Di Korekt Fait: Oo Wai Wi De Stand Waka

Naija Languej

Eriata Oribhabor

Long taim ego wi human-bin de waka wit leg and hand laik ol animal wen get fo-fo leg. Bai dat taim, human bin fast pas animal wen Oyibo de kol, ‘‘hare, leopard or rhino.’’ Leg and hand na im nia ich oda pas oda pat of di bodi: na from di sem joint of di bodi ol of dem komot: sholda and hip-dem; elbo and ni-dem; joint-dem fo hand; leg-dem and hand, evri won get faiv-faiv toz and finga, wit finga-nel fo evri finga. Hand and leg get olmost di sem arenjment of faiv-faiv toz and finga from di big toz and big finga to di smol toz and finga. Fo doz dez, di big finga nia di oda finga-dem, jos laik di big toz. Leg and hand de kol demsef broda and sista.

Na dem de help demsef kari di bodi go eniwia im wan go; laik maket, difren-difren chop, to go op and daun of ‘tree’ and maunten-dem, eniwia wen pesin sopoz go. Ivun fo insaid wota, dem de wok wel togeda to help di bodi flot, swim or daiv. Dem de ondastand demsef fo hau to liv togeda. Dem de boro from demsef hau dem go tek ich oda oun, laik saund from maut, hau to hia from di iye, smel from di noz, and to si from di ai-dem.

Di korekt patan wen dem tek de ondastand demsef, and hau dem de flo wit demsef, de enta di ai of oda pat of di bodi and so, dem de jelos. Bikos of dis, dem no de laik to de sopot leg and hand wen bi broda and sista wit eni beta tin wen dem get. Jelosi kom kova dia ai sote-e na leg and hand de kari dem go evriwia. Na so-so plan-plan dem de plan fo hand and leg.

Tong boro won plan from Bren and mek sho se di plan stat to wok at wons. Tong kom de wonda laud-laud, abaut di kain pawa wen hand and leg get. Wich won kom get pawa pas, wonda am. Leg and hand wen bi brodas, wen no de wori abaut wetin oda pat of di bodi go fit du, nau de boro saund from maut and stat to de klem se na dem de impotant pas di odas. Dis won kom chenj to hu and hu de bam pas di oda; hand de mek yanga wit im long fingas, and fo dis taim, de tok enihau abaut hau toz fo leg tu shot. Mek di tin no bi se im go jos sidon mek dem de yab am, toz tok im oun se, finga-dem de hongri! Dis tin kontiniu fo meni dez, ataims dem no fit kom de wok togeda laik bifo. Dis kom sho se na pawa na im ol of dem de sho; dem kom go si oda pat of di bodi to tok put fo di amata.

Na tong na im sogest kompitishon. Korekt tok, ol of dem agri. Ok, na wetin? Som se na restlin kompitishon – leg and hand restlin kompitishon. Odas tok of swod gem, joglin, ronin, oo to ple gem laik “chess’’ oo WOT bot eni of dem no agri fo eniwon bikos di tin go had to get oo no go izi fo won leg oo di oda. Nau, tong egen, afta im don boro sens from Bren, wen bring simpul tin wen go setul evritin. Evri pat of di bodi go bring wetin evribodi go du, won bai won. Hand and leg agri.

Di kompitishon tek ples fo won ples wen dem klia fo insaid bush, nia won riva. Ol pat of di bodi opun dia ai and iye jos in kes somtin go hapun wen fit jos land di bodi bai sopraiz, as ol pat of di bodi de fait dem sef. Ai-dem luk evriwia fo eni shikini tin wen fit kos kasala from eniwia no mata hau di ples fa rich; iye don set to hia eni kpengele noiz from eniwia; noz kiln im noz to smel eni kaind of kasala wen ai-dem no si and iye no hia; and tong redi to shaut and hala in kes of inkesiti.

Briz blo di nius of di kompitishon to evriwia fo di bush, wota and fo evriwia. Ol animal wit fo-fo leg na im fest gada-togeda, di big-big wons hold grin liv to sho se dem no want wahala. Di animal-dem wen gada na korekt animal laik, ‘Liopad, Chita, Laayon, Raino, Hayena, Elifant, Jiraf, Kamel, ol doz kau wen get long-long hon fo hed and Bufalo wit smol hon, Antilop, Gazel, animal-dem wen oyibo de kol “Hare and Mole’’ and Rat. Oda wons wen dem de kol ‘Water-Dwellers, Hippo, Fish, Crocodile, spred di top pat of dia bodi fo kona of di riva, foget abaut di rest of di riva. Odas wit tu-tu leg, Osrich, Gini fawo, and Toloto shek dia feda de hapi; bed-dem de tok chip-chip-chip from top of tri-dem; kriket de sing ol di taim. Spaida, Wom, won kaid of milipid, milipid, krol fo graund oo tri-dem. Kamelion waka smol-smol mek dem no hia am, jejili, tek im taim as Lizad de ron evriwia, no de eva setul daun fo won ples. Monki, Chimpazi, Gorila, jomp from tri to tri. Ivun di tri-dem and bush, de shek jejeli from said to said, bau daun, and stand won bai won.

Maut opun di kompitishon wit sing:

Wi de du wetin wi de du to hapi
Wi de du wetin wi de du to hapi
Wi de du wetin wi de du to hapi
Bikos wi ol
Kom from won ples.

Hand and leg swie to tek eni rizolt wit gud bele; dem no go tok enihau, dem no go se dem go du ‘‘wi no go gri’’, oo kos eni kain kasala.

Leg na im fest stat di kompitishon, weda as won-won leg oo as togeda: trowe smol wud fo graund. Left leg oo rait leg oo tu of dem join togeda, sopoz pik di wud and tro am. Di tu leg fit tok to ich oda, as di kompitishon de go on, yuz dia toz as dem want, won bai won oo togeda, to mek sho se dem get wetin dem want. Dem trai to ton am opsaid daun; push am; dem trai ol kaind of stail bot dem no fit pik am op wel: if not to muv am, di best tin dem fit du na to kik am fa smol. As finga-dem si dis, dem boro saund from maut and laf, and laf wel-wel. Leg-dem wen stat di kompitishon, kom aut to sho demsef, jos laik fo biuti contest, dem sho hau kpenkele dem de, and put demsef togeda and pik di wud. Dem trowe am fa-fa insaid di bush, evribodi wen de luk kom sho hau dem laik wetin dem du. Dem sho difrent kaind of stail: pik smol-smol sand from bezin of rais; put rop fo nidul wen dem tek de so klot; mek smol-smol trok to kari big-big wud; mek spie/spia and trowe am go fa, muv and du tins wen mek toz sef no fit wonda. Leg-dem fit sidon de wonda hau hand, im kpengele broda de sho imsef. Ol di hand of pipul wen de luk klap laik tonda from op to sopot dia oun hand, dis no mek leg hapi at ol. No bi se dem wan se dem no go du di kompitishon egen: ivun-do se dem no de hapi, dia big-big toz de du fo graund laik se notin de hapun, bot na hau dem go win di kompitishon dem de tink.

At last, na di ton of leg and toz-dem to stat di kompitishon. Dia oun, as dem tok, no go tof. Hand go kari di hol bodi from won pat of di raund lain to di oda. Wich kaind yeye kompitishon bi dis, finga wen sabi kari bodi de tink. Na wetin yu sopoz si. Evritin abaut bodi ton opsaid daun. Hand tosh di graund; ai-dem kloz to di graund, bot dem no de si wel-wel bikos dem nie/nia graund tu mosh; dost enta noz, kom mek am de sniz; leg and toz kom de dans fo op; ’’wit leg fo op’’, pipul wen de luk shaut aut, and sing wit hapines.

Wit leg fo op,
Notin to fie
Wit leg fo op,
Notin to fie
Folo di leg
Mek wi flai fo op

Bot evri pat of di bodi jos put dia maid fo hand and leg-dem. Difren-difren pat of di bodi wen bi se, di taim no-te wen dem de sho dia pawafu-pawaful stail, dem no fit mek eni muv sam-sam. Onli smol step, hand-dem de krai fo pen, leg-dem de shek, and shek, so-te bodi fol. Dem tek smol rest and trai to muv. Dis taim, dem trai to spred di finga-dem aut wel-wel to mek dem fit hold graund bot onli di big-big finga-dem fit sresh aut. Dem trai to yuz trok wit taya bot dis won no wok; dis no bi pat of di kompitishon bikos leg most on im oun finish am. Na di ton of toz to laf. Dem boro hevi laf from maut to pruv se dia oun pas di kain laf wen finga-dem laf wen no get pawa. As dem hia di yeye wen toz de yeye dem, leg-dem kom vex so-te dem kom won trai to kari bodi. Dem no arenj dia waka wel. As dem taya, leg and hand-dem hans op. Leg-dem de hapi to sho hau dem sabi ron: dem tek am slo-slo, waka smol-smol, ron, jomp smol, jomp long hai-jomp, plenti long jomp, witaut di bodi no fol. Evribodi tek dia leg nak graund to sho se dem hapi and sopot leg. Hand kari hand op to se dem no laik di kain gem wen leg de du, foget se na dem fest stat di gem.

Bot ol of dem, plos inludin pipul wen de luk, notis somtin abaut dem neva si bifo fo hand-dem: di big-big hand wen sresh aut wen di hand-dem de trai to kari bodi, kom sepret from oda finga-dem. Oda pat of bodi wan stat to de laf wen dem notis se anoda tin; apat from se di big hand wen sepret from di oda finga-dem mek di hand-dem no get pawa laik bifo, dis mek dem kom get pawa to hold somtin pas bifo. Wetin bi dis? Somtin wen no komlpit kom komplit to du somtin!

Di agiument wit ol pat of di bodi abaut hu go bi di wina kontiniu fo faiv dez, ol di finga and toz-dem fo evri leg. As dem trai rich, dem no fit se hu win; evri set of hand and leg trai dia best fo wetin dem du; no won fit du witaut di oda. From den, pipul kom de wonda wetin rili de hapun: wetin bodi rili bi; evri pat of di bodi de ask, dem kom si se di bodi na im bi ol of dem; ol of dem de insaid demsef. If won pat of di bodi no de wok wel, oda pat no go wok wel.

Bot to si se dat kain kompitishon no hapun egen and dem not no go de giv ich oda wahala, ol of dem kom agri se, from dat taim on, di bodi go stand de waka, leg-dem go stand fo graund gidigba and hand-dem go de op. Di bodi hapi wel-wel fo wetin dem agri bot go alau smol-smol pikin dem to waka wit fo-fo leg so dat dem no go foget wia dem de kom from. Dem kom chia ol dia wok-dem: leg-dem na im go kari di bodi bot wons dem get to wia dem de go, hand-dem go du ol di rimenin wok wen konsain to hold oo mek tins. As leg and leg finga de du di big-big wok to kari tins, hand-dem go de du evritin to si se dem yuz ol wen dem sabi to mek wie/wia dem de liv to beta, and mek sho se fud enta maut. Tit fo maut go grind di fud, and send am pas trot to insaid bele. Bele go squiz ol di beta pat and trowe am insaid wia dem go pas enta evri pat of di bodi. Di sem bele go tek wetin di bodi no want and put am insaid wia dem de put wetin im no want, from dia, di bodi go tro am put fo autsaid ples oo insaid graund. Wetin wi plant go gro and bring fud; hand-dem go plok som and pik som put fo maut. Yes…ooo; laif na raund and raund.

Ivun gem and ol kaind of enjoiment get hau dem divaid am: to sing, laf and tok na fo maut, to ron and ple futbol na mostli fo leg-dem; besbol and basketbol na fo hand-dem, bot na leg go de du ronin. To ron, leg-dem get big-big ples to yuz. Dis kain patan wen dem tek chia dia wok kom mek awa bodi won pawaful enjin, wen du pas di bigest animal-dem espechali wen wi luk wetin ich of dem go fit du fo eni kaind levul.

Wit ol dis, ol pat of di bodi kom si se, dia agriment fit stil kos wahala fo dem. Hed wen de op fit mek am bi laik se im beta pas leg wen de tosh graund oo na im bi oga and odas na savant. Dem tok am wel-wel se, fo hu get pawa pas, hed and evri oda pat wen de onda am na di sem. To mek dis sirios, ol pat of di bodi kom mek sho se if won of dem de krai, na ol of dem go krai. Dem sirios tel maut se, enitaim im wan se mai dis and mai dat, na fo ol di bodi im de tok not fo imsef.

Dem kom sing:

Fo awa bodi
Nobodi bi savant
Fo awa bodi
Nobodi bi savant
Wi de sav ich oda
Os fo Os
Wi de sav ich oda
Os fo Os
Wi de sav ich oda
Tong na im bi awa vois
Hold mi and A hold yu
Wi de build bodi to srong gidigba
Hold mi and A hold yu
Wi de build bodi to srong gidigba
Evritin fain, na to kom togeda

Togeda na im wi de wok
Fo bodi wen srong gidigba
Togeda na im wi de wok
Fo bodi wen srong gidigba
Togeda na im bi awa pawa

Dis kom ton to wetin ol pat of bodi de sing. Til tode, bodi de sing am and na dis de tok wetin mek os difren from animal-dem, oo ol animal wen du “wi no go gri” fo stand waka.

No mata wetin dem si, animal wit fo-fo leg no go eva gri wit wetin hapun. To sing no min enitin to dem. Maut na to chop, no bi to sing. Dem fom dia oun grup and kontiniu to folo dia oun stail and patan fo hau dem go de ste togeda.

Wen human-bin len from wetin ich pat of dia bodi fit du wen dem join togeda, dem de du wel; bot wen dem si di bodi and di head laik tu-faitin, won na oga and di oda savant, dem go kom nia animal wen no gri se to stand op waka na im beta pas.

~
Read the English translation – The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright by Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Eriata Oribhabor is a poet and frontline promoter of Naija languej. He started off writing poetry in the indigenous Nigerian Pidgin currently being standardized as Naija languej. Writing in the languej, he authored; “Abuja na kpangba and Oda puem-dem (2011), edited, “IF YU HIE SE A DE PRIZIN” (poems) and “AMEBO YAD” (collection of plays). A former chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Abuja Branch, Eriata Oribhabor is the author of two poetry collections; “Beautiful Poisons” and “CROSSROADS & THE RUBICON”. He is the Editor, WUSHAPA – Beating the Drums of Peace, Who Shall I Make My Wife (collection of Food related poems), and a passionate lover of the streets where he once hawked various items in Warri, Nigeria; his place of birth.