KÁMI NUPE (NUPE MODERN CALENDAR)

BY 

ISYAKU BALA IBRAHIM

Introduction

There is one important phenomenon which chases a being. It gradually hunts and brings it down as predetermined. It is an experience that everyone should be conscious of. It is simply called time. Time is well known conqueror of the living and to a large extend even the non-living. BM Dzukogi, a philosopher of our time defines it as, “Time is the permanent determinant of how, when and what becomes of actions, processes, events, man and the environment.” So in essence man is aware of the fact that he is in transition the very day he stepped into the world. It is however propelled by a constant doting of the second which gradually eat-away the time he is expected to spend on earth. It therefore becomes important for man to tract events and actions in a manner to be able to tell, move or recount actions of the past, present and future. The past may be gone; the present is here while the future is pregnant with lots of aspirations.

            The idea of Nupe Lunar Calendar project is aimed at promoting the way our people structured their activities which covered the 12 months in the past and how it became a concept of awareness, currently. This is an idea that was muted on 20^th November 2013 on my usual contacts with BM Dzukogi, and we muted the idea in an attempt to sell to the public the calendar and the most importantly the new Nupe numeral symbols.

On 22^nd November 2013, I met him (BM Dzukogi) for the second time on the calendar issue; he then made an interesting statement that it will be preferable if we have our own numeral symbols on it, stating that it will be more dramatic and attention-grabbing too. I immediately informed him of the numeral symbols I had invented on 29^th April 2012, shortly after my Enyalò  (Nupe Arithmetic) book was published. He was amazed to see it and sought that we use it immediately.

However, the first written document on the Nupe calendar was in Banfield & Macintyre’s Nupe Grammar Book published in 1915. It documented the days and the months, and the various activities and festivals in each of the Nupe month in the calendar year. These festivals became symbols or names of months which could be traced to the time Nupe people used it in the past, orally and greatly influenced when the kingdom embraced Islam as its religion. The only evidence we have of our Islamic heritage could possibly be in the 15th or 16^th century of the Gregorian calendar reckoning. That is around 9^th and 10^th century of the Hijrah (Islamic) calendar.

For centuries, Nupe people used the moon for counting the days which were primarily to celebrate their pagan feasts, rites and rituals of the old Nupe religion such as Gunnukó (fertility god), zhiba (god of commitment),  Sako (hunting ritual), Wásá (snake medicine festival), Tsari/Gànì (strength/power/wrestling contest festival), Dzakó (the god of Ndaduma) etc. The fixed months of the festivals or rituals were Etswa Gànì, Etswa Tógàya, Etswa Gunnukó/ Gunnu/ Egunnu, Etswa Wásá, Etswa Dzakó and others. They were largely oral in recognition to celebrate the festivals through the constant and gradual phenomenon of appearance and disappearance of the moon, tracked through mere observation and counting of 29 or 30 days for a month.

So the Pagan calendar was later overshadowed by the Islamic calendar as most Nupe people converted to the new religion.  The names that still reflect the past pagan festivals were rejected while those that were ordinary were retained by the Islamic orientation of the kingdom. Some retained ones are: Etswa Gani, Eyazhe, Eyazoci, and Togaya.

EFO (DAY)

The efo (a day) is the same with the western or Arabic day systems of second, minute and hour. Efo is not tracked in 24hours instead a comprehensive tracking is employed based on the phase-to-phase changes within the day which broadly comprises the Yigidi (day) and the Yèshi (night) periods. These periods are further broken into Yisàká/fafa (dawn), Lazhìn (morning), Yigidi-tinya (sunrise), Yigidiwó (midday), Lózùn (evening), Sadu (midnight), and Sadugándu (deep-night). However, efozhi (days) of the month are not tentatively grouped in weeks,but counting of the days are done to meet up with daily and monthly engagements i.e. fixed market days, feast days or any important schedules/activity known to each community.

Therefore, below are the ways Nupe people counted days that make up a month backward or forward:

The forward counting of days:

1.      Nyina/today

2.      Esun/tomorrow

3.      Sòkpazhìn/ in two days’ time

4.      Efogunni-nyina /in three days’ time

5.      Efogutsun-nyina/ in four days’ time

6.      Efogutswanyi-nyina/ in five days’ time

7.      Efogutwabà-nyina/ in six days’ time

8.      Efogutòtá-nyina/ in seven days’ time (a week in Arabic or western reckoning)

9.      Efogwegi-nyina/ in fourteen days’ time

10.  Efoshi be nìní-nyina/ in twenty days’ time

The backward counting of days:

1.      Yábaci / Eyábaci – last year

2.      Aguntswaguta – three months ago

3.      Agunfogwegi/two weeks ago

4.      Agunfogutòtá/a week ago

5.      Agunfogunni/three days ago

6.      Tsotaci/a day before yesterday

7.      Tsuwó/yesterday

A Week

As I pointed earlier, before the advent of foreign religions in Nupe land, Nupes counted days without the week, and no names were given to days that made up the week as we have them today. So the current names of days that make up a week were adopted with advent of Islam. So, the days of the week has an Arabic source as enumerated below:

Átènin/ Ithnayn/ (Monday)

Tàlátà / Thulaathaaʼ/ (Tuesday)

Làrùba/ Arba’aa’ / (Wednesday)

Àlàmí/ Khamīs / (Thursday)

Jímà/ Jumu’ah / (Friday)

Àsíbì / Sabt / (Saturday)

Ladè/ Aḥad / (Sunday)

ÈTSWÁZHI (MONTHS)

The months are strictly according to the lunar appearance on the sky and the counting is done from the first day crescent appearance till it disappears on the 29^th or 30^th day of each of the months. There could be some overlap in some instances. And in all, there are twelve months:

1.      Èyázheci/ Ninfu – it is the month of torches (návùn) and feast of filled bellies (Ninfu)

2.      Etswa Bedzo-Gànì – month before local wrestling /combat

3.      Etswa Gànì -month before local wrestling /combat

4.      Tógàya – the first month of Tógàya

5.      Tógàya-Bàci – the second month of Tógàya

6.      Etswa Bedzo Azun-Ezagbakozhi – the month before the old people’s fast

7.      Etswa Azun-Ezagbakozhi – the month of old people fast

8.      Etswa Bedzo-Azun – the month  before general fast

9.      Etswa Azun – the month of general fast

10.  Etswa Sálagi – the month small feast

11.  Etswa Bedzo Èyázoci/Sálakó – the month before the end of year

12.  Èyázoci/Sálakó – end of year month / big feast month

EKÁZHI (SEASONS)

There are six seasons (Nadel, 1942: 409) in the Nupe agricultural calendar which are:

i.                    Gbama/first rains season/

ii.                  Zuzunka/rainy season/

iii.                Elemàgi/heavy rain season/

iv.                Sabaká /growth season/

v.                  Gbanferè/cold season

vi.                Banagun /hot season/

EYÁ KPÓBÀ BÈ SHITSUN Ì DÍN GUBÀ (NUPE YEAR 498AN)

The Nupe year counting is tied to the year the Kingdom was founded in 1531  by Etsu Edegi or Tsoede (Nadel, 1942.406) at Gbárá which is equivalent to the year 937AH (Hijrah Lunar calendar) which if we deduct 937 from the current year of 1435, we would have 498 Lunar years since Nupe Kingdom was founded. In the alternative, it is possible to calculate the years using a solar year by deducting 1531 from the current year 2014 which will give 483years in the solar reckoning. And to make it a lunar year, divide these years 483 by 33 (that is, in every 33 years, the lunar years will be a year ahead of the solar year or Gregorian year) which will give 16 years addition. When it is added to 483, it gives a total of 498 lunar years. So, 498 is the number of years since Nupe Kingdom was founded (AN). Hence that is the way Nupe year 498AN was arrived at.

Conclusion

The essence of the calendar is principally to enable one to be very conscious of time, and to judiciously use it to his benefit, and to the benefit of others. It should serve as radar to enable us remember and record the past, the present and plan for the future.

References:

Banfield, A. W. &Macintyre, J. L. (1915).A Grammar of the Nupe Language, Together with a Vocabulary. London: Richard Clay & Sons Limited.

Dzukogi, BM. Artistry of Time in Creation. New Nigerian Newspaper. Kaduna: February 23, 2002

Ibrahim, Isyaku Bala (2012). Enyalò (Nupe Arithmetic). Minna: Gandzo Enterprises.

Lamtabbet, R.  Arabic Days of the Week

http://www.softarabic.com/arabic-days-of-the-week/ (accessed 26 January 2014)

Nadel, Siegfried Frederick (1942).The Black Byzantine: Nupe Kingdom of Northern Nigeria. London: International Institute of African languages & cultures.

The Year 1531.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1531 (accessed on 24 November 2013).

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EGANMAGAN (PROVERB) AND EGANCIN (IDIOM) IN NUPE LANGUAGE OF NIGERIA

By

ISYAKU BALA IBRAHIM

Key words:

Difference, Eganmagan, Egancin, Idiom, Language, Nupe, and Proverbs

1.0 ABSTRACT

The problems of ambiguity of similar or identical words occur in different languages across the world, and efforts are constantly made to get them in the right perspective. It is worst when problem of misunderstanding or wrong word usage occur. It is more critical and fundamental when it transcends from the ordinary speakers on the street to the academic environment or intellectual space. Therefore, by going through their roots to understand the morphological arrangement or structure enabled us to get the exact meanings of these figurative words: Eganmagan (Proverb) and Egancìn (Idiom) which will lead to a proper understanding, and clear the cloud surrounding their current usage in communication among Nupe language speakers in the Northern part of Nigeria.

2.0 INTRODUCTION

A language is made up of whole lot of things which grows along with its speakers over a period of time. It is natural that one expects some fundamental changes along this growth process. This developmental process attains maturity with the ability to give right meanings to all things in its environment both physical and abstract. Once this is established, it will prevent misleading a whole generation to something that is not. Therefore, situating every word, phrase, clause, sentence rightly is the most important thing one can easily do to assist in instituting this salient fact. 

All languages of the world make use of proverbs and idioms to communicate among its speakers. Thus, the more a language uses them, the more it shows the depth of the language, and particularly if the speakers can use it to resolve a given problem through the use of carefully guided phrases or sentences that are factual, or make the dialogue among people more meaningful and beneficial. Figures of speech such as proverbs traditionally have special place in the minds of people. It has a way of satisfying, arresting, directing the conversation in favour of the eloquent speaker(s) as others in the group are persuaded to listen to a superior usage of these grammatical devices as it adds colour and beauty to the whole dialogue.

Nupe language is the language whose speakers are found majorly in the North-Central Part of Nigeria. It is one of the major languages in Nigeria out of over 350 the country is proud of. The actual population of the speakers in the country cannot be tentatively ascertained owing to the fact that recently concluded head-counts do not include the ethnicity/tribe in its questionnaires. Though, it is estimated that the population of the speakers are in the range of three to four million throughout the country.

However, there is an age-long challenge on the use of these metaphorical words in Nupeland among the language speakers which also affected the works of early and current Nupe anthropologists, translators, evangelists, and researchers. It is the challenge of distinguishing between these two all important components of a language: Eganmagan and Egancìn. Regrettably, they are interchangeably used currently. In some instances, Eganmagan is often referred to as Egancìn vice versa. So, this paper aimed at situating rightly and removes all barriers causing confusion in the use of the two similar but distinctive sayings.

3.0 MEANINGS OF EGANMAGAN AND EGANCÌN

It is imperative to know the meanings of these words which will go a long way to aid in really getting the difference embedded in them.

Eganmagan – ganmagan / gamaga (proverb) and its plural (eganmaganzhi / ganmaganzhi) is a well known phrase or sentence that gives advice or says something that is generally true in Nupe language as used by its speakers. It originates from the Latin word proverbium (Wikipedia -12/9/2013). It is also a short statement of wisdom or advice that is transmitted from generation to generation and has passed into general use. It is a metaphorical sentence that embodies a common observation.  It usually summarizes thoughts or long sentence or phrase into an appreciable short form. A proverb is a short or pithy remark or story designed to convey a moral or practical message like the eponymous book of proverbs in the Bible which, in many chapters have one or two verse statements of this sort, "Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly" (Bible -NIV, Proverb 17.12).

Therefore, they are wise sayings well spoken among Nupes. They educate, entertain, and teach morality and good conscience (Ibrahim, x.2009).

Egancìn / gancìn / gacìn / (Idiom) derived from Latin idioma meaning ‘special property.’ It is an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements. It is defined as a group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words expressed (Oxford Advance learner’s Dictionary 720.2005).

4.0 THE MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURES OF EGANMAGAN AND EGANCIN

To better understand what these mean in Nupe language, it is important we understand the structures of the words involved. It is an aspect of grammar that could help resolve the problem of their usage generally. By getting the words in their morphological structure that the distinction of the two words can be clearly noticed. 

Eganmagan

There are four morphemes in the above word and this is its structure:

Ø  /E/ - prefix

Ø  /gan/ -  ‘talk’ or ‘Speech’ or ‘statement’

Ø  /ma /má/ - ‘sweet’ or ‘pleasant’ or ‘nice’

Ø  /gan/ - ‘say’ or ‘mention’ or ‘speak’

Eganmagan    →     /E/          +        /gan/                +        /ma/            +            /gan/

 (Proverb)    → (Prefix)          +      (Statement)       +      (Pleasant)        +         (Speak/say)

N/Noun/     → N/nominalizer/   +     V/verb/           +      A /adjective/    +          V/verb/

From the analysis of the morphemes and the grammatical structure of the word, one can deduce literally that Eganmagan is a general statement that is agreeable or pleasant. Technically, it is a statement that advices, warns, or guides toward solving a problem among the speakers. 

Egancìn

Egancìn has three morphemes and the word can be parsed as seen below:

  Egancìn     →         /E/          +          /gan/              +                      /cìn/

  (Idiom)     →       (prefix)      +              (say)               +           (Concentrated / Broader / Intense)

  N/noun/    →   N/norminalizer/  +        V/verb/            +                    A/adjective/

Therefore, it is a statement that is very intense in its form and meaning. It is intense because its meaning is broadly hidden.

5.0 EXAMPLES OF EGANMAGAN AND EGANCÌN

Here are some interesting popular sayings and proverbs in Nupe language:

>>Batán na à wu eza na, etsan wun è man boci ò.

 Translation: The disease that will kill a patient will continue to laugh at the herbalist or the doctor. (A problem that defiled all solutions should simply be left alone).

>>Ka éná bici gunni è cefo nikin.

     Translation: Even a four-legged game does sometimes fall. (‘No one is above mistake.’)

>>Cincin nna è tàn gi ò.

      Translation: A mother’s love does have an effect on her child.  (The love between a child and his parent is unquantifiable).

>>  Eza è kpetso Sòkó nikin nyi à.

Translation:  Whoever leans on God will not fall. (People should depend and have total trust in God at all times, because He does not fail).

>> Zana à kún na, wun kún Sòkó à.

Translation: He who is above all is below God. (Whatever level a person has attained in life, he cannot out do God).

        >>Zuma lo nya kingbagba wun jin dansun à.

       Translation: The backward movement of a ewe is not out of fear. (Avoiding confrontation is not an act of cowardice but a preparation to face the challenge).

Examples of Idioms

The following are some interesting idiomatic expressions:

>> Enya à zhe edeko nyagban

This thing had turned into a chest wrapper.

      Meaning: Enya na à kuku / Enya gbako (An old thing)

>> Mi sa eci sa egwa mi tun émí à

I just cultivated the yams, but my hands cannot get to the oil.

      Meaning: Nyana kagbo eza tun à na (What one cannot do or what is above one’s reach).

>>Edzanzhi è ni enyà

The drummers have started drumming

       Meaning: Madan è gun eza (Someone is hungry). It is a known fact that sometime, when one is hungry, it might seem as if he is having running stomach which sometime produces sounds.

>>A dan bo

Translation: They are around

Meaning: Madan è gun eza (one is hungry)

6.0 Discussing the Similarities and the Difference

It is very important to critically put things where they belong by clearly analyzing the differences and similarities between Eganmagan and Egancìn. Virtually, a proverb has some common features:

i.             Folk wisdom

ii.           Literal meaning – its face/plain meaning

iii.         Figurative meaning – slightly hidden, understanding the message might sometimes require a simple explanation.

iv.          Use of grammatical devices that help make them to be more memorable which include strong imagery, metaphor, alliteration, rhyme, parallel structure, repetition of key words or phrases, and clichés.

Likewise, every idiomatic expression has almost the same characteristics or features as a proverb with one or two distinct ones:

i.                    Mostly a phrase made up of few words i.e. mostly an incomplete sentence.

ii.                  Figurative meaning that is heavily hidden. They are very intense; as such broader explanation is required to understand it.

Like idioms, proverbs often have a meaning that is greater than the meaning of the individual words put together, but in a different way than idioms. The literal meaning of an idiom usually does not make sense, and idioms can be almost impossible to understand unless you have learned or heard them before. For instance, when one compares a proverb:

>>Koti na è wu nangi na, wun gá nankozhi è la lo ègizhi ò (A tick that kills a sheep is what the cattle graze with.)

Explanation: The strong will always survive the worst situations.

With an idiom:

>> Eba à wòná (Everywhere is hot)

Meaning: Éwó à cinbo / Éwó danbo à (Lack of money/ there is no money)

One observes that the literal meaning of the proverb and idiom does not makes full sense on their own, until one applies their broader meanings to understand their real points. 

Again, an idiom is an expression that can be understood only as a whole and not by analyzing its constituent parts. For example, if one knows what ‘A’(to) ‘la’(crush) ‘yaka’(pepper) mean, that will not help it understand that ‘to crush pepper’ means ‘to eat.’

The Issue of Idiomatic Proverbs

A proverb is a brief piece of "folk wisdom" (Mieder, 2008). Typically, one complete sentence, it expresses some form of advice; many people can quote it exactly, but it is not known where it came from originally. It may or may not be idiomatic, but it expresses succinctly some form of philosophy, folk wisdom or advice. However, when proverbs contain some idiomatic features they are referred to as ‘idiomatic proverbs.’ For instance:

>> Biyekó ù ya biyegi ba (The bigger buttocks should give the smaller buttocks chance)

Meaning: Dzakangi ù nakin nusa ù fedun (A child should give an elder chance to seat).

It is the broader meaning that expresses the wisdom embedded in the proverb that a child should get up for an elder to seat in most situations.

Other examples of idiomatic proverbs are:

>>Ka éná bici gunni è cefo nikin. (Literal – ‘Even a four-legged game does sometimes fall’).

Broader meaning: ‘No one is above mistake.’

>> A la eza ta doko kpansanna ò (literal - To put one on a stalk-horse).

Broader meaning: Eza tà (To deceive one).

So, idiomatic proverbs are proverbs that have folk wisdom entrenched in them, and they are idioms because their meanings are hidden or too intense to understand plainly.

7.0 THE DIVIDE ON THE USE OF EGANCÌN AND EGANMAGAN AMONG INTELLECTUALS

The literary activities on grammar and particularly written Nupe proverbs started more than a century and a half ago. It started specifically by Reverend Samuel Ajayi Crowther who included 29 Nupe proverbs (written in Nupe language and translated into English with explanations too) in his Nupe Grammar book (Crowther, 31-36.1864). Unfortunately, he did not mention the Nupe word for a proverb in the book. All other efforts followed till date and it has resulted into an array of silent disagreement in the usage of these two words for a proverb, and this is manifested in the number of published works of some scholars and intellectuals which are categorized into three distinctive divisions as shown below:

Pro-Egancìn Scholars

These are the scholars whose published works shows or agreed that the word Egancìn/ gancìn/ ganchì/ gacìn/ means a proverb. An attempt have been made to understand what these words mean in Nupe language, and one instance was illustrated in the field works of S. F. Nadal while at Ilorin on August 24, 1936 where he mentioned an encounter with some Nupe people, and he sought for explanation of certain words which revealed a degree of ignorance of what a proverb means to him. He jotted, “Ecin and Gacin I ask about ecin... None of them can tell me any. For, they say ecin are told by dzakangizi only. When you grow up you don't hear them anymore, and forget them. What, then, are the stories or tales of the adult ? They tell gacin (proverbs and riddles!). But nevertheless they can't tell me any gacin either. For ‘not everybody knows them’ well enough...”(Blench, 225.2006). Thus, other intellectuals in this group are:

-          A. W. Banfield in his Nupe Dictionary in two volumes of over 13,000 words.

-          A. W. Banfield in his translated books of Psalms and Proverbs (part of the Old Testament of the Bible) into Nupe, titled Zabura tò Gạ̀cìṇẓì (Psalms and Proverbs).

-          Nupe Bible Translation Committee that translated the whole Bible into Nupe specifically the ‘Book of Proverbs’ translated as Gạ̀cìṇẓì in 1953. The Committee included people like A. W. Banfield, I. W. Sherk, F. Merryweather, A. E. Ball, and C. H. Daintree.

Pro-Eganmagan Intellectuals

These are thinkers who used Eganmagan as the title of their proverb books with the agreement that the word correctly defined a proverb in the language:

-          A. W. Banfield in his Published proverbs book - Gạ̀mạgạ̀ nyá Nupe – (Nupe Proverbs) translated into English. It is a collection of 623 proverbs.

Examples of proverbs in that book:

i)         Bolanci è la ewun zhe etsan ò: (Nupe Language)

Translation: A weak person turns a quarrel into laughter. (i.e., he can't fight it out.)

ii)       Cintara wuryagi kun dinni nya à, a ci ba ù nya dinni nance à: (Nupe Language)

Translation: The goat's tail that is not long enough to switch flies, should not be cut off to make a fly -switch (i.e., if he cannot support himself he cannot support others).

-          Isyaku Bala Ibrahim in his proverbs book - Eganmaganzhi Nupe (Nupe Proverbs)’, over a thousand (1000) proverbs with English translation and explanations.

Pro-Both Words Scholars

The intellectuals believed the two words mean the same thing. We have people like:

-          Jacob Kotsu Alhassan Busu produced an excellent Nupe Proverbs in Audio which he titled Ganmaganzhi be Gancìnzhi in 2003.

-          Ambassador Solomon Adama Yisa in his recent Nupe Heritage Dictionary (Eganyekpe Nupe). He defined Ganchin as a ‘proverb, adage, saying, maxim,’ and in another word Gancinzhi - he described it as ‘the book of proverbs in the Nupe translation of the Holy Bible.’ (Yisa, 253: 2013). In another place, he defined ganmagan as an ‘proverb, adage, saying,’ (Yisa, 255.2013).

-          A. W. Banfield could also be said to belong to this group as he had his footprints in either of the divide.

8.0 CONCLUSION

However, the use of morphology has enabled us understand the grammatical structures of these two words thus improved our understanding that Eganmagan is different from Egancìn despite the fact that they have similar features, and that using them interchangeably or as synonym is erroneous and can however have significant negative effect on the language and its speakers.

This debate has just been stirred, and it is important that it should not end with this write up, because the main purpose of writing it in the first place is to trigger more and more debates on the subject which will enable us have clearer understanding of the usage of these words which is better for the language and its speakers.

9.0 REFERENCES:

Alhassan, Jacob Kotsu Busu. Ganmaganzhi be Gancìnzhi (A Nupe Proverbs Audio Tape). Busu, Lavun Local Govt., Niger State on November 05, 2003.

Banfield, A. W. (1914). Dictionary of the Nupe Language: Volume I (Nupe – English). Shonga: The Niger Press.

Banfield, A. W. & Macintyre, J. L. (1915) A Grammar of the Nupe Language, Together with a Vocabulary. London: Richard Clay & Sons Limited.

Banfield, A. W. (1916). Dictionary of the Nupe Language: Volume II (English – Nupe). Shonga: The Niger Press.

Banfield, A. W. (1916). Gạ̀mạgạ̀ nyá Nupe (Nupe Proverbs). Shonga: The Niger Press.

Banfield, A. W. (1920). Zabura tò Gạ̀cìṇẓì. (Psalms and Proverbs – Part of the Old Testament into Nupe).

Blench, Roger. S.F. NADEL: The Field Diaries of an Anthropologist in Nigeria 1935-36. May 2006.

Crowther, Reverend Samuel Ajayi (1864). A Grammar and Vocabulary of the Nupe Language. London: Church Missionary House.

Holmes, David. Idioms and Expressions

http://www.pdfbook.co.ke/details.php?title=Idioms%20and%20Expressions&author=David%20Holmes&category=Language&eid=30652&type=Book&popular=7 (Accessed September 15, 2013)

          Holy Bible - New International Version (NIV) (1984). Nairobi: International Bible Society.

Ibrahim, I. B. (2009) Eganmaganzhi Nupe (Nupe Proverbs), over a thousand (1000) proverbs). Minna: Gandzo Enterprises.

Litafi Lilici: Alikowoli Gbako to Alikowoli Woro (The Holy Bible – 1953). London: British and Foreign Bible Society.

Marlett, Stephen A (2001). An Introduction to Phonological Analysis. North Dakota: Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Mieder, Wolfgang (2008) ‘Proverbs Speak Louder Than Words’: Folk Wisdom in Art, Culture, Folklore, History, Literature and Mass Media. Peter Lang Pub Incorporated

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (7^th Edition, 2005). London: Oxford University Press.

Yisa, Solomon Adama (2013). Nupe Heritage Dictionary (Eganyekpe Nupe), Minna: Kochita Resources Limited.

MBA BOOK HAWKER SCHEME: WHERE ARE THE TRICYCLES?

By

Isyaku Bala Ibrahim

BOOKS are our silent teachers and their immortal characteristics make them an important ingredient for meaningful development.

Any society that toys with books is toying with its future. So, any serious government will open its arm for the sector to prosper. It is an enterprise that gets people educated and informed.

For too long, the book sector has suffered unforgiveable neglect in our societies. It is a sector that has the ability to touch the lives of people in different ways. Only few state governments in Nigeria have distinguished themselves in this aspect. Niger and Rivers states are good examples here. Without a second thought, Nigerian writers agree that Niger’s support for developing a literate society is unmatched. A recent example is the MBA Book Hawker Scheme. However, as beautiful as the scheme appears, it is already being sabotaged through the withholding of funds due to it to purchase books for hawking.

It is very important to share some of my experiences of the last few weeks when I was on my annual leave in Minna. First, I visited the Dr. Abubakar Imam Library, formerly called Niger State Library, which has suffered total neglect since it was constructed in the 1980s. Though the massive structure was said to have been renovated (painted) two years ago, books are nowhere to be found there. I do not think there are up to 5,000 volumes left on its shelves today. That place is crying for help.

I also visited the Niger State Archive Section near the UK Bello Art Theatre to see if I could lay my hands on some important archival documents. Unfortunately, aside a few newspaper collections from 1976 – 1989, nothing is there.

I particularly want to focus on the recently-established innovation called the Book Hawker Scheme by the Niger State Book Development Agency (NSBDA), which Malam BM Dzukogi, a national literary icon heads as its pioneer Director-General. The project is strategically-established to take the book back to the people. This is a replica of the book scheme during the first republic in the northern part of the country where book borrowing and selling were introduced to the people at a subsidised price to lubricate the Yaki da Jahilici campaign of the Sardauna’s administration. It was a scheme that was very instrumental to the success of that comprehensive educational policy of the regime.

Back to the present, the launch of the Book Hawker Scheme was part of the main programme of the 3rd MBA International Literary Colloquium in Minna, which deliberately coincided with the governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu’s 58th birthday anniversary on November 12, 2013, and the two invited Ghanaian professors, Kofi Anyidoho of University of Ghana, and Atukwei Okai, the Secretary General of Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), were full of praises for the scheme and were given the opportunity to declare open the beautifully-designed edifice, which they described as ‘very relevant’ and ‘innovative.’

The philosophy behind this scheme is to get the general public connected or re-connected to the book by taking it to their door-steps with tricycles, all in an effort to create a knowledge-based society. But since the day of the launching, nothing has happened. The people are eagerly looking forward to buying books at subsidised rates, but the tricycles are nowhere to be found.

I, therefore, decided to peep into the NSBDA’s office at F-layout, Minna, in an effort to find out what was happening. I simply discovered that our ‘Book Hawker Project’ had gone to sleep since the very day its umbilical cord was buried.

However, lack of proper taking-off of the scheme is really giving the people, and all book lovers cause for concern. Our people are still wondering why these efforts should be left to suffer. Parents and writers are worried and beginning to ask: Where are the books the scheme claimed would hit their homes after the November 12 presentation? Why are the tricycles not seen traversing the nooks and crannies of Minna City yet?

In the first place, why should the Niger State government trigger peoples’ interest in the scheme and allow same to ‘catch cold’ if it knew it could not fund it?

I sincerely do not have answers to these intriguing questions. However, when I asked the DG, all he could say was that the Ministry for Local Government had refused to release the funds for the smooth take-off of the project.

I am constrained not to believe that the pull-it-down syndrome is not already at work here. The unfortunate thing is that some civil servants and government appointees see administration as part of a business where one is expected to bootlick, brownnose, for any programme to be able to sail through or else you forget it.  These alien bureaucratic tendencies have truncated governance in Nigeria.

It has unfortunately frustrated the all important MBA Book Hawker Scheme. However, Nigerian writers will not sit back and watch those who will do anything to frustrate people-oriented projects have their way. For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerian writers see the NSBDA as a gift by the Chief Servant to enable them flourish in a formidable and institutionalised manner towards the growth of the society. 
The agency and her numerous schemes are far beyond Dzukogi and Professor Yahaya Kuta, even though the project is being driven by their dreams.

The Book Hawker Scheme is a legacy for Nigerian youths who value creativity. Once the project is seen like this by government officials, progress would be achieved faster. And with this, they will be helping the Chief Servant.

Lastly, the book and archive depositories are in a dire state. Though, now that the NSBDA is here, it should be mandated to fix these information centres for the good of the public.

- Nigerian Tribune newspaper, January 1, 2014