One of the reasons I enjoyed reading Chinua Achebe’s books is the richness in African traditional proverbs and his usual mix of the Igbo language in his writings.
Through him, I have been able to grasp the meanings of some Igbo words.
In his book, Things Fall Apart, there is one Igbo word that came to my mind this evening while I was ruminating on the terrible situation Nigeria and Nigerians have currently found themselves under the watch of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Igbo word sounds hilarious somehow but it’s meaning carries a negative weight.
It is ” efulefu”. The efulefu in Igbo language means a man who could not put food on the table for his family.
I must admit that I chose the lightest of the attributes of the efulefu for the purpose of this write up and deliberately so.
There is the aspect where the efulefu is considered a worthless being but I would rather go with the lighter meaning that speaks to responsibility and irresponsibility.
As president of Nigeria, president Tinubu’s first major responsibility is to ensure security of lives and properties of Nigerians.
It is also his primary duty to ensure that life is made easy, comfortable and worth living for Nigerians.
Now, let us ask ourselves. Is life worth living for an average Nigerian as we speak? Is the president discharging these responsibilities he owes Nigerians effectively?
Even, the president, if he has the fear of God and is honest with himself, will answer the above question in the negative.
The Renewed Hope mantra of the president has been changed by Nigerians to suit the realities of their experience. Nigerians, who have seen no hope, or whose hopes have been dashed by hunger have appropriately turned the promises of hope to ” sege”. Sege, in Yoruba, translates to trouble. Though, the world sege, to me sounds like Hausa.
Who would blame them?
The whistling in the bellies of the Nigerian masses and the haggard looks of otherwise robust Nigerians have taught them not to hope against ” Hope”.
From the first moment of the president in office, a series of plagues have been sent from the seat of power to harass Nigerians and it started with the unfortunate removal of fuel subsidies.
From Tinubu’s first day in office, Nigerians have not known peace.
Prices of petroleum products jumped up times three the same evening in response to the ill advised policy of subsidy removal and the prices of commodities follow.
Foodstuffs became gold and the prices went above the reach of the poor.
Commodities like cement, drugs and others are no longer affordable for the poor.
People are no longer ashamed to shout ” ebi npa wa” in the public. In fact, it has become a general slogan.
The roots of the hardships could be traced to the removal of subsidies on petroleum products and the policies of this Government in deciding to float the Naira.
Unfortunately, both policies have yielded negative results.
The Naira is at an all time low against the US Dollar and prices of petroleum products have continued to surge. Yet, Nigerians continue to wallow in abject poverty.
The president have been asking Nigerians to tighten their belts and support his Government’s policies, promising that better days are ahead.
Incidentally, there is nothing to suggest to Nigerians that the president is sincere.
One of the promises made by president Tinubu while explaining the measures put in place to ameliorate the sufferings occassioned by the subsidy removal is that the Port Hacourt refinery will commence operations within a short period.
Despite repeated promises, the refinery isn’t working till now.
The president who is asking Nigerians to tighten their belts and go about with empty stomachs have failed to demonstrate that he would lead by example.
Billions of Naira have been spent on building and renovation of the vice president’s residence and president Tinubu’s official residences.
The president is currently planning to acquire some Aeropostale for the presidential fleet.
Large crowds of Government and non Government officials are being sponsored regularly to attend conventions and other engagements abroad.
The president of a Nation is considered the father of the Nation.
The duties of a father is to ensure that his family is fed and catered for.
Once you fail in such responsibilities as a father, to the Igbo man, you’re an efulefu.
What will you call the president?
Eng. Oluwasina Adeyemi.
