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Showing posts with label Lagos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lagos. Show all posts

Oxford English Dictionary recognises some Nigerian English words

VANGUARD HEADLINE | Posted: Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Oxford English Dictionary
My English-speaking is rooted in a Nigerian experience and not in a British or American or Australian one. I have taken ownership of English.

This is how acclaimed Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie describes her relationship with English, the language which she uses in her writing, and which millions of her fellow Nigerians use in their daily communication. By taking ownership of English and using it as their own medium of expression, Nigerians have made, and are continuing to make, a unique and distinctive contribution to English as a global language. We highlight their contributions in this month's update of the Oxford English Dictionary, as a number of Nigerian English words make it into the dictionary for the first time.

The majority of these new additions are either borrowings from Nigerian languages or unique Nigerian coinages that have only begun to be used in English in the second half of the twentieth century, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s.

One particularly interesting set of such loanwords and coinages has to do with Nigerian street food. The word buka, borrowed from Hausa and Yoruba and first attested in 1972, refers to a roadside restaurant or street stall that sells local fare at low prices. Another term for such eating places first evidenced in 1980 is bukateria, which adds to buka the -teria ending from the word cafeteria. An even more creative synonym is mama put, from 1979, which comes from the way that customers usually order food in a buka: they say 'Mama, put...' to the woman running the stall, and indicate the dish they want. The word later became a generic name for the female food vendors themselves-Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka notably includes a Mama Put character in one of his works.

The informal transport systems that emerged in Nigeria's huge, densely populated cities have also necessitated lexical invention. Danfo, a borrowing from Yoruba whose earliest use in written English is dated 1973, denotes those yellow minibuses whizzing paying passengers through the busy streets of Lagos, the country's largest city. Okada, on the other hand, is first attested twenty years later, and is the term for a motorcycle that passengers can use as a taxi service. It is a reference to Okada Air, an airline that operated in Nigeria from 1983 to 1997, and its reputation as a fast yet potentially dangerous form of transport, just like the motorcycle taxi.

A few of the Nigerian words in this update were created by shortening existing English words. One example is the adjective guber (earliest quotation dated 1989), which is short for 'gubernatorial'-so Nigerians, for instance, would call a person running for governor a 'guber candidate'. Another frequently used clipping with a longer history in English is agric. It was originally used in American English around 1812 as a graphic abbreviation for the adjective agricultural, but is now used chiefly in this sense in West Africa. In the early 1990s, agric began to be used in Nigeria to designate improved or genetically modified varieties of crops or breeds of livestock, especially a type of commercially reared chicken that is frequently contrasted with 'native' (i.e. traditionally reared) chicken. Two decades later, Nigerian students also started to use the word as a noun meaning agricultural science as an academic subject or course.

Facebook's first hub space in Africa to train 50,000 Nigerian youths

Written by Juliet Ebirim
~Vanguard Nigeria. Wednesday, May 30, 2018.

No fewer than 50,000 Nigerian youths would turn geeks by the time they go through the numerous training modules laid out by popular social media platform and technology company, Facebook.

The trainings would happen at the ultra modern hub space, first in the whole of Africa which it sited in Nigeria recently.

Facebook unveiled the space tagged NG_Hub in Lagos, announcing immediately that it was the first community hub space in Africa. The hub was established in partnership with Nigeria's talent curators, Co-creation Hub,CcHUB.

The hub, according to Facebook, highlights its ongoing commitment to supporting local talent in Nigeria even as it has planned a week-long celebration which will bring together developers, start-ups, and the wider tech community across Nigeria.

Unveiling the new multi-faceted space, Facebook's Vice President Partnerships, Mr Ime Archibong, said the centre is targeted towards bringing communities together to collaborate, learn and exchange ideas.

He said: "Technology provides expansive opportunities to engage young, creative and resourceful Nigerians, especially in delivering solutions to challenges across communities here in Nigeria. Our mission is to build community and bring the world closer together. "NG_Hub provides that physical space that will serve as a centre of learning and skills development in Lagos, and I'm excited about the possibilities that this will create."

Also, the Manager, Developer Programmes Facebook, Mr Emeka Afigbo, said the hub will help Facebook train 50,000 people in digital skills even as it is aimed to drive innovation in Nigeria's tech ecosystem.

Afigbo said the hub was also a deliberate design to equip Nigerian SMEs, tech entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders to better understand and utilise the power of digital tools for economic growth.

On his part, Bosun Tijani, Founder/CEO of CcHub, said: "Our aim has always been to provide a viable platform for creators and innovators to express their talent and create solutions to the myriad of social and economic challenges faced by countries across the continent. Partnering with Facebook on NG_Hub enables us to achieve our objectives at scale and make the desired impact in the tech ecosystem here in Lagos."

Deep inside the red-light district: happenings in Lagos strip clubs

Written by Ademola Olonilua
~Punch Nigeria. Sunday, February 11, 2018.


Catching fun, especially at night, has become a habit for many fun seekers in Lagos. For such people, the prominent places where they choose to catch their fun at night include bars and strip clubs. The go-to place for those who love to turn their X-rated fantasies into realities is usually the strip club. But strip clubs are not easy places to spot in Lagos, except if the fun seeker knows how to look beyond the surface. So, it could be difficult to locate one as there are no eligible signs to advertise their locations, so it is normally a case of, 'if you know, you know.'

Although there are choice strip clubs, both on the Island and the mainland; for the mainland, the clubs' colonies seem to be Allen Avenue and the Government Reservation Area, Ikeja. To spot one, fun seekers only look out for a neon sign or an electronic advertising sign with flickering lights, usually coloured blue and red with what appears to be the drawing of a naked woman.

Funnily enough, Ikeja is the commercial hub of Lagos during the day and also at night. With banks and other business firms situated in the district, human and vehicular traffic in the area during the day is usually heavy and at night, it still comes alive courtesy of the bright lights which seem to focus on the pubs, clubs and even commercial sex workers that conduct their business on the streets.

To a large extent, Ikeja is the red-light district of Lagos State.

Around one of the popular streets in GRA, Ikeja is a popular strip club. While most businesses have locked their doors and closed for the day by 9 pm, that is the time this establishment is resuming for the business of the night, and it takes it right until the following morning.

When Saturday PUNCH visited the establishment at about 9:30 pm on Wednesday, it was obvious that the 'shop' had just opened. Within minutes, the vast compound, which has a large space as its car park, was quickly filled with exotic cars; a testament to the class of people the joint caters for.

It is therefore not surprising that to get into the club as a man on Saturdays; their peak period, a fee of N5,000 is required and on Sundays, the price drops to N3,000. While the ladies pay N3,000 on Saturday and N2,000 on Sundays. Other days are free but the hefty men at the gate never forget to politely ask: 'Sir, anything for your boy even if na one bottle of beer?' Invariably, visitors are sometimes forced to part with money and since it is a high-end club, the bouncers at the door normally smile home.

Lagos: How Uber driver married his client

~Punch Nigeria. Monday, May 22, 2017. 

A Nigerian lady has taken to social media to narrate how she met her husband, who is an Uber driver. The story is an entire deviation from the stories of Uber drivers assaulting their clients that has become rampant, recently.
The whole story started from simple courtesy, then it progressed to a conversation before it reached the altar.
Read the story as shared below.

“OUR UBER LOVESTORY
On the 19th of July, 2016 after a very hectic time at a Client's office, I ordered for an Uber ride somewhere around Bourdilion Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. Then one 'Gregory Shola Okorodudu @bigsholz ' picked up my request and called to get exact description to where I was. I described it to him and asked to let me know when he arrives.

On getting to me, he said 'goodevening Maam', he got out of the car, took my bag, asked where I wanted to sit and opened the door for me. He was like "hope you're okay Ma?" then I just cut in, "if you call me Ma again I will call you Sir"....lol.

Shortly after, I got a call from my Bestest Nonso and we spoke for a while as there seemed to be a very long traffic that day. At the end of the conversation she told me Afam our friend got us Ribs of fire (barbeque pork ribs) with fries. I was so excited I was singing 'Afam is the best'...my favorite meal from Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. Then I got off the call with a better countenance than I got in the car.




Then Shola cut in saying, 'sorry to eavesdrop into your conversation but did you say you found ribs of fire in Lagos?' I said 'yes'. He had this big grin on his face then said it was one of his favorite meal in Manchester, UK.

Then I looked at him like, "You've been to the UK?" he said YES! Did a Masters in Petroleum and Gas Engineering and graduated with Distinction. I was in shock and he said you don't believe, here is my certificate. He's got his documents scanned on phone. So I was like why are you driving Uber then?

Lagos, Na-waa! - UNTOLD STORY OF IJORA RAIL-LINE: Melting pot of oddities

Topics:
  • UNTOLD STORY OF IJORA RAIL-LINE: Melting pot of oddities
  • Inside Lagos 'under bridge' world
  • In Lagos traffic, you can buy anything, including television
  • Goodbye molue • Gradually, kings of Lagos roads disappear
  • Lagos! Na-wa! ...Now and Then
  • 5 crazy things you shouldn't do in Lagos buses
______________________________________________


UNTOLD STORY OF IJORA RAIL-LINE: Melting pot of oddities
~The SUN Nigeria. Tuesday, January 24, 2017.

Indeed, the community of Ijora Badia, on the railway line, in Apapa/Ajeromi Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, is a constellation of absurdity. It is a melange of miscreants, roughnecks, gangsters, fraudsters and prostitutes. It also harbours good people, who engage in provision of services, such as hair dressing, pedicure and manicure as well as petty trading, among others.


This Lagos suburb is an enclave that stretches about 400 metres or thereabout along the railway line, which runs from Ijora to Iddo. The environment is filthy with euglena infested brackish lagoon, which, ostensibly, has the capacity to harbour dangerous reptiles. The stagnant, brackish water laced with all kinds of refuse breeds mosquitoes in their millions.


From Ijora bus-stop, a macadamised Fadaini Street, which links the bus-stop with the Ijora Badia railway line community, gives a wrong impression of where it leads. On both sides of the street are shops that display different wares, ranging from electronic equipment to clothes, shoes and bags, among other articles of trade. But, the point at which the link road crossed the railway brings one to another reality. It exposes one to a community on the railway, which bubbles with plethora of indecent and unspeakable activities. That is to the right hand side of the railway from Ijora bus-stop, through Fadaini Street.



However, for somebody who entered the railway from the under bridge situated opposite the Nigeria Breweries in the Orile-Iganmu area of the state, the first sight tells the entire story of what lies ahead. Just as one leaves the under bridge and heads towards Ijora through the railway line, an array of ladies of easy virtue immediately comes to the fore. They appear in their seductive mood, sitting and standing psychedelically in front of the make-shift wooden house of about seven rooms erected just about 30 metres away from the railway line.


The swampy side of the railway is replete with clusters of large wooden cabin suspended up to six feet on top of the brackish swamp. There are several of such accommodations housing half naked, haggard, dishevelled, fierce-looking women of all sizes, shapes and ages. In fact, one could rightly say that the cabins are brothels on the lagoon.


By 10am when Daily Sun visited the enclave, some of the women, especially the older ones, appeared worn-out with bulging, sleepy red eyes, which was an indication that they must have had a busy night the previous day. It could also be an indication that business is booming, even with the economic recession currently plaguing the country. Even as they intermittently shut their eyes and nod their heads involuntarily as they fight against sleep trying to envelope them, reliable sources revealed that they are still ready for action if a customer calls.


The old whore

Looking at the age bracket of some of the women, who are seemingly in their 50s, one wonders how they are able to withstand numerous men, who patronise them. This concern becomes heightened, considering the fact that most of their clients live on sex enhancing drugs (aphrodisiac). Not only that they look old, they also smoke and drink, as they wait patiently for their clients. They use different non-verbal cues to attract men's attention.

One of them made a snake-like sound to attract the attention of the Daily Sun reporter. The woman was disappointed when the reporter refused to go inside but chose to take her to a corner for a chat. Her mien changed to anger but on assurance that her time would be adequately compensated in financial terms, she relaxed and the earlier smiles on her face returned. On how women as old as she are able to withstand the pressures of men, especially the younger ones and those who live on sex enhancer, she said: "Yes, it is true that the older a woman becomes, the weaker she becomes when it comes to the matter of sex. But, in this business, experience matters a lot. It is not all about energy and youthfulness. It is about tactics and skills – knowing how to press the right buttons at the right time and the deed is done. It is not something I can explain how it works for you standing here but if you think you are man enough to challenge me, we can just go in and you will see the stuff women of my generation are made off."


Younger whores

For the younger ladies, most of whom appear tattered and unkempt, they sit in clusters with their navels on display as well as their breasts shooting out like balloons. Although, the sight of those riotous breasts would appear repulsive to any reasonable man, as stretch marks run horizontally and vertically across, the male folks in the community, who appear morally depraved and who seem no less better, find such commodity very luscious, salacious and sexually scintillating. And they savour them whenever they want. The girls wear skimpy tight skirts and shorts that expose their thighs up to their pubic region, but like the breast, such exposures are also very repugnant. This is because instead of robust and sexy thighs, which would spark a hot blood through the sexual veins of any healthy man, what is exposed are coarse, rough, stretch-marked and mosquito bite-infested thighs.


The ladies in this breast terror, navel and thigh exposure business are lined up along the railway line. Both young and old women find breasts pumping as the rave of the moment – a fashion in vogue.


From investigation, it appears that any lady who fails to expose her breasts in such a very tempting manner could be seen as a deviant. It is right to conclude that at Ijora Badia, breasts are on parade because there is a breast fair any time any day for willing viewers. While some display their wares in front of the makeshift wooden houses, others step forward at the base of the rail to display theirs and pretend to be recharge card sellers or phone call vendors.


Checks revealed that the women had ready and booming market in the male folk of the community, who are mostly gamblers, drug addicts and fraudsters.


Baby and deformed whores

A closer observation also revealed that the enclave equally parades under-age as well as physically challenged prostitutes. Most of the under-age or baby prostitutes are deviants, who run away from their homes within the Ijora Badia neighbourhood. They found solace in the life on the railway. They engage in stiff competion with the older girls. Some of them ply their trade carrying their babies.

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