by
Obododimma Oha
As somebody
who grew up in the rural Igbo community, I am convinced that one of the
significant differences between ọkụkọ
Igbo (local fowl) and the ọkụkọ agrịkọlchọ
(agricultural fowl) is that the former is stupid, very stupid to the extent
that it would see a flame of fire and want to peck at it! Is fire chicken feed?
That inability to distinguish what is its food from what is not, or its
generalization of food (the “unpeckable becoming the peckable” for it), is a
good symptom of its stupidity. Similarly, there is the assumption among many
local Igbo people that those born and raised in the local community are far
wiser than those born and raised in the urban areas, worse still, all in the
diaspora (the “abroad people”). Of course, this is a faulty generalization, for
we see situations where some Igbo located in Nigeria (even in local areas)
raise children who cannot speak or read Igbo), those born and raised in Western
countries can even speak and read the language. That cleverness extends to
other things, not just the language. Thus, the local assumption is not entirely
correct. But this is all about how the culture considers the necessity for ịwa anya (which I could roughly
translate as “cleverness” or “smartness,” in fact, “active awareness”) and ịjụ anya oyi (being cowardly; literally,
being “cold eyed”). While Igbo people generally admire ịwa anya and privilege it as a very important life skill and
disposition, they deplore and maintain a good distance from ịjụ anya oyi. One can then understand
that parents and relatives look out for a demonstration of this ịwa anya by their children in public, and
that it constitutes one of the high points of competition in the society. One
has to try to be among the best, at least among one’s age mates!
ịwa anya does not mean getting a sharp cutlass and
slicing the eye-balls with it, as we could humorously put it. The word, “iwa,”
in isolation from other words, could state that it means “to slice.” But ịwa
anya is a figurative expression, not a literal one. Same for ịjụ anya oyi. One oriented to the former
does not have to pour very cold water or water from a refrigerator over his or her eyes.
Another thing
is that the person oriented to ịjụ anya
oyi may think that it is good training, civility, or self-control! But it
is not so to the Igbo. It is simply cowardice. The person merely wants to be
seen as a good individual by others.
It is
possible that ịjụ anya oyi may have
been made worse by the incursion of Christianity into Africa and the
misinterpretation of the life of a Christian. Don’t you see how Nwoye behaves
or runs errands zealously in the colonial church but is not ready to do
anything other than imprisoning the royal python in a box at home? Christian
like him may not have considered the meaning of the teaching of Jesus: “Be as
WISE as the SERPENT, but as INNOCENT as the DOVE.” Even if one’s personal name
is “Innocent” and one has not thought is reasonable to look for or woo wisdom,
one is terribly guilty of ịjụ anya oyi!
Thus, one may
be present when discussion on who would be a service chief in a plural society
and who would not is tabled, and people from only one region, ethnic group, or
religion are preferred, and the ịjụ anya oyi fellow, wanting to be called a “good,”
“desirable,” or “detribalised” other, would not raise any objection!
The ịjụ anya oyi fellow would see gross injustice
and treat it is as justice. Because the person is really “cold-eyed,”
having thrown the ice-cold refrigerator water on his or her eyes! Is justice
no longer relative? Is black no longer white? Is the abnormal no longer normal
in Wonderland where Humpty-Dumpty is the sole author of reality and dictates
what means what?
But ịwa anya is a confirmation that one is a
trouble-maker. Those singers from Owere who said: “Onya ụjọ abịala nga anyị
na-awa anya!” (One who is easily scared should not appear where we exhibit our
smartness”) got it right. Don’t ask me what smartness they are exhibiting. Sit
down and watch. Just sit and watch with your heart!
ịwa anya is about courage and show of courage. ịjụ
anya oyi is about cowardice and the display of cowardice.
The local
Igbo, in spite of the faulty generalisation stated above, deserve a handshake.
One should not be like ọkụkọ agrịkọlchọ and
go and peck at the flame of fire. That does not belong to ịwa anya. It belongs to ịjụ
anya oyi. It is stupidity!
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