The Article Of No Name

The term “future" for now does not exist in our nation, we are still living in the past while struggling to meet up with the present world.

We must be conscious of ourselves in the cost of building our nation. Nigeria today our root is fast fading out, if care is not taken, the country we all cherish might perish. I really do not know how Nigeria will survive when the culture is about to vanish before us.

“When the root is infertile, the head can never be relevant. When the head is irrelevant, the body cannot advance". Our root as a Nigerian is at stake.

The problem to start with is the issue of “naming”. Nowadays, people prefer to bear foreign names or names in their religion. So many problems have being attached to the issue of naming, but our people do not really know. Today, our people mostly feel inferior to answer to their native names, most especially children of today; in schools, when they are to introduce themselves or you ask of their names, don't get it twisted, they'll tell you their English or religion names as they feel they will be mocked if the sound of a native name gets out. And that's the way it is, we've made the system like that lately; where people that speak native language or answer to their native names are local, but the ones that coined their names to some English befitting term or originally bear an English name are tush and well appreciated and welcome in the Nigeria youth class today.

It is as bad as to the female gender that the sound of their names or their names let say determine their type of man or measure their level. The ones that answer to their tribal names automatically are low to the status of an high class man no matter how prettier she looks. This system has being thriving consistency in state of Lagos, Nigeria.

In the inner cities of the south western part of Nigeria (Yorubaland) where people easily get intimidated by literacy level (Alákọ̀wé). Here, people give foreign names to their babies because they really do not want to be left out. They do these things as to look classy and new and not primitive and old like the people that give native names. All these things makes no damn sense.

Another leak of this problem is the two prominent religions in Nigeria. A parish known as celestial which serve as a tier of christianity, claimed that names are given by the holy spirit through the mouth of a prophet or prophetess, whereas the parents of the baby to be named are the ones that do the writing of the names. So what is the congregation trying to achieve by saying holy spirit write the names, to promote or compulsory bible names? These are part of what our precious native names do face.

It is clear that our people really do not know that we are indirectly forbidding our root by given names in other languages. It is fine if you bear names in Christian or Islam or let say foreign names entirely, but when you make these names your surname, there's the danger.

What's all up with those names without a suitable meaning in the first place?! I really do not understand a thing about all this meaningless imported names. I've always dream to name my unborn daughter Whitney, as I want her to be very beautiful, I need a beautiful name too. I went online to check the meaning of Whitney, horrible crap all I see. The name simply means white island.

What about Adesewa meaning “Crown Makes Beauty”, Adeola meaning “Wealthy Crown”, Malleh Mei meaning “My Happiness”, Oto-Abasi meaning “Gift Of God”, Ifunanya meaning “Love”, Obinna meaning “Father's Heart”. These are names, beautiful names with solid content.

Imagine, I didn't make mention of any name in Hausa language. It’s so pathetic that the northerners that care much more about their language than any other tribe in Nigeria happens to be the major victim of this. what a shame! It is so shameful that this get to the level of surnames. Despite the fact that it is well known to all that the Hausas are the founder and the bonafide owner of some part in the northern Nigeria, e.g north west and a share of north east regions, it is logically arguable that they are not the true owner of these regions, if not based on history, what proof can they come up with? what proof, when the names they bear does not defend them in the first place. This is a wide range of problems that need to be tackle by all occupant of the northern region of Nigeria. Though the issue is out of hand, but there's still time. Because what's the essence of the tribe you cherished when you don't bear a name, what's the essence of the country you cherished where you don't bear a name, what's the essence? Most importantly, where's your identity when you can't be traced back home with your surname?

It's not too late, it is time we start making things write before our pen run out of ink.

Few days ago, I asked a woman from Osun how Sulaimon get to be her surname. She replied that's her surname. So I asked for their family name, she said Olagunju is the name they bear in their family, whereas the Sulaimon is just her grandfather's name.

To anyone that cherish and know the deep meaning of Legacy, trust me you'll value surname. Cuz those names are there for a particular purpose. Except you have a new Legacy draft out, you can change your own surname for your children to follow.

We need to discover ourselves, it’s high time we reconnect ourselves with our descendants.

Imagine a language we speak with no name in it, it doesn't makes sense. Common sense please!

AdelaNi II (Writer of Green Cabbage https://kobocourse.com/course/green-cabbage/1339/).