Book: Eganmaganzhi Nupe (Nupe Proverbs)
Pages: 313
Author: Isyaku Bala Ibrahim
Publishers: Gandzo Enterprises, Minna
Year of Appearance: 2009
Reviewer: Ezekiel Fajenyo
Generally speaking, African societies thrive on oral culture. Most people especially as found in the rural places still make use of their oral aesthetics to express themselves either verbally (in moments of dialogue or rendering of songs) or physically (by making body gestures which give meaning and relevance to the verbal expressions). Festivals, rituals, masquerades, palace affairs, to mention a few examples, are conducted with strong adherence to the traditional imperatives especially indigenous language. And every ethnic/tribal group has its own language of expression, and many languages also have dialects which show the expansive influence of each tradition. While in Nigeria for instance, it is estimated that there are well over 500 indigenous languages, some still have their dialected variables which are widely spoken as part of tradition.
One challenge which linguistic studies, have provoked is that sufficient work has not yet been done on these many indigenous languages especially in Africa. There are many of same which have never been considered for documentation even by the elite from within the groups who should show qualified interest. Aside this is that common agreements are not easily reached on standard orthographies which should bear the spirit of reality of each ethnic experience. Moreover, the federal and states ministries of education have often been pretentious in handling issues of indigenous language especially in Nigeria. I had commented on the problems of these languages, sometime ago, on this page.
The truth is that most of our indigenous languages and dialects are under threat. Some of them are no longer being used in public, even private discourses because most people think and speak (and write) in English language. There are homes where even the parents are not skilled in the use of their own indigenous languages, not to speak of their children, who have since discovered salvation in English, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa. Some people have never attempted to write in their own languages. And some hate to identify with others who love to utilize their languages. When conversations occur in indigenous languages, some people simply have a way of forcing English or Hausa to replace the original languages.
Even in higher institutions where indigenous languages (and dialects) are taught – or are supposed to be taught – most people do not show commitment, as if they are forced to embrace same. There are too many challenges frustrating the existence of indigenous languages in Africa.
Without mincing words, I.B. Ibrahim’s Eganmaganzhi Nupe (Nupe Proverbs), which contains over 1000 proverbs (with English translation and explanations), should be a highly applauded exercise for obvious reasons. I see it as a honour to that language because it has come to shock people to a new awareness and consciousness that they gain nothing pushing their language into the museum but rather, that it should be daily used as an expression of communal integrity, and a willingness to enjoy the spirit of freedom enjoyed by the language.
Secondly, it is a unusual book which exposes a rare aspect of experience, for how many people really speak proverbs these days? Yet, acknowledge of proverbs (and its use) demonstrates strong affinity with language; it shows depth of understanding and profundity of commitment to the reality of that language. In Africa, life is treated as deep, even spiritually so. And proverbs typify this realization, because they show higher dividends in the mastery of language, and all its oral particulars. Those who do not know the way of proverbs are often considered babyish or shallow which is why Achebe writes in Things Fall Apart (1958) that proverbs are the palm oil with which yams are eaten!
Ibrahim’s modest effort, according to him, “is written in honour of Bagandozhi, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), for championing the Nupe course, the State (Niger) and the nation in general; and as he marked the 5th Year Anniversary as the 13th Etsu Nupe in 2008” (p.iii). He provides Nupe alphabets (Egimikazhi Nupe), insisting that Nupe alphabetical order does not have Q(q) and X(x) out of the adopted Roman letters in written Nupe language”, and the vowels (Wasalizhi). He informs his readers that Nupe is powerful tonal language, with three tonal systems (berezhi) – the rising, the falling and the flat tones, and that the system “allows a speaker or reader to understand the lexical and contractive nature of the vowels and its usage in bringing out the respective meanings of the spoken words, phrases or sentences”.
With concrete examples, he also names Nupe consonants (egimika-labagizhi), which are of three kinds – single, double, triple. And in his preface (kpikpe), and that the tonal language itself is enriched by parables (egankogi), warning (gangba), idioms (egancin), riddles and tales (ecingi) and proverbs (eganmagan). He touches on the history of the Nupe (who are now found in Niger, Benue, Plateau, Kogi, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory), while clearly affirming that proverbs are “wise sayings” which the people make generous use of, and they “educate, entertain, and teach morality and good conscience. They formed parts of the oral or unwritten norms and ethics of the Nupe societies passed down to several generations through music, stories, plays, communal discussions, worships, etc… Like other African proverbs, most Nupe proverbs associate or relate peoples’ actions to their immediate environment in order to explain or correct a particular situation, norm, issue, or problem. They also enlighten, warn, advise, correct or teach the language to change perception which in most cases becomes reality” (PP. x-xi).
The book is a wonderful compilation of examples of these proverbs, which the compiler labored so hard to gather over 10 years in order to enrich his father-tongue. Written originally in Nupe, they are translated into English, with brief explanations. Every language has its secrets of self-beautification and self-enrichment. In Africa, most languages harbor elements of poetry, exclamations, indirections, idioms, euphemism, ideophones, metaphors, rhetorics, and repetitions, for power and beauty. During festivals, storytelling, casual talks, songs, prayers and rituals, these languages are forcefully expressed by elders to the shock of the audiences in such a way that the young may even begin to ask themselves questions as to whether they originally emanated therefrom. The Nupe language has a lot of elements which are projected through the proverbs. The book also contains footnotes which properly situate the structural dimensions of the proverbs.
The forty two (42) chapters of the book (kpangwazhi) are arranged alphabetically, and the index (emikazhi nin) is the last part of the book, arranged serially from a-z. Indeed, each “word has its closer meaning in English and it is arranged according to each chapter and the proverb in which each word can be traced”. No wonder, Ibrahim has dutifully started work in earnest on another book, Nupe Grammar. He is proud of his origin, whose beauty he insists in selling to the world as one of those not destined to die!
This book, according to him, “was written to contribute my quota to the advancement of written Nupe language which may serve as a reference material for people (students, teachers, anthropologists etc). It should be clearly understood that in as much as racism and tribalism are unethical, not speaking one’s native language is a crime against one’s identity and tradition and above all, a crime against humanity…” This is the height of patriotism, which is even recognized by the Etsu Nupe, HRH, Dr. Yahaya Abubakar, who in his foreword to the publication, writes: “Nupe language is greatly endowed with a lot of proverbs, and documenting it through writings as done by this author shows his commitment towards our cultural preservation and rejuvenation… it signifies a new dawn for these Nupe proverbs; hence, the brilliance, maturity and thoughts of the Nupe people”.
The chapter (42) of the book clearly touch on a variety of issues such as religion (1), disease (3), mistakes (4), love (5), honour (6), adultery (7), quarrel (9), meanness (31), culture (29), hypocrisy (27), destiny (24), truth (21), wickedness (II), partnership (13), work (15), money (16), the world (40), business (37), contentment (38), behavior (33), death (35), etc. There is truth in the claim that the publication is encyclopedic – it touches on life, problems, desires, dreams, spiritual commitments, associations, business, knowledge, respect for tradition. Therefore, there are issues of morality, spirituality, humanity and life thereafter. We can only pick on very few examples: (1) Emagi ga ma gi, wun a le kata o tinba (if a mosquito knows how to bite well, it will sleep in a room till day break = A good strategy will give good results, no matter the shortcomings, p. 269); (2) Egigba ba cigbantun, wun ba ewo (A carpentry apprentice that cuts a timber has cut money = Good raw material will generate good revenue or earning, pp. 114-115); (3) Zana Soko ya na e de o (whoever God will give will get it = God fulfils promises, (p.17); (4) Yiyakpe eza, batan egwa wuntso u yi o (Reliance on someone is a disease of its own = People always failed in their promises , p. 33). (5) Duku ta fili e bana, sharya ma dan ninbo e nyi enya (A potato is shining outwardly, while the weevils are busy inside destroying it = Sometimes what is seen outside might not reflect what is inside, p. 91). Now, imagine a book of over 1000 proverbs! Altogether, it is a business of 313 pages. Even the non-Nupes will enjoy the index, and may be motivated to start learning the rich, tone-induced language.
One other quality of the book is the avalanche of suggestive illustrations which neatly introduce every chapter. The illustrations depict Nupe morality, dressing, norms, scarifications, farming occupation, etc and these are reputedly created by the brilliant artist, Awal Abdullahi Sakiwa.
I.B. Ibrahim deserves commendation for this great work because it is inspiring, and can easily motivate others who speak diverse languages in Nigeria to stand up and preserve their own origins too. Born in Kaduna but an indigene of Niger State, this young man from Bidafu-Zhaba in Gbako LGA and specialist in Financial and Management Studies (with a degree from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, 2000-2002) is currently serving his career with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja. But I have chosen to also call him a linguist and a Preserve of Culture by virtue of this neat, well-published book whose relevance will continue to be enjoyed by all.
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