by
Obododimma Oha
Abandoning the masked dance and the moonlight play of the village square to search for good fortune out there did not start in Alaigbo today. Very long ago, many young men and women got annoyed with village life and escaped to Equatorial Guinea (Panya), Cameroun (Kamaro), and Gabon, to work in the plantations, homes, hotels, and some to learn buying and selling goods. The fact these people looked for a better life is worth paying attention to. They preferred the life of hustling to farming and playing masquerade, and being chased around by tax collectors. Whenever they returned home, things were much better for their families. That betterment was linked to the name they were given -- "Ndi Awụtuo (Those that Jumped Down), for most of the time, they say sat on tailboards of lorrries and jumped down with bags when the vehicles got to stopping points at the stations. Ndi Awụtuo brought new life to their people, for they jumped down, figuratively speaking, from poverty heights to having the means, having respect. So, Awụtuo, which has persisted today in the form of hustling in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Dubai, China, South Africa, Ghana, America, Canada, UK, etc has that interesting long history. People learnt long ago that they have to move in order to improve. Becoming Awụtuo is not bad in itself. It is when jumping down from the tailboard means death for the elderly in the villages that I frown and tremble with anger. Jump down from the tailboard of poverty for that elderly man, that elderly woman. Bring smiles to their tortured lives not greater bitterness.
I like it that Ndi Awụtuo have repaired the terrible roads and have provided good drinking water to their communities, something that the thieving governments back home have not been able to do for years. I like it that they jump from the tailboards of poverty for their local communities. I like it that it is their people jumping down with their sufferings, hanging their bags of wisdom and wealth, and things are getting better.
Look at the idea of better governance for the people. Is it not Ndi Awụtuo championing it? Is it not Ndi Awụtuo who know what is happening in government and are the very first to sound the alert? Those playing still on the village square are to carried away by laughter and childishness to know what is really happening. Deceit is also part of the performance, and unless the young people get annoyed and refuse to continue with deception, the abnormal would continue to look normal.
I know that some Ndi Awụtuo are up to some bad games, a carry-over from their home communities. I know that some Ndi Awụtuo can do just anything to make it big and fast. But Awụtuo does not mean that. Awụtuo means doing it courageously and wisely and rightly to get the powerful magic bag that one hangs to jump down. Awụtuo has a spirit and that spirit fears no spirit and is just.
Awụtuo is the light and brings the light. From darkness to light. Some Awụtuo did not know how to read and write but have remained messengers that bring the light. Some have not been to any school but later know how to read and write, for "Agakarịam-ije ka onye isiawo ihe mara" (The person who has travelled far and wide knows more than the the hoary haired person). And so Awụtuo remains a beacon of knowledge, a beacon of hope.
When you label Awụtuo a criminal, that is unfair. You are trying to mess up the real sense because your own thievery back home is worse and cannot face the drowning. Awụtuo is not thievery. It is the adventurous spirit armed with wisdom which gets what you cannot get. Awụtuo is asking you rather to jump down from petty crimes of deception and lying. Awụtuo exposes and hates outdated criminality.
From what my late father told me, those warrant chiefs like you hated Awụtuo culture, because they were exposed and prevented from eating it. Ignorance is seen as a better weapon for conquering and enslaving own people. So, that ignorance is seen as being better than enlightenment that Awụtuo brings. Why can't that chieftain be held down with ignorance masquerading as the light, especially with stupid and meaningless titles? Yes, ignorance has always been the weapon countervailed by Awụtuo and some rulers do not like it.
I like it when I learn that three or more wise men from the East leave their communities, following the star that would lead them to the crib to chat with their chi. I like it when the chat ends with the wrestling match -- "Unless you bless me, I will not let you go!" And their helpless chi blesses them. Onye kwe, chi ya, e kwere."
Awụtuo looks towards the future. Awụtuo sees a future coming and wants to chat with it courageously. Awụtuo wants to see the bad roads re-created by a mean war becoming streets of gold. Can't you see that the mud houses have already become high-rise buildings? Can't you see that where those planes that dropped bombs to enact a genocide have turned to rich warehouses and money-making shops? It is Awụtuo spirit at work. Are you surprised? Is anyone surprised?
Awụtuo is a classroom asking you to come and learn.
Awụtuo is life happening creatively.
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