By
Obododimma Oha
As an
Igbo-speaking person, whenever I hear the Igbo proverb, “Nkịta richaa nsi, eze
eree ewu” (After dogs have eaten faeces, the teeth of goats decay instead) I feel that it somewhat conveys a sense of injustice, among other
things. Why would the teeth of herbivorous goats decay? Goats are not the
scavengers that consumed human faeces. Dogs going wild did so, and should
suffer a dental problem on account of that. Wetin concern the goat? It is
enough cultural punishment to heap foolishness on it! Must it continue to be
the lamb of God who wipes away the sins of others, or to bear the punishment
others deserve for their actions?
Yes, one
knows that scavenging dogs are wise and even though they do not have time to
enter a washroom and brush their teeth, they endeavour to lick their teeth and
their lips frequently. Goats in the shed keep gourmandizing leaves and neither
brush their teeth nor lick their lips afterwards. They just keep munching, even
chewing what they have chewed before, in the name of chewing the cud, until
they end up with rotten teeth! Real
stupid goats! Now you are the lamb of God that takes away the sins of others! You
don’t even know that they could be very ungrateful; they have no memory! And won’t
remember that you died for them. Died for whom? You better jump down in anger
from that cross!
Oh, you are
talking of servitude! Of deliverance and all that! Wise up, man! Don’t take on
yourself the atrocities of the wandering dog. Don’t stink on his behalf.
Imagine, he eats the shit and its repercussion is on you. That is the height of
ewuness, the height of a horned foolishness!
Imagine,
Nkita richaa nsị, eze eree ewu!
Wetin concern
you with shit? You were in the goatshed, tied, almost forgotten. You were not
the scavenger. You were eating the leaves they cared to provide and chewing
your cud. Wetin concern you with shit?
They will
remember you and your teeth when they feel like eating pepper soup and would
march you to the slaughter. Why this additional victimhood? Now, you are twice
victimized, even in language! The goat is a goat is a goat! Check their
favourite metaphor for foolishness in the culture. Is it not the goat? When they want to abuse
somebody, they say, “You are a goat!”
Where can one
find a positive use of ewu? Yes, a goat is a goat is a goat! Now that they are
preparing for elections, you can hear them call those with bad affiliations “ewu.”
Bad choice is ewu choice or ewu syndrome! The point is this: being an ewu,
whether literally or metaphorically, is already regrettable. The world wants you
to know that you were a great mistake in creation!
It is only in
a Cameroonian story, retold by Loretto Todd in Some Day Been Dey that, to one’s great surprise, ewuness is
portrayed positively and ironically. Lion had fallen into a pit dug for large
animals by hunters. A monkey was passing by, jumping from branch to branch.
Then Lion called out to Monkey, “My brother, help me. I have been in this pit
for three days. The hunters will soon come here and kill me. Help your brother,
please.” Monkey said, “No. You! ọ tagbue o, o rie! Great devourer! If I help
you now, you would eat me as you did to my mother. You of all people.” Lion
said: “No; I am no longer a devourer. I have changed. Help your brother.”
Monkey thought about this and how other animals would blame him, saying he is
hard-hearted and unforgiving. He was in a dilemma between personal experience
of pain of loss and community blame. Then, his mind was made up to take the
risk. He lowered his long tail into the pit and Lion held it and jumped out.
But release the tail of the helper, Lion would not. Instead he said: “How do
you think I would see tasty meat and leave it. Look; check my teeth. Are they not
sharp enough? What does a lion live on if not meat? In fact, I have been in
this goddam pit for three good days, dying of hunger! How would I see a good
breakfast and miss it?” A goat was passing at a distance and heard the
argument. He came nearer and asked, “What is that kinsmen. They told the story.
Goat said: “You know I am only a goat. Very stupid and foolish. This serious
event needs to be reversed, played back, for me to understand and pass my
judgment.” Lion and Monkey thought about this logic and so agreed. Lion jumped
into the pit like lightning, warning: “But you must do something about this ewuness of yours and try
to understand fast.”
The goat
moved some distance and said: “Monkey my brother, are you still there? Go to
the farthest branch. Allow this idiot to taste the horrible death waiting for
him!” Monkey got the message and flew like the wind to another tree branch and
sped off, thanking its Maker for the wisdom of ewuness!
Very soon,
the hunters arrived and clubbed Lion to death in the pit.
So, goat
watch your teeth. Don’t take someone else’s misdemeanour upon yourself. Even
use ewuness against every ungrateful lion.
Comments