Uwa ezu oke

By

Obododimma Oha

One very important dimension to Igbo thought is the cultural perception of incompleteness as the universal order of life. This conviction is expressed in the culture even in personal names, which goes to show that these names are really visions or philosophies the namers or bearers want other people to recognise. The names are important cultural statements, important narratives that the idea of “philosophy” in the culture cannot afford to ignore. Whether expressed in names or other forms, the idea of things being incomplete or not having fullness where we expect them: virtues sharing fences with vice, goodness having fluid boundaries with badness, industry with laziness, etc, are worth considering. The idea is necessary because the expressions are also warnings and counsel on caution. They alert us that, in the search for life skills, we should also expect fire in the heart of water. So, we are essentially considering cultural understanding of fundamental contradiction. Uwa ezu oke or (Uwaezoke, as a personal name) says that “Life is full of incompleteness).

Let us begin from the following sets of statements in Igbo:

(1) ụdara ọma adanyela n’ikpo nsị (ụdara fruit has fallen into a heap of excrement).

(2) Mma dị nkọ enweghị isi; nke nwere isi adịghị nkọ (A knife that is sharp has no head; the one that has a head is not sharp).

(3) Nkịta sị na ndi nwere ike amaghị anọ ọdụ (The dog said that those who have buttocks do not know how to sit down)

(4) ọgịnị sị na ihe ya jiri tụọ agwa bụ na ụwa abụghị otu agwa ka o nwere (ọgịnị the spotted rat says that  the reason it has spots is that life has not only one colour).

(5) ọnwụ bụ ogbu-onye-mgbe-ndụ-na-atọ-ya-ụtọ (Death is the killer that takes one only when the persons thinks that life is sweet).

Let us briefly look at these statements. The first, first! Does it not look like what the Nollywood actor, Chiwetalu Agu, would utter in his propensity for bizarre exclamations? The ụdara is a special local fruit among the Igbo. There are even some other proverbs attributed to the ụdara in celebration of its central cultural significance. So, we see, ụdara, a special or adored cultural fruit is said to have fallen into a heap of faeces! What a loss! What an expression of regret! But it all indicates how our hopes in beholding the beautiful or the excellent are dashed. It is cruel. Indeed, ụwa ezu oke! Was that not why Nnamdi Olebara in an Igbo poem on the death of Dick Tiger (used as an accompaniment to the songs of Harcourt Whyte Ikoli) says that Ihe ọma ekweghị sị metụ ya aka (The good seems hard to be retained)?

So, the fact that the good ụdara has fallen into a load of shit means that the goodness is gone; it can no longer be enjoyed. Stop salivating; you have lost it. It recedes just as you are about to hold it. So, swallow hard and take it as the order of life. ụwa ezu oke!

Look at the second expression: it is about knives, two knives. A comparison is assumed. Which is better, anyway? That which is sharp but has no head where it can safely be held, or that which has a head but is very blunt? Mind you: there is no grinding stone or sharpening object nearby. Except maybe your tongue! So, both knives are useless, at least, for the moment.

It is risky to work with any of them. The person with the blunt one would curse his or her stars when the blisters begin to appear. Also, the person daring to hold that which is sharp but headless should watch it! There is no First Aid Box and the medical staff are all on strike. So, beware of the headless sharp knife!

The statement attributed to the dog in the third example is very amusing. So, those who are blessed with buttocks do not know how to sit down? No wonder! You see, the dog would like to sit down properly, but that tail! Anyway, the tail is still an asset. The dog knows when to wag it and to try affect by us sometimes by wagging it. The dog uses it to appeal to the sense of pathos! Anyway, if you have buttocks but you want the dog’s tail, send an email to it now.

And ọgịnị the spotted rat, too! So, ọgịnị is also a philosopher? So, it begins from the theory of forms, saying its spots are a sign? So, in the tradition of Gestalt Psychology, the parts of its skin that are not spotted help the spotted parts to stand out, to be noticed, and to have greater meaning? Look, ọgịnị, I am with you on this. Life has not got only one narrative. It is darksome here and bright there. I have sat in your classroom and I now know why you are spotted. Myths apart!

And look at this terrorist called Death! It takes somebody when that person is beginning to enjoy life! What a heartless terrorist! And it beats its chest that it has a reputation. Nonsense! It is very painful that it keeps us company, ready to strike when it is most painful, most hurtful.

The Igbo consider these and insist that the things of life are complete on one side. It pains us when goodness is poisoned by badness or when the sweet and good ụdara falls into a heap of shit. Worse still, when we are harvested by death when we think life is very sweet. Are my free-flowing tears sweet? It is true: ụwa ezu oke!