AUTHOR:
SOLOMON ADAMA YISA
PUBLISHER:
KOCHITA RESOURCES LIMITED
YEAR:
2013
REVIEWER:
ISYAKU BALA IBRAHIM
June 20th,
2013 will be remembered as the day the heavens and the earth greeted a progeny
of the Nupe land who broke almost a century jinx by presenting to the world a
Heritage of the Nupe Nation, the Tapas
as the Yoruba people will call them, while the Hausas brand them as the Nufawa, the peer of the realm of the Niger
River. It was a day that an indigenous language received a gargantuan boost with
the presentation and well received colossal tome. Nupe being one of the major languages in the
country, I was looking forward to this day since I was beckoned by the
organizers to attend, and before our very own eyes it came and gone. But this
gift will remain as posterity beckons. It is a gift to Nigeria, most specifically
the Nupe people. The author might not grab the wide gap his book will viaduct since
the very first time a dictionary of this kind was published over a century ago.
Though, Right Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther (p.77) pioneered writing of Nupe lexicon
in his grammar book which had a comprehensive Vocabulary section of (English to
Nupe) from A to Z (Crowther, 1864.37-208).
The book triggered intellectual discourse among scholars and evangelists
on the importance of the language to the Church mission in the Niger
Territories particularly in the Nupe Country, which eventually led to his
translation of Gospel of John (of the Bible) into Nupe language in 1877.
However,
the actual first ever Nupe Dictionary was published in 1914 by the
ever-inspiring evangelist, lexicographer and polyglot, A.W. Banfield (p. 41)
who spent over two decades in Nupe-land particularly at Tsonga and Patigi towns
in the current Kwara State. The first volume of the dictionary is a 514page
book. By 1916, the same author published the second volume of the book. Since then
there was no person that has published any serious work like that, and no attempt
was done to have several editions of the dictionary, as having several editions
of a particular dictionary has being the custom of most language dictionaries
around the world. For instance, the Oxford Advanced Learner English Dictionary
is in its eighth or ninth edition today since its first publication in 1948.
Ambassador Solomon Adama Yisa has
succeeded in bringing to the fore this doable escapade by breaking a century gremlin
in the continuous documentation and preservation of the Kingdom’s custom in an
inimitable way entrenched in 713 leaves bedecked in words and ink. An effort no
citizen of the kingdom has done before. And, I learnt he laboured for two
decades to achieve this goal, and the nation now cheers his lexical triumph. No
wonder he holds the title of Etan2
Nupe (p.200) - the custodian of Nupe history conferred on him by the dynamic
and inspiring leader, the janitor of the Nupe Kingdom, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Dr.
Yahaya Abubakar, CFR. It is important to note that the publication of this book
is a heavy blow to ignorance that had for too long perpetuated its darkness on
Nigerians on the heritage of the Nupe people; it is a thrust of light that have
suddenly consumed this darkness, and thus enriched Nupe lexicology.
The
unique features of this dictionary aside the traditional pouring of words and
grammatical phrases, one finds names of legends, cultural names, communities, plants,
animals, just name it within and outside Nupeland compacted in it. The matchlessness
of the book lays these embedded features that define and celebrate the
treasured customs of the Kingdom.
The
legends and the monarchs of pre-Tsoede Nupe Empire were not included in the
book as there are no explicit record containing the names and reigns of such
kings found yet. The few documents around stated that they were very tough and
uncompromising. For instance, in 1352, Ibn Batuta, a North African Arab
explorer wrote in his famous travelogue on the kings of the Nupe nation, though,
there were some defects in his documentation of the names of the popular
empires and kingdoms he visited then. He stated thus, “Thence the Nile [Niger]
descends to Tumbuktu [Timbuktoo] and Gawgaw [Gogo], both of which will be
described later; then to the town of Muli in the land of the Limis, which is
the frontier province of [the kingdom of] Malli; thence to Yufi [Nupe], one of
the largest towns of the negroes, whose ruler is one of the most considerable
of the negro rulers. It cannot be visited by any white man because they would
kill him before he got there.” (Ibn Batutah, 1356. 317-323).
However,
this dictionary gave comprehensive list of legends which included the founder
of the Nupe Kingdom, Etsu Edegi Tsoede (p.609) who founded the Kingdom in ca.1500
at Nku after unifying the communities under a confederation. This legend was
followed by Etsu Jibirilu (p.322) in the1560s, who happened to be the first
Etsu Nupe to convert to Islam together with many of his followers at that
period. Then there was Etsu Jigba1625-1670 (p.322). Other kings followed and
shaped the kingdom such as Etsu Jimada 1760-1805 (p.323) who reigned at Gbara,
and Etsu Majiya reigned 1767 - 1777 (p.445), during their reigns the kingdom witnessed
decades of civil wars in the battle for this powerful throne until the
intervention of a Fulani Scholar, Malam Dendo (p.95) popularly known as Manko
(Great Scholar or Malam) who came into the Kingdom and thus won the hearts of
the Nupes and ensured a smooth transition from the ancient Nupe Etsuship to the
Fulanis without bloodshed and he died in 1832.
Other
personalities which comprise people that have made Nigeria and the kingdom proud
most especially those who we share in the broad destiny of a country together
and who at different periods became leaders of this great nation. However, out
of all the past leaders mentioned such as: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (p.28), born in Dunguru
(Zungeru) in Niger State; then Chief Obafemi Awolowo (p.26), Sir Ahmadu Bello
(p.51), the Northern Nigeria Premier etc. The only leader I deemed not worthy
of mentioning was the late General Muhammad Sani Abacha (p.2) most especially
that reference was not made to October 1st, 1996, the date he
refused this vibrant kingdom a state. He announced
the creation of
six new states one from each geopolitical zone of the
country. We were very hopeful that when it comes to North-Central, Ndaduma
State will not be denied it well deserved right of formal existence, only to hear
Nasarawa state mentioned instead. The Kingdom was humiliated and our collective
hope dashed. That broadcast will remain in our hearts for many more years to
come. We might have moved-on from that shock, but late Abacha remained in the
wrong-side of our collective minds as Nupe people. Though! We will not forget this
happenstance but we have honestly forgiven him and may his soul find rest with
the Almighty Allah. Amin!
The names of our heroes
and heroines greeted me as I flip through this book and the great achievements of
some who struggled to see that Nigeria gained its independence and for
democracy to reign in our polity in the first and second republics, and to date.
The likes of Alhaji Aliyu Makaman Bida1906-1980 (p.17, 446) the World War II
veteran, the Deputy Premier of Northern
Nigeria, the first Northern Ministers of Education and Finance, and the NPC
National Treasurer. He is about the only Nigerian that attended all Nigeria’s constitutional
conferences both in Nigeria and United Kingdom from 1953 to 1977 that resulted
into our independence in 1960 and nurtured it which culminated into the first
and second republics despite the unfortunate events in the process. The civil
war would not have ended without his leading role in Northern Consultative Committee
set up that calmed the north down as he toured and consulted with his people
and leaders of the region agitated as a result of the massacre of Nigerian
patriots by some terrorists, despites the fact that his friends and colleagues
were the victim of the rootless mutiny. He was the founding father of the two parties
that won in the first and second republics: NPC and NPN respectively. In fact,
it will not be out of place to state here categorically that Alhaji Aliyu
Makaman Bida is the Father of Modern Nigeria. There are also the likes of Malam
Abubakar Dzukogi 1917 – 1978 (p.111), the radical Prince of the Nupe Kingdom, and
the former Ciroman Nupe, the NEPU Chieftain who served as its first General
Secretary with Malam Aminu Kano as the National President; Alhaji Ahman
Galadiman Pategi 1914 – 1977 (p.11), former NPC General Secretary, and Northern
Health Minister; the name continue till dates.
There are also those
who have contributed immensely to journalism in the country, people like ace
columnist, Mohammad Haruna (p.310),
former press secretary to the former Head of State, General Abdulsamalami
Abubakar (p.5), and former MD at Citizen and the New Nigeria companies; Malam Mahmud Turi Muhammadu 1940 - 2010,
(p.467) the former MD at the New Nigeria Ltd; Alhaji Kere Baba Ahmed 1942- 2003
(p., the former Garkuwan Nupe, he joined Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NPC)
in 1962,the former Executive
Director-Finance and Administration at NTA, and retired voluntarily in
1994; Sam Nda-Isaiah (p.485), the Kakaki
Nupe, the radical pressman, and the proprietor, chairman and CEO of Leadership
Group, the publishers of Leadership newspapers; Alhaji Usman Baba Patigi, MON (p.528)
, popularly known as ‘Samanja’ in
the 1980s and 90s, a veteran artist that
served at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna for over 40
years and lots more.
As
flipping through the pages of this tome continued, I came across some of our
heroines like Gogo Habiba Sabachi of 1830s (p.291), the famous daughter of the
founder of the Fulani Dynasty in Nupe Kingdom, Malam Dendo; Hajiya Gambo Sawaba,
1933-2001 (p.249), the former NEPU Woman Leader, a women activist and social worker; Hajiya Amina Ahmed Iyami,
MFR (p.12); Dr. (Mrs.) Sarah Jibril
(p.321); Amina Lami Abdullahi PhD (p.3) , a lecturer and Dean at Kaduna
Polytechnic; Hajiya Senator Zaynab Abdulkadir Kure, the first female Senator from
the Kingdom, the proprietor of Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES), a model to beat
which has trained and empowered over 15,000 youths across Niger State since its
inception in 2001. She was the former first-lady of Niger State 1999-2007, and
a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And so many others…
The
book also has extensive collection of local names and some of the feminine ones
are Abiba (p.4), Abu1 (p.5), Adama1 (p.7) Adi (p.8),
Dzuma (p.111), Fewo (p.234), Nko (p.499), Wodu (p.641), Zagi (p.680) etc.; while
Aba (p.2), Abaniwo (p.2), Ceceko, Chado (p.67), Gana1 (p.249), Kolo2
(p.366), Legbo1 (p.427), Nagya (p.474), Ndayako, Ndayebo (p. 493) Tsado
(p.603) Turi (p.622), Yisa(p.674), Zaki etc. are few of the masculine names from
it.
Zoologists
and botanists will also be amazed with the omnibus of animal and plant species in
Nupe language with their scientific names for reference and easy understanding.
The different animal species such as fish starts with bantala – African knife fish (p.43), then bola – silver catfish (p.61) and ends with zhengi - catfish (p.686). Other classes and species therein included
eluzhi (birds); ewazhi (snakes); étsúzhi
(rodents); dangizhi (cats); zuzungizhi (ants); etc. On the side of the plants, one finds therein chigbanzhi (trees), égózhi (grasses), chigbangizhi
(shrubs), egwatagizhi/élízhi (vines) etc.
For instance it begins with plant seed - abata
/an edible kola nut/(cola acuminate – p.2), then tamboyakagi (moringa oleifera –
p.589), and in the last pages it had plants like yerenkpe/ nettle vine/(p.666), and zanci/deciduous tree/(p.681) etc.
It
will not possible for me to put out everything in the book in this review but I
will say that the book is a treasure to behold.
The
General Observations:
There is no
endevour without leaks, no matter how well packaged, done or thorough, there is
bound to be one or two signs of imperfections, the minuses. Therefore, after
all the pluses in this all important thesaurus, the following observations
could help in the subsequent editions of the book:
i.
Absence of accent/diacritical marks - how
will porridge taste without draw-soup to aid the swallowing? How can one enjoy
eating uncooked food? That is exactly what written kwa language is without
diacritical/accent marks. The language losses its taste, flavour, and essence,
and it ability to communicate with the other. nevertheless, this is what the author
wrote in the preface, “…and one of the principal reason for this problematic
development is perhaps the inconsiderate insistence on the part of Nupe
scholars to the effect that Nupe literature must at all costs maintain its use
of diacritical marks of intonation even in the field of popular vernacular Nupe
literature. The use of diacritical marks in popular literature is unrealistic.
And if a popular Nupe literature must be effected in KinNupe, then their use
for now must be relegated to only to the academic, liturgical and broadcasting
circles, to which it is still confined today. Incidentally, it has been real
turn-offs to most readership…” I wonder how Nupe language will develop without
an important aspect of it. It is like a body without a soul. The fact that
African languages are referred to as ‘tone languages’ shows that their tonal
systems which diacritical marks effectively convey are very-very importance to the
language and the speakers than the ‘academics, liturgical and broadcasting
circles.’ One cannot divorce a fundamental nature of a thing and expect that thing
to be functional. One cannot throw away the tones and expect excellence in the
learning tonal language like Nupe. The Chinese, the Japanese and the Arabians
all have more troublesome vowels and marks than the Nupes, but they have
succeeded in using it to the benefit of their peoples to the later, and today
they have developed effervescent literary cultures within and across their
shores.
ii. Letter Q (q): one also observes that the
author used the letter and described it as ‘the seventeenth letter of the Nupe
alphabet...” (p.535) and under it twelve words were explained in all. The fact
is, the use of letter q is alien to almost all the ‘kwa’ languages of the
Niger-Congo which has the same ancestral lineage according to ethnologists. Languages
like Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Nupe are not exception to the letter-q apathy. These
languages simply do not have that letter in their grammatical and morphological
structures. The sound that is nearer to the letter is the double consonant ‘kw’
as in the word - kwakwa (coconut) in Hausa, kwankwa1 – crow (p.410)
in Nupe. The early Nupe scholars did not include Q in their alphabetical order
in their published works. Bishop Samuel Crowther itemized letters used in his Nupe
Grammar - letter Q was not included even in its vocabulary section (Crowther,
1864.7). The same applied to Banfield and Macintyre in their Nupe grammar book
of 1915.
iii. The
date of General Muhammad Sani Abacha’s death is not July 1998 (p.2) >
the former military leader died on June 8, 1998.
iv. Sheikh
(Dr) Ahmed Lemu’s highest national honours is OFR not MON (p.429)
v. Gabas/East/
also Eyilozun (p.246):
thus it cannot be eyilozun because it
means the ‘west’ (p.222) in Nupe, while eyilazhin
means the east. eyilozun can best be described
in that portion as the /op./opposite of the East not /also/. The word ‘also’ is misleading.
vi. Gbogi/baboon/mandrill/(p.278):
Gbògi means gorilla, while kanna means a baboon/mandrill. In the
explanation of the word rogbogi (p.539)
it means chimpanzee or gorilla and it short for is ‘gbogi’.
vii. Kako
(p.336) is not ‘a specie of vulture,’
but an ‘eagle’ (Banfield & Macintyre, 1915.161), also called Idìnko (Crowther, 1864.65).
viii.Explanation
in the reference cf. ‘dodobyaria’ in
fadanchi (p.230) cannot be found.
ix. The
technical meaning of nnakun1
(p.501), it is a ‘war commander’, someone that motivates others in the
warfront.
x. The
issue of negative maker such as (à or
a) which stands for ‘not,’ turns a
positive article or word into negative. The addition of (a) as suffix cannot
make the action a word as you showed in nyandondo
as nyandondo a in (p.514).
xi. Another
issue is the use of these words: ndo/ndoro and ndondo (p.494). Each has it grammatical stands. Ndo or ndoro means
‘any’ it signifies singular reference with specifics, while ndondo stands for ‘every’, a collective.
For instance, these words bandondo/
ebandondo, and bandoro/ebandoro, (p.40-41),
the author gave the same meaning or probably suggests that they can be used
interchangeably. But in the actual sense ebadoro/bandoro
should have been ‘anywhere’, while ebandondo/bandondo-
should be ‘everywhere’.
xii. On
personalities and places:
a.
There were lots of observations on the
assemblage of persons whose critical identities were not shown, and who were
not actually Nupe and their actual language was not indicated, and this could
in the future create identity crises.
b.
There could be contestable arguments and
issues on Bayajida described as a ‘Nupe Governor’ (p.48) which could be considered
as an incredible historical myth. Some Hausa language historians have contested
a popularly held view of Bayajida being the founder of Hausa let alone Nupe. The only person that held this unpopular opinion
prior to the publication of this book was one Dr.? Ndagi Abdullahi, the author
of a controversial book Nupe, The Origin;
who in his tripod site (http://drndagiabdullahi.tripod.com/id64.html)
wrote “Bayajida was Nupe: How the Hausaman originated from Nupe,” with no any
reference given to support this claim. So, it became troublesome when the same
unpopular assertion appeared in this important book.
c.
Other controversial subjects in this
book which are likely to generate debates today and in the future are: Daura
(p.91), Femi (p.234), /Gwarinpa (p.307), Ife, Ifa, Igala, Igbira, Ile-Ife
(p.315), /Ilorin (p.316),/ Itsekeri
(p.317), /Kambaja (p.337), Kano (p.342), Katsina (p.350) /Oduduwa2
(p.520), /Nda2 (p.480), /Ndaduma 6. (p.482); /Onitsha (p.522), /Oyo
(p.523), etc…
2.
Typographical
Errors
i.
The date of Umar, Etsu 1034 –
1954 (p.626).
ii. Hohammed
– in Elomi, Hohammed p.170 – it ought to be Mohammed
iii. Mipkekin
– in Emikpekin/landslide/p.175 – instead of mikpekin
iv. Bindigatwsachi/gun-maker/(p.56)
– it should be bindigatswachi
v. Kapki
– in Idris, Hon. Ndako Saidu/p.314 – it ought to be Kpaki, a village in Mokwa
LGA
vi. Imamture toad
in Tanlegbelegi (p.591) – it should have been ‘immature’.
vii. ‘Inetrj’
in re1 (p.537) – it ought to be ‘interj.’
viii.Tamkpolo:
in emagi
- Tsaka-tamkpolo (p.172) and in another place Esangi-tankpolo
(p.195), while Tankpolo/toad/(p.590)
ix. opliostigma
thonningii, the scientific name of Bafin (p.35) which should
be piliostigma thonningii
x. dryopterix
filis-mars of Chintaragiama/chameleon’s tail/(p.77) which
should be dryopteris filis-mas
xi. potulaca
oleracea of Fingi /purslane/ (p.237) which
should have been Portulaca oleracea
xii. Nyisagi
- the variant of zagwa/zigzag/zagi
(p.680) – instead of nyizagi (p.519).
xiii.fukpe-nyinzagizazhi
/rape/p.242 – see also dzukogo/p.111, it ought to be fukpe-nyizagizazhi as in
p.519
xiv.tupke/surplus/p.620
– it should be tukpe.
xv. Wojin
instead of wonjin in cf. of yaran /yellow
colour/ (p.658).
xvi.Yistso –
in explaining a pronoun - atso
(p.25). It should have been yitso (ourselves – p.676) and etc.
3.
Too
much use of Hausa words
Nupe language is
endowed with suitable words for most of its actions and things around which
thus makes the use of Hausa word equivalents undesirable in this iconic
lexicon, which the author extensively used concurrently with the Nupe ones.
Scholars referred to this kind of word usage as ‘foreign element’ influence
(Banfield & Macintyre, 1915.12). In times like this that most of our indigenous
languages are struggling from the threat of extinction from the influence of
larger neighbouring languages, avoiding these elements could be the best for these
threaten languages like Nupe. In doing this, it will curb the unnecessary lexical
adaptation and stop the use of these words by the present and future language
speakers or they could assume that they are part of the original language, most
especially that reference was not made on the root of these words either from Hausa
or Arabic in the dictionary. There is very high possibility that their use could
in the near future have the capacity to down play even the genuine words of the
language. For example, the use of the word talaka
(Hausa) by most Nupe speakers today has overshadowed yajinci (Nupe) which both meant ‘the poor’. Therefore, here are
some of the Hausa words with their equivalents in Nupe in the same book:
Angaza/assistance/
p.20 – bibajinre (p.52)/chewu (p.72)/ganmi2 (p.255)/
Angulu/vulture/p.21
– gulu (p.299)
Asara/misfortune/loss/p.23
– egwatso/zunya/
Aya/Tiger
Nut/p.27 – Efa (p.135) / also efagi
Baligi/mature/
p.39 – ko1 (p.361) /nusa (p.507)/
Babanchi/difference/
(p.4) – rikpe/erikpe/ (p.538)
Barasa/alcohol drink/p.44
– ege2 (p.148)
Bayani/explanation/p.52
– egankpeyé/eganyekpe (p.142)
Biriki/brake/
p.57 – dzami (p.107-8)
Bukata/use/usage/
p.65 – etun1 (p.208)
Bulala/whip/cane/p.65
– sangi1 (p.553)
Buta/kettle/
p.66 – dáro (p.90)
Chacha/gamble/
p.67 – /ma/manya /betting/gamble/
Daba/animal/p.79
– nyakungi (p.512)
Dangi/kin/blood
relation/ p.86 – yegi (p.663)
Delili/dalili/reason/
p.94 – ebóna (p.123)
Dudugi/source/root/p.103
– gbere (p.274)
Dudugiwa/investigation/p.103
– gberewa
Dukiya/wealth/material
possession/p.103 – kafa1 (p.333) /éwóde (p.212)/
Dukiyadechi/wealthy
person/rich/p.103 - éwódechi (p.212) /
Fadanchi/sycophancy/
p.230 – dodobyarya/
Fasara/explanation/meaning/p.232
– eganyekpe (p.142)
Fayinta/knowledge/p.233
– kpikpe2 (p.390)/detikatun/
Firigita/restless/disturbance/p.238
– zhí/confuse/restless/wado/washe/
Fitina/unnecessary
trouble/ p.239 – keyasa (p.355)
Forigaba/farigaba/disturb/troubled/p.241
– esungán (p.199)/ebayiba (p.119)/fushigban/
Fure/flower/p.243
– korola (p.372)
Fuska/fusika/face/p.244
– eye3 (p.217)
Fushi/fury/anger/p.244
– ewunzhe (p.215)
Gabas/east p.246
– eyilazhin (p.222)
Gangara/downward
slope/ p.254 – kpan2 (p.379)
Ganima/spoils of
war/p.254 – nyagagizhikun/
Garigadi/advice/warning/p.258
– gangba (p.254)
Goge/violin/p.291
– fyanfyangi/fyangi/
Gyara/repair/amendment/p.308
– yejin1 (p.663)/yiyejin (p.676)
Ilimi/knowledge/p.316
– kpikpe2 (p.390)
Izini/permission/p.317
– yami1 (p.657)/emiya (p.178)
Kalami/word/brief/comment/p.337
– emika/eganmika/
Karambani/risk/tricky/p.344
– gibi (p.284)
Karuwa/harlot/prostitute/p.345
– shankala/banvugi/kpwadzwa/
Katifa/mattress/p.349
– tinti
Kato/giant/p.349
– èkí/edá
Kila/wotakila/maybe/possibly/p.356
– ko5 (p.361)
Kotonchi/example/explanation/p.374
– ke3 (352)/aniga (p.21)
Kumbuli/kumburi/anger/p.399
– san4 (p.552)
Kusuruwa/corner/direction/p.405
– kpangwa/kasangwa/
Kuturu/leper/p.408
– Sòkógunchi (p.576)
Ladabi/reverence/respect/honour/p.414
– éyè/sensible/, ekpeda/reverence/, dakpe/revere/
Lisafi/calculation/arithmetic/p.432
– lò/enyalò/
Lokaci/time/p.434
– kami (p.337)/èká6 (p.159)
Machachi-
matsiyachi /pauper/ p.442 – yajinchi (p.656)
Madadachi-madedechi
/sufficient/right amount/ p.442 – makamagi/makanmagi (p.446)
Mafari/first/
p.442 – níchi/ nìníchi/chaba (p.67)
Mako/miser/p.447
– nyabotan (p.510)
Makogoro/Adam’s
apple/ p.443 – kpatsunko/bereko/
Makiri/enemy/adversary/
p. 447 – ewunsunchi (p.215)
Mamaki/strange/
p.449 – yeka1(p.663)
Marika/peak of
rainy season/ p.454 – gbanma1 (p.269)
Mansiba/trouble/p.454
– keya(p.355)/kangara(p.339)
Mutunchi/benevolence/kindness/
p.471 – mana2(p.450)/ zagurubo(p.224)/
Raha/merriment/enjoyment/
p.536 – kpalemo/egwaya/nyagbanfa/
Rakumi/camel/
p.536 – rakun (p.537)
Rikichi/trouble/agitation/
p. 538 – keya(p.355)/kangara(p.339)
Rongomi/discount/reduction/
p.540 – chinke/chinwóke/chinwóya/chinzhinkin/
Rubutu/writing/
p.540 – enyaka (p.186)/ka1 (p.331)
Sarari/chance/opportunity/
p.558 – ebade/yapya/kafa/
Sarati/reason/excuse/
p.558 – ebóna/ebokibo (p.123)
Shani/festival/celebration/party/
p.563 – edzo1 (p.133)/kpalemo/mami1 (p.449)/
Shawura/counsel/advice/consultation/
p.563 – ezaba1 (p.222)/gangba (p.254) /
Shiru/noiseless/silence/
p.571 – sunsun (p.582)
Shugaba/leader/head/
p.572 – edzoshichi (p.134) /tishi (p.598)/
Sifa/type/kind/class/
p.573 – titi1/(p.599)/yiri (p.673)/dozhi (p.102)/
Tafi1 /palm
of the hand/go/p.586 – gwanda (/lo
Taimako/assistance/help/
p. 586 – bajinre/(p.37)/chewu/(p.72) /
Takama/pride/ego/
p.587 – pe/(p.530) /gágà1/(p.248)
Takobi/sword/
p.588 – ebiko (p.121)
Talaka/poor/destitute/
p.589 – yajinchi (p.656)
Talauchi/poverty/
p.589 – yaji1 (p.656)
Tarihi/history/
p.593 – etan (p.200)
Tawaye/rebellion/revolt/
p.594 – kangara (p.339)
Tsakani/between/p.604
– gandan (p.253)
Tufuwa/cloth/dress/
p.620 – éwó/ede2 (p.128)/
Tumbi/belly/stomach/
p.621 – gbako1 (p.265)
Tunga/suburb/
p.621 –-ezhitako/ekpan/ban/bazuma/
Ture/abroad/oversea/p.622
– kinden(p.357)/kin-nasara(p.358)
Turumi/bundle of
cloth/ p.623 – ede-tsukun
Wuzuri –uzuri /business/mission/
p.652 – etun1 (p.208) /woche (p.641)
Yamma /west/
p.657 – Eyilozun (p.222)
Yeda/yarda/agree/
p.662 – ye2 (p.661)
Zanba/mischief/
p.681 – wurunyebo/ (p.649)
Zwalunchi/zalunchi/cheating/deceiving/
p.696 – eyewon/eyewu (p.221)
And lots more…
Some
English rooted Words
Kichini/kitchen/p.356
– Nancheta (p.477)
Namba1/number/count/
p.476 - ba1 (p.29)/ bàchi
Palo/parlour/p.525
–/katadunfe/katamba (p.347)/
Soyabin/Soybeans/p.580
– Ezosoya(p.228)
Suga/sugar/p.580
– esan-munugi literarily sweet salt (Crowther, 1864.118); also sanmáná
Teburu/table/p.595
– gando/sìnsara/(Crowther.1864.118), èsákó
(Banfield & Macintyre, 1915.182)
Tela/tailor/p.595
– Enyakinci (Banfield &
Macintyre, 1915.182) & (Crowther, 1864.119); it also called /edegunci/edekinci/
Telefon/telephone/p.595
– Esànwógi/
Television/p.595
– kpatisangi/kpantisànwó/kpati-esànwó/
Wunda/wundu/window/
p.648 - dzufa (p.110) also dzufági/kpébagi
And lots more…
However,
I am with the opinion that these foreign elements should not have been included
in this important reference material. For instance, words with Arabic roots
such as aduwa – prayer (p.9), Alijena
– paradise (p.16) Alimasihu - Jesus
Christ (p.18), Alubarika – blessing,
grace (p.18), annabi -
prophet/messenger (p.22), malayika/manlayika – angel (p.447,452), asiri
– hidden (p.23) etc. are unique expressions unfamiliar to Africans until the
coming of Islam, and whose influence have become useful.
4.
Some
Missing Words in the Dictionary
Despite the fact
that this dictionary is all inclusive, one still finds the following words in
the categories of vocabulary, some plants and animals completely missing:
Awagbariya/pick-up
van/
Balangi/young
girls dance style involves tiptoeing and clapping of hands at the same time/
Banin/satisfy/assure/
Bansa/burst-in/mix-up/blend/merge/
Barika-sùdà/informal-greeting for farting/
Bori-zògun/bedwetting/
Bòpín/ridge/verb-work
completion sign in the farm/
Bòpínla/labòpin/noun-sign of completing a task/
Cefu/chefu/unfertile/abandon farm land/
Chingi/fornicate/
- Egichin/ nyatsugicin/fornication/
Chinke/reduce/concession/
chinwóke/discount/
chinwóya/money
off/price-cut/
chinzhin
/reduction/2.calmdown/ markdown/
dakpè/revere/
Dànbo/big/large/
Dangba/fence/
Dankangi/surround/around/
Dantsunceya/cigbe ebaleye/medicine for extraterrestrial power to be able to see the
hidden/
Dintukpa/warn/advise/
Dzakan-dzalugi/restless/wander/
Dzatin/discover/
Dzodzogi/pleasant/lovely/
Ebácin/matrimonial
relationship/
Ebafin/bafin/sanitation/hygiene/cleanliness/sweepings/
- finba-verb/sweep/clean/
Ebanádanci/arson/
Èdìn/coded
statement/speech spoken to conceal a fact from a person or peers/
Egankengi/clause/
Eganmika/sentence/
Egantukun/phrase/
Egiminá/1.informal
- Scorn, stubborn person/ 2. Insult/3. Warning/
Egwa-tintiko/thumb/
Egwatso/1.misfortune/2.
Quickness/promptness/
Ekinjin/injection/
also jinkin/inject/insert/
ekpeda/reverence/
Elako/acre/
Elakoti/boundary
between acres/
Élí/vine/
2./harvested leaves vine/ i.e. élí-guzha,
élí-duku, etc.
Emika/word/
Enyabà/counting/counting
system/
Enyalò/calculation/arithmetic/
Esù/cooked
food ready for eating/
Esùdà/digested
food/
Etansan/film/movie/
Etansanci/actor/
Etika/conviction/persuasion
/- kati/convince/retract/persuade/
Ètswan/porridge/swallow-ball/
éyè/calm/sensible/
Eyigbóró/north/
Eyitakò/south/
Ezagwagbagi/poor/destitute/
Fanpa/fold/
Fini-mungoro/mark-female tattoo style that
resembles mango-leave on the arm - old use/. The popular tattooist in the old
times was one Gana Gozan popularly known as ‘Ya-Gana’ in the 1950s-70s from
Etsu Babakudu area along Hajiya lolo area in Bida.
Firadi/fisòkó /satiate the meteorite power/
Fushigban/tired/lost/
Fyatya/palm
frond woven tray/
Gberekagun/immunization/prevention/
Gbonga-pùtù/bomb/
Gbótsutsùn/hundred
million/
Gbwa/gush/ also gbwagbwa/gushing/ gbwagbwanyi
/adv. - gushingly/
Gbwasha/sock
–footcloth/footwear/
Gidi
/old name for Baro in Agaie LGA/
Giko/deteriorate/wear/
Giyefi/unclear/
uncertain/ambiguous/
Gokati
/ahead/
Gungba/associate/partner/
Gwaka-aduwa/token paid for prayer- idiomatic
expression/
Gwan/gulp/
Gwannyi/gulping/
Kádan/strive/commitment/zeal/
- also kikadan
Kagbóla/lakagbó/sponsor/take-care/
Kakudiya/female
tattoo style - old use/
Kanban/group
harvest of maize/
Kanko/group
harvest of cutting sugar cane, grain stalks/
Kankú/group
harvest system of picking groundnuts, bambara-nut with reward/
Kanku/group
packing farm produce/
Kanpa/fold
over/
Kanpin/pepper
group harvest/
Kenci-wusa/a person whose both parents are not
Nupe but can speak the language well
Kikpan/very
thick/
Kondanyé/inquisitiveness/kin/mean/
Kodyadya/sluggish/
also slang for Shagari-style Suzuki motorcycle/
Kpalemo/ceremonial
arrangement/
Kpéla/migration/exodus/relocation/
Kpebagi/window/
Kpékpan/conclude/finish/
Kpéla/migration/
Kpótsutsùn/one
million/
Kpwakpwangbwaya/excessively
cheap/bonanza price/discounted price/
Kuba/close-in
/near/ also kukuba
Kulagi-Sòkó/natural black dot/spot on the face
or skin/
Kuluwanshí/female
hawker/
Kutukpa/witch dance/
Kwa/fetch
a thick substance/
Kwá/disappoint/fail/
Kwamu/drink/take-in
edible thick substance/
Kwannyi/gulp/
Kwankwannyi/gulping/
Kya/sink/
Kyakun/sink
deep/
Kyatya-kyatya/tractor/
Laraba-gana/lit. Gana’s Wednesday – old myth in Nupeland-
an evil night in the month of Safar (in Islamic calendar) where household
utensils are covered to prevent/
Leshè/pro-long
sickness/
Makaba/locust
beans pods infusion for flooring/
Micinniwa/ewù/venom/
Nifigi/Enifigi/kpanu-nifigi/évó-nifigi/smallest plate in a set - soup plate/
Nudun/fertile
land/
Nupe-wusa/a person whose one of his parents
is not Nupe, but he can speak the language well
Nyagbanpin/envy
/ - also pinnyagban
Nyagbanshi/undoubted
/firm/confidence/
Pakin/local
child feeding method/
Robunkpe/conceal/regret/
Sanka/brand
new/novel/fresh/
Shankala/harlot/
Shebelu/floor-beater/
Sokpá/ekpáso/assist/
Tinmitson/food
tasting/mouth refresh/
Tokun/enough
i.e food/appetite lost/
Tsuru/flow/gush/
also tsururu/gushing/
Tsuti/senseless/locked/
Tswanni/twist/interweave/
i.e. tswannifidozhi
Tukpadin/warning/caution/
Tyagunnya/weakly/feebly/
Wado/frighten/shock/
Walò/acrobatic
swim/
Washe//frighten/restless/shock/
Wata/come-up/show/
Watu/show-up/reveal/
Wawan/regatta/
Wuti/dead-end/
Yabanci
/Cultural and regatta display at Yaba in Abaji LGA/
Yenbi/rough/poor
work/ unsatisfactory/
Yigba/shrink/subside/
Zheganga/slant/skew/
Zhí/confuse/restless/
Zunyetin/tinzunye/ pride/dignity/grace/
And lots more...
Here
are some plants not found therein:
Biciyawogi/Okra spp/
Cingibàtà/grass spp/
Dancibogi/tree
spp/
Edungulu/okra spp/
Éfúkó/weed
spp/
Égóyikere/grass spp/
Egwatagi/creepy plant/
Élí/vine
leaves/
Ènú/Cactus/
Etigbarabá/bitter
melon/ (momordica charantia)
Eyaguzha/weed spp/
Eyayaba/herb/
Furagi/plant
spp/
Giyebafin/shrub
spp/
Goyi-gungbo /jimson weed/ (Datura stramonium) poisonous weed with purple flower/ also Finniga/(p.237)
guzha-dòkò
/three
or more seed shell groundnut/
guzha-yikere/ dry season/a
season ground nut spp/
Jekuntankpolo/weed spp/
Kankó/ekankó/thorny weed that looks like spinach/
Kasamagi/weed
spp/
Kinkeregi/small
scorpion-like weed/
Kparumagi/plant
spp/
Kukurafegi/Okra Spp/
Kunwawa/fungus spp/
Mayibókun/cinigbakogi/weed spp/
Pwatwa/plant
spp/
Rukokunko/tree
spp/
Shelu-kpatagi/ground
bambara nuts spp/
Shengi/plant
spp/
Songbáráci/tree
spp/
Suru/tree
spp/
Zanbu/herb
spp/
Zugubagi/two seasoned groundnuts/
And lots more…
Here
are nyakungizhi (animals) not found:
Bìbòrwà /Amphisbaenid
snake/
Bishengikun/ Moorhen/(Gallinula Chloropus)
Bindigakó /Very large, black, evil smelling ant/
Dangigó
/Puma/
Duwa
/Dragon/
Egbágásá
/Camel Spider/
Egbegi
/Driver Ant/ Dorylus/
Ekan
/ Ekandangi/Cheetah/
Ekandunku
/Tiger/
Fíndzúngi /small snake/
Gbanmadzurugi
/Small red insect which comes with the first rains; a name for trade velvet/
Jasò /Palm
snake/snake that lives in the top of palm trees/
Katengi
/Sweet Ant/
Kyatyagigó /Zebra/
Kyatyagi–yiwó/Mare/
Mìnì / Mìnì-mìnì (Weaver Ant)
Nyakabìsagi (Zorilla)
Sùryagi /Bush pig/
Sòkóyawogi /also Làvonlàvo /Praying mantis/
And
lots more…
5.
Nupe
Communities not found in the dictionary
i.
Federal
Capital Territory (FCT)
There are Nupe
communities in about four wards/districts in Abaji Local Government Area of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that were not included in this great book. Communities
like Mamagi and Mawagi in Alu/Mamagi Ward; Pandagi, pandagi-Gbako, and Pandagi
II in Agyana/Pandagi Ward; Kitikpa and Mawogi in Gawu Ward; Manderegi &
Ebagi in Nuku/Sabongari Ward; Ebagi, Rimba Gana-Gana in Rimba/Ebagi
ward/district; and Yaba, Yaba UNICEF,
Kpace/kpache, Adagba in Yaba Ward/district.
ii.
Niger
State
Gbako LGA: Buki,
Cheninya, Dantigi, Godigo, Jankidi, Lankorogi,
Sheshi-Gonna,
etc.
Lavun LGA:
Adoga-Man, Adoga-tacin, Adoga Swarwa, Ganzhefu, Ndakwama, Salegi, Zakari, etc.
Lapai LGA: Badeni,
Ekun, Ewan, Gbacenku, Kokoci, Mumbo, Ndale (Guzhagi), etc.
iii.
Kwara
State
Edu LGA: Esungi,
Gunji-Saaci, Gbafun, Gakpan, Vuma, Mawogi, among others.
6.
Important
Personalities left-out in this lexicon
The names of these
people would have added colours to this important cultural encyclopedia:
i.
Malam Umaru Agaie (Cekpa of Agaie), one of the founder of
Jam’iyyar Mutanen Arewa that later became Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), he
together with Dr. R.A.B Dikko, Malam Abubakar Imam
Kagara, founded the organization in October 1948. He was the NPC founding
Publicity Secretary in 1949.
ii.
Muhammadu Bida (1914-1999),
he was the late Iyan Sokoto, the former headmaster of the Sokoto Middle School
(1945-1955).
iii.
B.M. Dzukogi, activist, teacher, sport administrator and a
writer who has written about nine titles and he is the pioneer Director General
of Niger State Book Development Agency, Minna, and the current National
Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors. He was the Senior Special
Assistant to the Governor of Niger State on Documentation and elevated to the
position of the Executive Coordinator on Documentation in 2009. He is a holder
of Literary Excellence Award by Niger State Government in 2010.
iv.
Yahaya
Mohammad, born in Bida on the 16th June 1970; Yahaya was a mid-fielder in the
18 player- team that represented Nigeria and won the 1985 maiden edition of
FIFA Under-16 World Championship hosted by Peoples’ Republic of China between
July 31- August 11, 1985.
v.
Yakubu Alfa (MON), the youngest Nupe man
with a national honour. Born on 31st
December 1990 in Bida town, Bida Local
Government Area in Niger State. Started his professional football with the
Niger Tornadoes FC, Niger State from 2005 to 2008 from the Junior team to the
Senior team. He joined a Swedish Football Club- Helsingborg FC after the FIFA Under-17 World Cup
Championship in South Korea in 2008
vi.
Alhaji
Yabagi Danlami Bologi, former Chairman, Lokoja Local government area (August
2008 – 2011). (1990-12-31)
vii.
Sheikh
Saidu Muhammadu Enagi (1952 – 2011) renowned Islamic Scholar who was born in
Enagi in the present Edati Local Government area of Niger State. He attended
elementary school in Ibadan, then Institute of Islamic and Arabic, Lokoja and
lastly Bayero University, Kano.
He was the Chief Imam of the Juma’at Mosque of the Federal Polytechnic Bida. He
was also the patron of the Muslim Forum in Bida. The Sheikh conducted Ramadan
Tafsir twice daily during every month of Ramadan in Nupe Language for years. He
completed the translation of the entire Qur’an into Nupe and published it in
2002.
viii.
Sadisu
Mohammed - a holder of the title of (Sarkinwasan
Nupe) given to him by Etsu Nupe, Alhaji (Dr.) Yahaya Abubakar CFR for pioneering
and contributing to the promotion and preservation of Nupe language through the
production of films, musicals and lots more thereby growing the Nupe
Entertainment Industry popularly known as the Nupewood. He has produced and
directed over 100 films and Musicals in Nupe, he is a lecturer with IBBU Lapai and held
from Mokwa in Mokwa LGA. He is also known as ‘Teacher Yekundunu’.
And lots more...
Conclusively, despites
the above observations on the dictionary, and, being the first edition, there is
room for amend in the subsequent editions. But the fact still remains that it is
indeed a heritage to behold which I recommend for all to have irrespective of
your language or tribe. It is a reference material for all most especially scholars
and institutions which is already steering a healthy intellectual discourse. It
is an addition to my bedside friends. Ambassador Solomon Adama Yisa, Etan Nupe,
has made us all proud with this wonderful cultural information reservoir and I
can only say GAWAMA SIR!
References:
Banfield, A.W. &
Macintyre, J. L. (1915). A Grammar of the
Nupe Language, Together with a Vocabulary. Suffolk: Richard Clay & Sons
Limited.
Crowther, Right
Rev.Samuel (1864). A Grammar and
Vocabulary of the Nupe Language. London: Church Missionary House.
Ibn Battuta, Abu
Abdullah Muhammad (1356). Ibn Battuta:
Travels in Asia and Africa 1325- 1354.
Ibrahim, Isyaku Bala (2009). Eganmaganzhi Nupe (Nupe Proverbs), over
a thousand (1000) proverbs). Minna: Gandzo Enterprises.
Ibrahim, Isyaku Bala (2012). Enyalò (Nupe Arithmetic). Minna:
Gandzo Enterprises.
Ndagi, M. U. Sheikh Saeedu Muhammad Enagi (1952-2011).
Weekly Trust newspaper. Abuja: 12th
November 2011.
