| Listening to Nigeria’s kind of English Language | | | | A Nigerian while he has not yet left you rather |
| may be very interesting to foreigners especially | | | | than say, “I will be right back” amazingly |
| those that the Language make their first | | | | tells you “I’m coming” which ordinarily |
| Language. It is therefore for this reason that | | | | is unheard off in public places. Another thrilling |
| foreigners to the country are left marveling after | | | | aspect of the Nigerian English is repetition of |
| physically communicating with us Nigerians. | | | | words. You commonly hear a Nigerian tell you |
| Foreigners to Nigeria may expectedly become | | | | “Do it “NOW NOW”, “I love that |
| thrilled by what has come to be labeled the | | | | lady VERY VERY well”, “Do it fast |
| Nigerian English. After all, if the American English, | | | | fast”. |
| British English, Australian English, South African | | | | |
| English among numerous others exists, it is not | | | | Lenka must have wondered why it was so |
| strange to hear the “Nigerian English” | | | | though she was made to understand that it |
| | | | | achieves desired effects. A possible reason for |
| The Nigerian English appears to encompass pidgin | | | | this is that again certain of our native languages |
| and even our dynamic cultures packed together | | | | are characterized by repetitive words. A perfect |
| as one language. This is so because usually linguists | | | | example of these are “kia kia” (Quickly) in |
| are of the opinion that speakers of foreign | | | | Yoruba and Hausa usage, “wa wa”, Omo |
| languages first, do mental reasoning in certain | | | | omo (Infant) “Kita Kita” (If literarily |
| languages, which truly engage them before | | | | explained “NOW NOW”) in Igbo. “Nna |
| articulating their thoughts expressly. Firstly we | | | | Nna” Father of father (Igbo) “Nsi Nsi” |
| need to understand that English remains the | | | | (Still now now in Yoruba) However, I wish |
| official language of the country and widely used | | | | someone had told her that repetition of a word |
| for education, business transactions and for other | | | | such as “now now” compels Nigerians to |
| official purposes too. English may be considered to | | | | act faster and their responses, though she would |
| as first language, which however remains an | | | | understand this even without being told. |
| exclusive preserve of a small minority of the | | | | |
| country’s urban elite, and not spoken at in | | | | A Nigerian may for instance refer to a fraudster |
| some rural areas (See Nigeria from Wikipedia, the | | | | as “Dupe” rather than the victim of such. |
| free encyclopedia) but everywhere you go hear | | | | “The Angel you know is better than the Devil |
| English spoken by Nigerians. | | | | you don’t know” in Nigeria becomes |
| | | | | “The Devil you know is better than the angel |
| Lenka Benova supposedly an American national | | | | you don’t know”. What more do you |
| records that on her first day in Nigeria, an | | | | expect? “Oyibo” christened our beloved |
| Insurance Representative came in to discuss | | | | country “Nigeria” we re-christened it |
| something and as he was leaving she was called | | | | “Naija” and come to think of it |
| “Sista” and Jim another guy was also | | | | “Naija” sounds more beautiful than the |
| referred to as “Sir”. Lenka was thrilled and | | | | so-called “Nigeria”. |
| she needed to find out how “Sir” and | | | | |
| “Sista” could become a title or even | | | | A knock at your door in Nigeria welcomes the |
| names. She however concluded that these could | | | | response “Yes” The first day I sounded it |
| have been used for lack of better words but she | | | | in the presence of my Jake, my Nigerian born |
| was taken aback when better explanation came | | | | British cousin, he fell about much to my surprise. |
| from one of her female colleagues, Isabelle who | | | | My neighbor would worsen this situation when at |
| offered her a more preferable explanation to the | | | | another time she also heard a knock at her door |
| effect that she was even luck she was referred | | | | he she screamed “E -n -t -e –r” with |
| to as “Sista”. In Nigeria, she explained | | | | a loud voice and our foreign visitor again this time |
| young ladies below 30 years of age are | | | | went rolling on the floor. Wonder he was later to |
| addressed as “Sister” while older ones are | | | | tell us. From then on he would also cry e n t e r |
| called “Aunties” a sign you are getting | | | | whenever he heard a knock at our own door. |
| older. Lenka, our American guest expressed | | | | |
| delight on being respectfully addressed as | | | | Jake while in Nigeria had told me severally that |
| “Sister”, an indication that she was | | | | Nigerians were rude in their responses to enquiries |
| considered a young lady. She continued to find | | | | and complaints but innocently I maintained that |
| glory in this until one day; at a market someone | | | | Nigerians especially the Yoruba are respectfully, |
| called her “Aunty” and Lenka felt bad. | | | | being blessed with particular greetings for every |
| | | | | kind of occasion and beautifully, respectfully and |
| Again in Nigeria, you get “You are | | | | traditionally raised on when to bow or prostrate |
| welcome” free of charge even without saying | | | | to greet elders. Jake would engage me in |
| “Thank you”. Ordinarily a white man | | | | arguments on this matter pointing out certain |
| would say “Thank You” and in response | | | | social anomalies until one day, at the Murtala |
| receive “You are welcome” Nigeria’s | | | | Mohammed International Airport, while he was |
| model of “You are welcome” welcomes | | | | leaving we accosted one Nigerian official and he |
| you to any particular place. So in our own kind of | | | | inquired on where to confirm his ticket, the simple |
| English We say, “you are welcome to | | | | response we heard was “Just go there” |
| work”, “You are welcome to Nigeria”, | | | | as he pointed, Jake looked at me in utter |
| “You are welcome to my parish”, | | | | disappointment. Not knowing the exact place the |
| “You are welcome on board” etc. Our | | | | Nigerian official pointed, our journey landed us to |
| “Oyibo” guest was excited indeed. | | | | the very wrong man whom when inquired from |
| | | | | said “Oya see that man in white, both of you |
| Our guest in a couple of days in Nigeria thought | | | | should go to him immediate” he said this as |
| we Nigerians were just plain rude to ourselves. | | | | he immediately turned to another man and also |
| The Nigerian English recognizes commanding tone. | | | | quickly said “Oga follow those your |
| For instance, rather than say, “Could you be | | | | brothers”. Jake took another cursory look at |
| as good as to count that money”, a Nigerian | | | | me as we made haste to beat the time, a look |
| simply says, “Count that money”, | | | | that exactly reminded of an argument, which I |
| “Bring beer”, “Give me a plate of | | | | had clearly lost trying to make a case for my |
| rice” and a child tells his mom, “Leave the | | | | fellow countrymen. |
| way”. Lenka thought that long sentences | | | | |
| were just too hot for Nigerians to utilize. Lenka | | | | I was not as disappointed when Jake was about |
| was later made to understand that the Nigerian | | | | to finally leave asked me what ethnic-nationalities |
| native languages are lacking in words like | | | | those men we had made inquiries from were and |
| “Excuse me”, “Sorry” as it | | | | I simply answered him Nigerians knowing that one |
| regards “Excuse”, “pardon me, | | | | of them was a Yoruba man the other I could not |
| “sorry?” | | | | tell. He smiled as he waved me goodbye. |
| | | | | |