EXEKUTIV MESENJA – 2

EXEKUTIV MESENJAS – 2
A typical explanation of a messenger is the one who makes a living by delivering messages to people at different locations. If there are executive messengers, there are middle level messengers, ordinary messengers or any other type of messenger as the case may be. For example, if we still have messengers in the civil service, we should expect designations like Messenger I, Messenger II etc which implies that mensenja get levul. Irrespective of where one is engaged to carry out the services of a messenger, they are generally regarded as low-classed people; a clear testimony to the realities in stratified societies made up of social groups and classes; a reason why som pipul na oga, som pipul na boi boi oo haus gel. Against this background, an executive messenger is the one who carries out big big mesej oo wok on behalf of their employers, masters or bosses. What makes a message big or small?
In line with the foregoing, the classification of a messenger as either executive or ordinary has to do with both the official and unofficial requirements expected of the office/personality involved. This reminds me of Executive Beggars who, unlike the common beggars are concerned about ‘‘packaging’’ which is largely hinged on the impressive way they are dressed while plying their trade. The Executive Beggar is interested in the class of his clientele and mode of approach. I am not oblivious of the fact that; na kondishon na im mek krafish bend. Hu bi Exekutiv Mesenja?
Having looked at the abuse of labour in the private sector in the first part of this serial published Wednesday 2nd May, 2012, I intend to look at the public sector where this is also rampant. By public sector, I am particularly referring to the political arena where all manner of appointments are created and filled in the name of keeping the ‘‘boys’’ busy in the name of an all-inclusive government. Examples of nomenclatures that readily comes to mind are; Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Director, Special Duties, Director in the Permanent Secretary’s office, Assistant on Special Duties, Senior Press Assistant to the Chief Press Assistant, Chief Assistant to the DG, Senior Assistant to the Chief Assistant to the DG, Personal Assistant to the Senior Special Assistant, Senior Special Adviser to the Adviser and so on. The list is endless. No matter how vague or weird any of these nomenclatures may sound, it doesn’t suggest that the handlers of these positions have no jobs doing. It is not also saying that these positions are irrelevant. The following explains why some personalities that handle the mentioned positions and similar ones could be categorised as executive or glorified messengers.
As a people, we are largely title crazy. Once one’s official designation is SSA, an erroneous slip by anyone in not mentioning an S in course of addressing such a person may lead to a ‘cold war’’ or ‘‘open war.’’ Whomever may have committed the ‘‘olmaiti’’ blunder would be perceived as working for an imaginary opposition out to destroy the image of the concerned. How is the one under reference regarded in the society? This question is unnecessary because only ‘‘qualified’’ personalities are rewarded with such exalted political positions. In most cases, it takes the ‘‘grace of private interventions’’ for the affected not to make reference to it whenever opportune to speak. Most of us have skewed perceptions of what a good image represents. To have been appointed to serve in any capacity means that one is now in a special class. The fear of losing this ‘‘class’’ and its accompanying pressures is the reason why some of the affected are turned to mere ‘‘Zombies’’ ready to take all sorts of orders or‘‘yama-yama’’ errands to please their masters and members of their families.
If our various special dis, special dat or senior special dis or special dat will be sincere to speak on the details of the duties they perform daily, you will be amazed at what politics has made of personalities who, in a vicious circle, hone their skills of hero worshipping and all sorts of bootlicking to attract higher political favours.
Bootlicking or feferiti is part and parcel of politics in Nigeria but not everyone can stand the ‘‘shit’’ of licking the bakyad or buttocks of anybody. Why should a Senior Special Adviser condescend to doing menial jobs for his/her boss or be publicly directed by Oga’s wife to serve guests food at a function organised by Oga an Madam? Is it the work of a Senior Special Assistant or any Assistant so-called to go scouting for beautiful girls for Oga? Must we in the name of politics cheapen personalities in this manner?
The following except from the poem titled; Mai Kontri was written by Asumugha T. Gabriel; one of the Poets recently celebrated in Abuja during the book presentation of IF YU HIE SE A DE PRIZIN, an anthology of poems in Naija langwej:
Wota de olwes ful mai ai, Dis wota de red wel wel no bi smol, Wetin hapun?
A jos de krai fo mai kontri, If a kom opun maut, Na so so krai a go de krai,
Beta krai krai, Kra krai krai.
Eriata Oribhabor
Abuja-Naijiria

AWA JENERETO BIG PAS UNA OUN

Early this year, I was excited to experience a semblance of steady supply of electricity which for me was a sign of ‘fresher’ things to come. The news of the recent re-streaming of Kainji Dam was therefore a welcome development but it seems to have no meaning because, as I write, sounds from different generators are dancing in the air spitting choking fumes and smells.  Rather than ‘‘embarrass’’ Nigerians with fresh actions to freshen our firmament, all sorts of explanations are being offered for the failure of government to meet set targets in the energy sector. Therefore, the recent sack of some ‘gbogons’ in PHCN comes as a pleasant surprise.

In the world of energy/power, the level of megawatts produced/generated is vital. Unfortunately, like politics, the word has been generally used/abused by various individuals/agencies in such a way that, if it was a musical number, it would have hit a ‘‘platinum.’’ Attempts at updating Nigerians of their almighty national electricity grid and the level of megawatts ‘‘pushed into’’ it, makes one wonder whether we shall overcome the numerous challenges we are facing in the energy sector within the tenure of this administration.  In this regard, memories of the late Chief Bola Ige come to mind. When appointed as the Minister of Power, he addressed the nation on changing the fortunes of the energy sector in Nigeria positively.  The day of his scheduled address could be likened to one of those great shows where top-rated artists were billed to perform. Like millions of Nigerians, I abandoned whatever I was doing to rush back home to watch him LIVE on television. The rest, as we commonly say, is now history.

It may shock you to know that, in various homes/compounds in Nigeria, ‘‘quiet’’ wars are being fought daily by neighbours using their generator sets. Even when not needed, some tenants deliberately switch on their electric generators to inflict pains on their neighbours via the sound and fumes they emit. In some places, there’s an assumption that, the noisier the sound from one’s generator, the more regard and attention the owner enjoys. You could hear people in the neighbourhood say, ‘‘Na im get dat big jenereto.’’ Noise pollution is not a problem. As part of this war, a neighbour wilfully directs the exhaust of his generator at the windows of his neighbour so that emitting fumes work havoc on his behalf. When I paid a private visit to a family friend in Kado-Abuja recently, we hardly could hear out ourselves as we discussed because of the huge noise from different electric generators. He told me not to bother because whenever he switches on his electric generator, I will appreciate the stuff it was made of. Immediately he switched it on, the building shook to it foundation. The mind-wrecking sound it lets out drowned that of his neighbours put together. He asked, ‘Wetin yu si? Mai jenereto an dia oun na di sem? Wi no de fo di sem levul. Mai jenereto big pas dia oun.’’

If democracy is a form of government usually taunted as the most favourite in the world, why shouldn’t it work in Nigeria where most institutions of government are carefully fashioned after the United States’ and other functional democracies/economies. Being intelligent and highly respected, Nigerians hold their heads high anywhere in the world. Some of the best paper presenters in conferences/seminars around the world are Nigerians. No need to mention that thousands of them hold professorial chairs in universities abroad. Unfortunately, back home in Nigeria, electricity generation and its supply are twin challenges past governments couldn’t address and the present government is still addressing. The following question bothers me. How do Nigerians feel whenever they travel abroad to find that basic utilities like water, electricity etc are truly basic and fundamental?

While millions of Nigerians await stable supply of electricity to their homes, the attention of government is being impacted negatively by all kinds of security challenges. If after four years, this government fails to deliver on its promise to fix various energy challenges in this country, there is no doubt that, the first excuse will be Boko Haram. We will likely hear that part of the monies budgeted for reforms in the power sector were channelled to security and other exigencies. Of course, without security, there will be no peace. It’s only when there’s peace that development will come. And this bla bla bla will be taken up like a change of baton in a relay race by another government. Why should Nigerians be building other nations while their country cannot solve her energy crises for decades? If we boast to one another that the electric generator we own is bigger than that of our neighbours, can we say we are progressing?  If politics is meant to provide good life to its citizens, is it serving this purpose here?  When shall we get out of this mess of megawaz an megajaz. Grama don taya mi! Na so wi go de de?

 

Eriata Edwin Oribhabor

Abuja-Naijiria

BOOK REVIEW – IF YU HIE SE A DE PRIZIN

Review of the anthology of poems: If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin
by
Julius Ogar

If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin, an anthology of poems written in Naija langwej is a new addition to the growing foray into literary works in the language. There is no overstating the importance of this development given its growing significance in contemporary Nigerian society. Indeed, beyond Nigeria, Pidgin English now addressed as Naija langwej can be considered as the dominant lingua franca along the West African coast beginning from parts of Southern Cameroon in Central Africa to as far afield as Liberia and Sierra Leone.

This review deviates from the regular pattern that we may be familiar with because of the special nature of the work in the context of the Naija Langwej Project. The Naija Langwej Project is a task some few individuals including the Editor of If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin have conferred on themselves to ensure the adequate documentation of Pidgin English in Nigeria and beyond.

In Nigeria, pidgin is the common leveller that bridges social classes and a language of commerce. Let it be said that it is the commonest denominator through which Nigerians who cannot possibly grasp the over 250 indigenous languages, dialects and sub-dialects spread across the country, build understanding and express themselves. From Calabar to Sokoto, Lagos to Maiduguri, it is not Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo; it is not the Queen’s English that gets deals done; it is a “side language” that almost everyone who uses it has acquired unconsciously. It is Pidgin, Nigeria’s unofficial lingua franca.

Meanwhile, some people have been occupying themselves with the documentation of this language. It is a great credit to them that the volume of literature in the Naija Langwej mode is growing. If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin is the latest addition to their efforts. The Editor of this anthology – Eriata Oribhabor – just last year, presented his first volume of poems in Naija langwej format titled: Abuja Na Kpangba an Oda Puem-Dem. Today, he is again at the fore front of an expanded effort by several exponents of Pidgin literature with If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin.

If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin is a pregnant statement. It is sure to evoke many rhetorical questions in the minds of any speaker or listener of Nigerian pidgin. As the theme poem in this anthology, it is a simple metaphorical connotation of the frustrations of the average Nigerian in a country that has refused to work in spite of the bounteous human and material resources it has to leverage on. And so the poets’ refrain to their own warning cry: If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin – is simply: No tink se a tif, no tink se a kil pesin – which are some of the simplest crimes wen fit land pesin fo prizin. So you might well ask: Wetin yu du?

The title symbolically captures the underbelly of our socio-economic and political dilemma. 32 different poets are using love, culture, friendship, and a myriad of titles and themes (including the almighty koropshon for which there is justification to enta prizin), to demonstrate the fact that Naija Langwej can be used to convey deeper meanings and impressions beyond the ordinary “ hau mosh” or “gud monin”.

It is my fervent wish that the prophetic warning by Oribhabor and his colleagues (If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin) – does not merely pass as another piece of literature, but opens our eyes as parents, government or stakeholders in society to the fact that there is need for rapid and significant changes in the way and manner our country is run because too many frustrated young people have been issuing this warning for long. The prisons will be too small to contain us if we all carry out our threats.

Before we go to prison anyway, let us commend the efforts of these pioneers of Naija langwej who are laying an orthographic foundation on which the future Naija langwej will develop and acquire its deserved reputation as a documented and recorded mode of communication fit to be used in schools and even parliaments.

Destini no bi won ”roa…

Destini no bi won ”road”
Won ”road” no bi destini

Book Review of If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin…

Book Title : If Yu Hie Se A De Prizin – antoloji of puem-dem fo Naija langwej.
Edito : Eriata Oribhabor
Review by: Segun Ozique
This anthology is a collection of 93 poems by 32 poets and edited by Eriata Oribhabor – himself, a poet, who has been a frontline campaigner for an integrated Nigerian lingua-franca.
To the best of my knowledge, the poems in this collection are fresh and original. The language, like the styles of presentation, are light, conversational and unconventional, all of which give the poems deceptive simplicity.
The subjects range from the engagement with Nigeria as motherland, her past history to representational or fictive version of current occurrences in the country; to reminiscence of childhood memories; of love; longing; students life and urban life to the portrayal of underprivileged Nigerians’ existentialist struggles – interpreted as allegories of struggles against domineering ruling class, the oil companies, the government and its unfavorable policies etc – just about all, often culminating in hints of optimism about the chances for salvation.
Some of the poems seem a little too trivial. For example, in the poems; Swit drim, Na so laif bi, Toilet bulet dem, Jolifikeshon etc. Although the poems attempted to show moments of existentialist perception, clarity and lucidity to sudden realization and revelry, they struggle to establish these themes. But then with others, where and when the themes were well-built, like in; Dis rof rod; Monki de wok, babun de chop; Talatu,Wetin de hapun, etc, the poems were more successful at showing the way in which bad policies have broken and ruined lives – succeeded in portraying some of these lives, not only as victims of these policies, but as well, showing however that their predicaments would in no way, if they choose to go dishonest, protect them from their own wicked or self-seeking behavior. And then, there are the exquisitely crafted love poems like lov wantintin and others showing relationships mashed as source of euphoria, misery and fear – with pot-puree of dilemmas, inconveniences, joys and uncontrolled desire and the longing for gratifications.
Much more, and perhaps one of the finest and meaningful poems in the collection is If a go kom dis world egen which, through the use of redemptive metaphor of rebirth encourages reformation and hopefulness. The poem’s repetitive use of same image actively helps to encourage concerns about the possibilities of future reversal in the present day lacks. In the poem, the impulse for people to change their mind-set is voiced through the rhetorical image of, if born again, “a go laik.”
Most of the poets use very little rhyme and few traditional stanzas, but then, it is very pleasing to see so many of them work hard to actively engage in the creation of meanings.
In terms of the preferred language; the Naija langwej, I sense an attempt to engage with the social order in an alternative discourse. That is, in presenting its subject matter which is – Nigeria, its people and their unifying language – within a Naija and, or, English as a state language space. What favors the principal position of the preferred language used for this collection is that English language is not the number one habitual language in majority of Nigerian homes and not the dominant medium of communication in the everyday play ground or trade but the Naija langwej named variously as ‘pidgin’ is. And so, in the struggle to contest the privileging discourse of making English the official institutional language, there is need to go beyond the simple counter-identification of encouraging the use of the three main Nigerian regional languages to an alternate discourse that can effectively argue directly for a construct of a Nigeria language.
So, has this book set the standard for the Naija langwej? My answer would be, ‘I doubt it.’ Doubtful because ‘standard’ cannot be set as would, for instance, a ‘metric system’. And as the anthology clearly reveals, through few disharmonious, disorderly and inconsistent use and spelling of words, there is still a long way to go. But since linguistic words evolve, these hurdles, I’m confident, would be worked on along the way.
So then bottom line, this anthology is well worth the effort. It is a positive benchmark, to be read, kept and consulted as revered and treasured part foundation for Naija langwej lexicon.

KONFAM OLE GET PAWA FO “PLEA-BARGAINING”

Anoda won we dem de kol “plea bargaining” don kom. It is a special form of “negotiation” between a komfam ole or thief and the state. Having accepted committing financial fraud, the thief negotiates to part with some of his loot. At the end of the negotiation, the state takes part of the loot while the thief is set free with the balance. In the first instance, this sounded right because, we commonly say “at ol atol, na im bad.” Put differently, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush or it is preferable to have “somtin” to not have anything at all. In this context, the word, “somtin” simply refers to the loot. Going by this concept, a thief that admits to stealing should be treated with some level of honour. In this wise, if a konfam ole or thief is bold enough to say, “Na mi tif di mon. Abeg, mek wi tok,” he should be accepted. At this stage, the thief would be saying indirectly that, “If yu laik, tok wit mi, if yu laik, no tok wit mi.” Since government may be desperately interested in recouping stolen funds to save “critical” areas of the economy, the only available option would be, to resolve issues with the thief amicably. Hum! Na wa!

The EFFC currently champions the use of the ple-bargaining tool and had used it in “extracting” huge sums of stolen funds from some “big big men” or konfam tif dem. Although the concept of plea-bargaining has no place in our law, it is becoming very popular in our legal system. A former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun was once convicted for stealing huge resources of state but he used plea-bargaining to negotiate a soft-landing. It is the same story for so many 419na dem. Plea-bargaining na koret oyibo style to kova op ogbonge tif. The poor man has nothing to do with this because; he can only steal smol smol tins that have no direct connection with government coffers nor impact negatively on the economy. In this case, smol smol tif dem only end up in jail and sometimes rut and die there. Plea-bargaining has been described by a Lagos-based commercial lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Felix Fagbohungbe as a commercialization of our criminal justice system. In THE GUARDIAN, May 17, 2011 (LAW page 81) he stated clearly that, “If the law says if you commit this offence, you are jailed for 10years or 50 years, you can negotiate to serve only 6 months. If you have stolen say N1billion, the prosecution can say out of N1billion, take N750 million, give N250million to the government or N250 million and forfeit 750million to the government. So in other words, some of the loots are recovered from you but not everything. At the same time, the prosecutor wants to punish you, but the punishment will not be severe, because it will be a negotiated one.”

In his opinion, instead of showing interest in what would be recovered from offenders, thieves should be made to face the full wrath of the law as stipulated. Should the state allow offenders go to jail without recovering any part of the stolen money or accept plea-bargaining and “go home” wit somtin? Who would have imagined that a time would come in this country when a konfam ole or thief would have the opportunity to negotiate what he will give back to government from what he stole? Many years ago, “drug barons” were executed based on a law that was given a retroactive power. As millions of “miscreants” and job-seekers roam the streets in search of their daily bread, what is the role of recovered funds in rescuing them from their woes? After knowing so much about plea-bargaining, a friend said to me that, if he has the opportunity to serve in any “juicy” ministry or committee of government in future, he will temporarily throw away his conscience and steal enough of government fund so that, after plea-bargaining, he will have sufficient amount to show to his family members back home. His remark, in Naija langwej, would read, “If a enta govament, a no go luk bak. A go tif wel wel mek a fo get beta chenj afta wi don tok. Mai pipul sef go se manpikin trai.” The concept of plea-bargaining gives government officials the impetus to temper with government’s till believing that, it will be used to setul mata at the end of the day. The question now is, when should this plea-bargain “thing” be employed? However, let’s not run away from the fact that government is desperately in need of funds to turn around various sectors of our economy especially our energy sector. Today, all over Nigeria, incessant power blackouts and darkness is our lot. While government goes about mopping up “stolen funds,” officials of government with itchy fingers are saying, manpikin go tif, kpata kpata a go negochet. Long live the Federal Republic of Naijiria!

PIDGIN ENGLISH OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED

Pidgin English officially recognized

Book Title: Abuja Na Kpangba An oda puem – dem

Author: Eriata Oribhabor Publisher: IFRA, Nigeria & Oribhabor Year: 2011 Pages: 60 Reviewer: Blessed Mudiaga Adjekpagbon

Abuja Na Npangba an oda Puem – dem is a bold step in the right direction by Eriata Oribhabor in promoting Naija Langwej (aka Pidgin English) poetry after late Major General Mamma Vatsa’s opening of the gateway of pidgin poetry in the 1980s. The 60-page book contains fifty poems written entirely in original Warri-Pidgin English, with spices of other terminologies from other parts of Nigeria, which only those who are really versed in their usage can comprehend in detail. The poems are loaded with powerful grass-root expressions any reader familiar with would no doubt keep nodding and smiling while drinking juices of the rhythms. Abuja na hevun, na kpangba; Gari no bi eba; A arenj; ikoro plenty; Wetin konsain chaina?; Mek somtin no du yu; A get sista; Wich neshon yu bi”; Laif na janglova; If lov no bi lov; Hol yo said; Mumu don sidon; Gi mi yestade; Wich Landa Broda”; Shain yo ai; Laif no bi panyan, etc. One of the most striking poems in the collection is titled “Gi mi yestade” in which the author bemoans how uncountable things have changed from bad to worse over the years in Nigeria. He wants the good old times to return. Hear him, “As graund skata / Somtin de graund / We de skata graund / Mek wi put ai fo graund / Ai don hie pepe / Pepe no de laik bifo / Bifo bifo na laif / Laif de du rivais / Dem gi mi wok / Dem folo am wit fo leg / fo leg na wota / mai ai don hie oba / mai han de faind fo leg / Put evritin fo rivais / giv mi wok, giv mi fo leg / giv mi wok, giv mi haus / ol of os most join leg.” Dola no bi evritin is another remarkable poem in the book. It takes periscope at the fallen moral standards in the society of nowadays, where material wealth and the craze for foreign culture and currencies no matter how obnoxious they are to our culture are being embraced by both young and old people alike. And the end results are noticed in the last three lines of the poem thus, “Broda don los/anti no mari/papa an mama don tie pepa.”

Furthermore, the author expresses his opinion about some falsehood of colonialism, in a poem titled Wich Landa Broda? Thus; “Abuja don te/Gbagyi don de/bifo Abuja kom de/na so i bi/Naija don te/awa pipul don de/bifo Naija kom de/na so i bi/… Naija Delta na mangrove/mangrove de giv os do/wakis plenti fo riva/na so i bi/Na so wi de/Dem se na Landa Broda/da na wait lai/wich Landa Broda?” Each of the poems has its own unique message the reader will find not only interesting but educative and informative. The author for example in a poem Abuja na hevun, na kpangba offers that “Abuja koret!/na ples we get/bam bam haus/beta beta rod/we kari plan/bot wons yu kom ye/na difren difren tins/ go jus de trowe/ fo yo maind/… wen yu land/ yu go wonda weda/ na Naija yu de?/ yu go de luk ayanyan/yu go de hala laik se/yu wan kolo/yu go se/”abi no bi Naija bi dis?/ abi na obodo oyibo bi dis?/ Abuja de!/ na ples yu supoz de/ NEPA de wok/wota de flo/pipul de flo / tins de hapun/ notin de hapun/ somtin de hapun/tins de ron/…” These lines aptly describe the beauty of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, in terms of beauty and its high class of social activities and facilities. But there is an element of exaggeration where the author says “NEPA de wok”. Anyway, it is a well known fact that figures of speech, rhythm and diction are what make any poem live up to its appreciation by both admirers and critics. Eriata employs exaggeration otherwise known as hyperbole, and other figures of speech to embellish the poems. Other figures of speech notable in the poems include euphemism, alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance etc. coupled with abundant literary devices such as rhetorical questions to press home his drift, with fluidic “disploblastic” eloquence.

The beauty of reading the poems lies in the reader’s understanding of phonetics and familiarity with spelling of words according to how they sound. In this wise, the author has displayed his mastery of Naija (Pidgin English) phonology which only educated experts in well grounded in its speaking can craft well. Even being a professor in English language is not a guarantee that one could be able to write Naija (Pidgin English) very well or at all. Writing Naija very well can only be possible when one is well grounded in speaking it and also close to the experts commonly found in Edo/Delta states, especially residents of Warri. However, being able to speak it fluently is not also a yardstick for writing it well. Good Naija langwej writing depends mostly on one’s excellent knowledge of phonology; which means any writer who wants to excel in it must also have an above average knowledge of standard simple English. From the foregoing, one can say Eriata is in control of the basic requirements of writing original Naija (Pidgin) literature. For instance in the poem titled Ikoro plenti, the author says; “Fo plenti ikoro/di opozit soplos/dem no want lait/dem laik kona kona/dia ai pas toch/dem de wet fo mugu/dem no send/dem ajost/dia bodi, dia tait /to tait di tait/put bodi fo autsaid/ron fo polis toch/dem kom jabrata/to flenj/onli fo nait/dia hat na ston/dem bon AIDS/… The poems satirize bad leadership system and other societal ills that have become somehow constitutionally recognized styles of administration and lifestyle in Nigeria. Furthermore, Naija poetry dwells not only in the use of right local phonetics but with condiments of vernacular words and local expressions and slangs like “ikoro,” “kona kona” and “mugu”, which Eriata used to craft the poem titled Ikoro Plenti, and the entire collection. Eriata through Abuja Na Kpangba An oda puem-dem has made a bold statement that he was not born and raised in Warri, Delta State for nothing. Warri is the original centre of Pidgin English creation, speaking and fluency in Nigeria. Though, the author holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Abuja, he has proven that it does not require being an English language professor in order to write Naija (aka Pidgin English) well. He is a foundation member of Naija Langwej Akedemi (one of the outcomes of the conference on Nigeria Pidgin, IFRA, 2009), Ibadan.

The objective of the Naija Languej Akedemi is to develop and defend the Naija language through the establishment of a reference Grammar, Dictionary and body of Literature. A lexical database will be set up to produce both a bilingual Naija-English Dictionary and a monolingual Naija Dishonari. Literary competitions will be organized to develop the body of Naija literature, and the reference corpus of the language. This is the reason why IFRA (Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique) organised the mentioned conference on Nigeria Pidgin. The conference explored the various dimensions of NP, and set the foundation for the Naija langwej Project aimed at producing a reference grammar, a dictionary and a teaching method for Naija langwej. Nigeria Pidgin (NP) is spoken by more than 50 million speakers all over Nigeria, in a variety of forms that go from the vehicular “broken English” to the more elaborate and complex varieties developed by standup comedians, song writers, journalists and students. The broad inter-comprehension that exists between the Pidgins spoken in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone give it a strong potential as a language for commerce and regional integration and could be useful in the present context of globalisation. Despite this powerful social and political potential NP suffers from a lack of recognition that hinders its development as a potential linguistic integrator for the Nigerian nation. The Naija Languej Akedemi will abstain from any political and religious activity. His passion for Nigerian Pidgin is being portrayed in his column “Naija Langwej A-Z” in The Market Magazine and Leadership Newspaper. Abuja Na Kpangba an oda puem-dem is his first collection of poems published in Naija Langwej. However, the book contains some difficult expressions that people who are not very familiar with them will find hard to understand Pidgin English officially recognized Book Title: Abuja Na Kpangba An oda puem – dem Author:

Abuja Na Npangba an oda Puem – dem is a bold step in the right direction by Eriata Oribhabor in promoting Naija Langwej (aka Pidgin English) poetry after late Major General Mamma Vatsa’s opening of the gateway of pidgin poetry in the 1980s. The 60-page book contains fifty poems written entirely in original Warri-Pidgin English, with spices of other terminologies from other parts of Nigeria, which only those who are really versed in their usage can comprehend in detail. The poems are loaded with powerful grass-root expressions any reader familiar with would no doubt keep nodding and smiling while drinking juices of the rhythms. Abuja na hevun, na kpangba; Gari no bi eba; A arenj; ikoro plenty; Wetin konsain chaina?; Mek somtin no du yu; A get sista; Wich neshon yu bi”; Laif na janglova; If lov no bi lov; Hol yo said; Mumu don sidon; Gi mi yestade; Wich Landa Broda”; Shain yo ai; Laif no bi panyan, etc. One of the most striking poems in the collection is titled “Gi mi yestade” in which the author bemoans how uncountable things have changed from bad to worse over the years in Nigeria. He wants the good old times to return. Hear him, “As graund skata / Somtin de graund / We de skata graund / Mek wi put ai fo graund / Ai don hie pepe / Pepe no de laik bifo / Bifo bifo na laif / Laif de du rivais / Dem gi mi wok / Dem folo am wit fo leg / fo leg na wota / mai ai don hie oba / mai han de faind fo leg / Put evritin fo rivais / giv mi wok, giv mi fo leg / giv mi wok, giv mi haus / ol of os most join leg.” Dola no bi evritin is another remarkable poem in the book. It takes periscope at the fallen moral standards in the society of nowadays, where material wealth and the craze for foreign culture and currencies no matter how obnoxious they are to our culture are being embraced by both young and old people alike. And the end results are noticed in the last three lines of the poem thus, “Broda don los/anti no mari/papa an mama don tie pepa.” Furthermore, the author expresses his opinion about some falsehood of colonialism, in a poem titled Wich Landa Broda? Thus; “Abuja don te/Gbagyi don de/bifo Abuja kom de/na so i bi/Naija don te/awa pipul don de/bifo Naija kom de/na so i bi/… Naija Delta na mangrove/mangrove de giv os do/wakis plenti fo riva/na so i bi/Na so wi de/Dem se na Landa Broda/da na wait lai/wich Landa Broda?” Each of the poems has its own unique message the reader will find not only interesting but educative and informative. The author for example in a poem Abuja na hevun, na kpangba offers that “Abuja koret!/na ples we get/bam bam haus/beta beta rod/we kari plan/bot wons yu kom ye/na difren difren tins/ go jus de trowe/ fo yo maind/… wen yu land/ yu go wonda weda/ na Naija yu de?/ yu go de luk ayanyan/yu go de hala laik se/yu wan kolo/yu go se/”abi no bi Naija bi dis?/ abi na obodo oyibo bi dis?/ Abuja de!/ na ples yu supoz de/ NEPA de wok/wota de flo/pipul de flo / tins de hapun/ notin de hapun/ somtin de hapun/tins de ron/…” These lines aptly describe the beauty of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, in terms of beauty and its high class of social activities and facilities. But there is an element of exaggeration where the author says “NEPA de wok”. Anyway, it is a well known fact that figures of speech, rhythm and diction are what make any poem live up to its appreciation by both admirers and critics. Eriata employs exaggeration otherwise known as hyperbole, and other figures of speech to embellish the poems. Other figures of speech notable in the poems include euphemism, alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance etc. coupled with abundant literary devices such as rhetorical questions to press home his drift, with fluidic “disploblastic” eloquence. The beauty of reading the poems lies in the reader’s understanding of phonetics and familiarity with spelling of words according to how they sound. In this wise, the author has displayed his mastery of Naija (Pidgin English) phonology which only educated experts in well grounded in its speaking can craft well. Even being a professor in English language is not a guarantee that one could be able to write Naija (Pidgin English) very well or at all. Writing Naija very well can only be possible when one is well grounded in speaking it and also close to the experts commonly found in Edo/Delta states, especially residents of Warri. However, being able to speak it fluently is not also a yardstick for writing it well. Good Naija langwej writing depends mostly on one’s excellent knowledge of phonology; which means any writer who wants to excel in it must also have an above average knowledge of standard simple English. From the foregoing, one can say Eriata is in control of the basic requirements of writing original Naija (Pidgin) literature. For instance in the poem titled Ikoro plenti, the author says; “Fo plenti ikoro/di opozit soplos/dem no want lait/dem laik kona kona/dia ai pas toch/dem de wet fo mugu/dem no send/dem ajost/dia bodi, dia tait /to tait di tait/put bodi fo autsaid/ron fo polis toch/dem kom jabrata/to flenj/onli fo nait/dia hat na ston/dem bon AIDS/… The poems satirize bad leadership system and other societal ills that have become somehow constitutionally recognized styles of administration and lifestyle in Nigeria. Furthermore, Naija poetry dwells not only in the use of right local phonetics but with condiments of vernacular words and local expressions and slangs like “ikoro,” “kona kona” and “mugu”, which Eriata used to craft the poem titled Ikoro Plenti, and the entire collection. Eriata through Abuja Na Kpangba An oda puem-dem has made a bold statement that he was not born and raised in Warri, Delta State for nothing. Warri is the original centre of Pidgin English creation, speaking and fluency in Nigeria. Though, the author holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Abuja, he has proven that it does not require being an English language professor in order to write Naija (aka Pidgin English) well. He is a foundation member of Naija Langwej Akedemi (one of the outcomes of the conference on Nigeria Pidgin, IFRA, 2009), Ibadan. The objective of the Naija Languẹj Akẹdẹmi is to develop and defend the Naija language through the establishment of a reference Grammar, Dictionary and body of Literature. A lexical database will be set up to produce both a bilingual Naija-English Dictionary and a monolingual Naija Dishonari. Literary competitions will be organized to develop the body of Naija literature, and the reference corpus of the language. This is the reason why IFRA (Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique) organised the mentioned conference on Nigeria Pidgin. The conference explored the various dimensions of NP, and set the foundation for the Naija langwej Project aimed at producing a reference grammar, a dictionary and a teaching method for Naija langwej. Nigeria Pidgin (NP) is spoken by more than 50 million speakers all over Nigeria, in a variety of forms that go from the vehicular “broken English” to the more elaborate and complex varieties developed by standup comedians, song writers, journalists and students. The broad inter-comprehension that exists between the Pidgins spoken in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone give it a strong potential as a language for commerce and regional integration and could be useful in the present context of globalisation. Despite this powerful social and political potential NP suffers from a lack of recognition that hinders its development as a potential linguistic integrator for the Nigerian nation. The Naija Languẹj Akẹdẹmi will abstain from any political and religious activity. His passion for Nigerian Pidgin is being portrayed in his column “Naija Langwej A-Z” in The Market Magazine and Leadership Newspaper. Abuja Na Kpangba an oda puem-dem is his first collection of poems published in Naija Langwej. However, the book contains some difficult expressions that people who are not very familiar with them will find hard to understand, even though the author explained the meanings of some harder ones at the footnote of the pages. Some typos were also noted by the reader. These need to be corrected before re-impression. These not withstanding, the author deserves great commendation for embarking on such an uphill task of bringing out a complete poetry collection written entirely with Naija (aka Nigeria Pidgin), to promote the use of indigenous expression for future generations in Nigeria. END www.facebook.com/blessed.m.adjekpagbon and, even though the author explained the meanings of some harder ones at the footnote of the pages. Some typos were also noted by the reader. These need to be corrected before re-impression. These not withstanding, the author deserves great commendation for embarking on such an uphill task of bringing out a complete poetry collection written entirely with Naija (aka Nigeria Pidgin), to promote the use of indigenous expression for future generations in Nigeria.