Handers Day, an annual observance.
The day provides an opportunity to recognise left-handed people and highlight the challenges they face in a world largely designed for right-handed people.
For many people, using the left hand may appear to be an ordinary preference, but for some Nigerians, it has been a lifelong experience of correction, cultural expectations and learning to embrace who they are.
About 10 per cent of the world’s population is estimated to be left-handed, while roughly 90 per cent predominantly use their right hand for complex manual tasks.
The observance was created in 1992 by the Left-Handers Club to raise awareness about the advantages and disadvantages experienced by left-handed people.
Although left-handedness is a natural variation in human behaviour, cultural beliefs have historically influenced how left-handed people are treated in different societies.
According to Ocklenburg and Güntürkün (2018), research on the biological basis of handedness indicates that it is influenced by genetic, developmental, hormonal, and environmental factors rather than being caused by one single gene or medical condition.
Medical research shows that handedness is a normal variation in human development influenced by a complex interaction of genetic and developmental factors.
Scientists have identified multiple genetic variants associated with handedness, but there is no single gene responsible for whether a person becomes left- or right-handed.
Karim Abu, a 74-year-old retired civil servant, shared his experience of growing up left-handed in a society where using the left hand was discouraged.
Abu said he was naturally left-handed but was forced by tradition to use his right hand for writing and eating.
He said the pressure was particularly strong in school, where children were expected to write and eat with their right hands.
“I changed from writing with my left hand in Class Five, around 1965, after all the pressure and beatings.”
According to him, the experience reflected the strong cultural belief at the time that using the left hand for eating or writing was unacceptable.
Abu said he currently has a child who was left-handed, although he was unsure whether she eventually changed to using her right hand.
He added that he also has a grandchild who currently uses the left hand.
Abu advised parents to allow children to retain their natural hand preference, saying forcing them to change could have negative consequences.
“It is better for persons to continue with what God has blessed them with. Changing it can affect their thinking faculty,” he said.
In many African communities, including some Nigerian cultures, the left hand has traditionally been associated with activities considered less acceptable–particularly greeting elders, eating and giving or receiving items.
For Modupe Ahmed, 44-year-old businesswoman, growing up left-handed in a Yoruba home meant constantly being reminded that her preferred hand was considered the “wrong hand.”
“Being a left-handed person has been an interesting experience for me, especially growing up in an African home.
“In our culture, a left-handed person is often seen as using the wrong hand, particularly when greeting, giving or receiving things, especially eating,” she said.
