Friday, August 23, 2013

Endless Colonialism of Speaking in Tongues


Author: Yusuf M. Adamu

Reviewer: Adjekpagbon Blessed Mudiaga

Publisher: Adamu Joji Publishers, Kano

No of pages: 69

Yusuf Adamu’s They Can Speak English, is a philosophical poetic periscope and sad reminder of the negative aspects of British socio-cultural linguistic imperialism and post-independence maladministration of the powers that be in Nigeria till date.

The 69-page book contains 55 poems that evaluate different linguistics, administrative, social, national and global issues, via the windows of medical geographical compass, barometer, wind vane, history, weather and climate skins in the mallemaroking blood of poetry.

Like an angry thunder questioning the audacity of Irokos, mahoganies, and obeches domination of other beautiful shrubs in a forest, the author makes mockery of those neglecting their mother tongue and speaks phonetics as if there are hot crumbs of yam burning their mouths. The medical-geographer cum poet takes swipe at those who claim to be civilised because they can pronounce English words properly in a delicious manner as if speaking in tongues.

Therefore, in the poem titled They Can Speak English, Adamu satirically says: “If you speak English / You are civilised / Praised, recognised / And respected / With a fluency that didn’t / pronounce people as feople / Action as haction / Mother as moda / One becomes an English man in black-ear / But in England / My Pronunciation, they bother not / My grammar they care not / If only they could understand me / I communicate well / But why should a black-eared red-ear one / Be so proud to speak English / Even at the expense of mother tongue?…”

From the foregoing, it is clear that many Nigerians are more English than the English people. This phenomenon of English ‘Mungo Parkism’ is very glaring among various electronics media houses’ newscasters in Nigeria. Sometimes, you wonder whether news was being relayed by foreign newscasters on channels of some Nigerian television or radio stations, as they speak through their noses as if drowning or gasping for breath in a fumigated room. But you would be taken aback at last when the newscasters name is also anglicised with English phonetics that makes you wonder it is a new type of African-English vernacular name.

Adamu says you cannot be an original English person by speaking in a gallivanting manner like a drunken parrot, English phonetics-wise. Hence, he further offers in the same poem above that: “You are only complete when you are complete / So, be proud not because you speak English / Be proud only if in your mother tongue / Be it Hausa, Ashante or Berber / Swahili, Masai or Kwa Zulu / Sango, Yoruba or Arabic / You can think and express your thought”.

However, the poet recognises the importance of English language as Nigeria’s official language. But his bone of contention is that, inability of any non-English native to pronounce some English words properly should not be seen as a sign of illiteracy; as someone who is not fluent in English could be articulate and literate in his mother tongue, which is also a veritable vehicle for communicating, as long as the audience could understand him. This is the major goal of communication- to share meaning and understanding, not borrowed phonology.

Another notable poem in the collection is the one titled Global Village. The author wonders about the deception of globalisation, when racism and class struggle are leopard spots that continue to make some races second class people. Hear him: “Though we are all human / We are made to be different / By forces beyond our clout / Yet they want to remake us / In a new image of their choice / In a village too big to be safe / The world they now call / A single village in the globe / With a big brother to match / As long as we are second class / Within that large village fashioned”…

Nearly all the poems in the volume are blank verses. Only the poem titled Mathematics has quintet ‘even rhymes.’ It is a poem of just five lines. Another piece that contain scatter-graph of ‘even’ and ‘alternate’ rhymes laced with serenading rhythm, is titled The Impossible.

The most common figure of speech in the entire verses is simile; while the asset or style of the poet is his didactic simplicity enrobed with historical allusions to past and contemporary happenings in political administrations, social order and disorder, lamentation and thanks giving to God and personalities with mutual philosophical onions.

In spite of the author’s grievances against some people belittling and claiming superiority over others who cannot pronounce some English words properly, he makes a clarion call for peaceful co-existence in the second to the last poem titled ‘Friendship,’ thus: “So break all the chains / Smash all the complexes / Dismantle all the iron curtains / That prevents friendship from blossoming among men/…”

In conclusion, the poet persona hopefully look forward to a brighter future for all, by wrapping up the volume with a piece titled ‘Optimism,’ as its last four lines offer in the likeness of all Nigerian commoners singsong as follows: “Yet we are very hopeful / Very hopeful people / We are optimistic / Things will one day improve.” This has been the expectation of the masses for centuries. Only God knows when things will improve as the masses wake up from one nightmare to another.

Adamu is an Associate Professor and Medical Geographer, who lectures in the Department of Geography, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. He has published bilingually in Hausa and English. His works in Hausa language include ‘Idan So Cuta Ne’; ‘Ummul-Khairi’; ‘Maza Gumbar Dutse’ and ‘Kwaryar Kira’ (which he co-edited) he was chairman of Association of Nigeria Authors (ANA) Kano State chapter, twice (2000-2006 and 2009-2010).

 

 

Waiting for International Judges

One keeps wondering where justice has gone
She used to have her eyes blinded to everyone
Now she seem to have a means of seeing who to judge
Those of us whose eyes are not blinded can see things
We have seen how criminals of war go round unhindered
Those who commit crimes against humanity wander freely
Yet some criminals have an extradition necklace on their necks

 Because some war criminals are too big to be judged
The International Judges see only Third World war criminals
They should be reminded about those criminals still at large
They invaded a whole country and kill its people
They spare not women and children in their barbarism
Using a flimsy excuse of WMD that have never being found

I just remember George Bush and Tony Blair
Will they ever be brought to justice at The Hague?
Are the lives of Iraqi citizens less human or unworthy?
The suffering of a generation caused by B and B is enormous
But they are not to be judged by the International Justice System
For justice if it still exists in this world of bullies
Exist only as a tool of neo-imperialism.

July 23, 2013