Traditional Sadness
Can any good thing come out of Galilee? That was the thinking
of the Pharisees. But the greatest miracle worker and preacher
came from there. Don't you know him? If you don't, you are just
like most Jews who still await the coming of the messiah. Of
course he will come like a thief in the night, but that would be
his second coming. Hope you are not surprised?
Unlike many dyed in the wool Jews, don't be surprised that
Jesus' will continue to spring forth from another
Galilee—Nigeria. Don't be surprised that one of the best
selling authors, whose books will one day have a place of pride
in your library, is a Nigerian. I won't mention her name. Or
rather, "his" name. At least you are familiar with some of them
who have laid down traditions for others to follow. If you are
not, then let's walk down memory lane.
Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian, won the Nobel Prize years back.
Nineteen years ago to be precise. Dele Olojede, a former foreign
editor of Newsday Newspaper in New York, won the Pulitzer Prize
this year for his story titled "Genocide's Child," a report that
looked back at the civil war in Rwanda.
I was on the Internet the other day when I came across Fatima
Musa. Her name sounds Nigerian. Though I'm not really sure if
she is. But from the story of her life, she is very much related
to Nigeria. Peradventure she is not, then her ancestors must
have been "stolen from Africa" like Bob Marley, sang.
Another border I will not fail to cross is the Booker Prize. Ben
Okri, who wrote the Famished Road, won the Booker some years
ago. Still on the same path, Helen Oyeyemi (a teenager) is also
coming out from London onto the literary stage with the
publication of her first book, the Icarus Girl.
And from his homeland, the controversial writer, Arthur Zulu, is
riding high in the writers' world with his books How To Write a
Best Seller and Chasing Shadow! Or, you don't know him? If you
don't, go to a search engine, type his name and you would be
surprised at what you will find. I want to believe he is laying
a tradition, very different from others, for many generations to
come.
Apart from these great names I have mentioned, there are others
lost in the crowd. Those who think six syllables names won't
sell a books. So like Eric Blair (George Orwell) and Samuel
Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) they have invented names which
will stick on their readers' minds. These—lost in the
crowd Nigerians—are either moving with tradition or
breaking it.
In Oxford University, the school's tradition is believed to add
to its beauty. If a student, knowingly or unknowingly, breaks
any of the rules, there is always a consequence.
I remember in high school some boys and I broke a rule. And we
paid the consequence—we had to mow the lawn for a week.
That was the school's tradition. But in Nigeria, every tribe has
its customs and traditions, the consequences for breaking these
rules could go as far as excommunication, or even, death.
In Nigeria, when a child is born, it has to wait eight days
before it gets a name. A ceremony is held—after some
rituals—welcoming all extended family members, including
those toothless old men and women leaning on canes carved from
ancient trees. For the ceremony, salt, sugar, sugarcane, honey,
alligator pepper, and kola nuts are produced. And the child
would have a taste of these items with some prayers said.
The names of the child do not come from only the parents. The
grandparents have the privilege of naming the child as well. For
some children who have great grandparents, they definitely will
get many names: names they may never remember. Some are lucky to
get just two names. Because the grand parents are dead. The
funny thing about some names is that they could be a "three in
one" name.
Not that I'm against someone having a hundred names, but most
Nigerians don't get jaw friendly names like George Bush. Or Bill
Clinton.
I overheard a Nigerian traditional chief saying, "What's the
meaning of Bush? Jungle or forest? And Gates is what? But a name
like Oluwafemi means God loves me. Oluwatoyin means God be
praised. Our names are names that make sense." I agree with him.
Whether a name has a meaning or not is not the issue. But how
could tradition be so cruel to even have to decide the kind of
wife or husband to marry. Or where he or she comes from? For
better understanding, I will put myself in a Nigerian's shoes.
If I came a long way to impress a girl and finally having her
fall in love with me and if I bring her before my parents,
according to tradition, so they could meet my future wife, all I
might end up hearing is, "she isn't right for you." Not because
they feel she wouldn't make a good wife but because she is from
a tribe which came in conflict with my tribe in the sixteenth
century. Or I can't marry her because her ancestors were
Muslims. Though she herself has changed her faith.
I know the Bible says, "Parents know better," (Paraphrased) but
do they have to inflict on their children the sins of the past?
Do they have to take away my source of happiness?
You might say "I could marry her against their will." Yes, I
thought of that. But those who did that end up miserable for the
rest of their lives.
And, if I eventually let go of that beautiful girl who never
turned out to be my wife and I marry someone else, tradition
comes in again if she has no male child. For she is required to
give me a son that would continue the family lineage. I might be
unmoved by this, but tradition would not forgive her as they
expect me to take another wife.
If from childhood to adulthood children are subjected to
tradition, when then do they learn to be governed by their
hearts or minds? When can they make decisions that would bring
them a lifetime of happiness?
I am still trying to figure that out as an adult under this same
tradition.
Coming soon, "Haiku with love" An inspiring poetry collection
by A.Z. Alfred. To be published by Author House, USA. for his
works goto:www.writesight.com/blackzeal101 or mailto:
blackzeal101@yahoo.com