The Igbo people of Nigeria have a proverb: "When a child washes clean her hands, she dines with the elders." A child is a child any day, any time, and in any culture. But when the child distinguishes herself through some extraordinary achievement, the elders make room for her in their midst.
Lupita Nyong'o found herself in the midst of the most revered "elders" of Hollywood on Sunday at the Oscars. She had washed clean her hands. She had earned her spot. And the elders applauded her, rewarding her with a golden statuette.
But then her brother, by that simple law of association which says that being at the right place at the time pays, got the center stage on Ellen DeGeneres' most retweeted selfie of all time. He couldn't believe his luck. His sister not only brought him into that close proximity with Hollywood's biggest stars but also made him an instant star all over the world with that selfie, which now has over three million retweets.
