#NP OLAMIDE – ELEDA MI
The post title is the literal translation of the Yoruba saying; “Wan sha’golo de Porthar” which is usually directed towards your enemies or detractors. In clearer English: They will pick tins from Lagos to Port Harcourt. This is done while on foot.
Real meaning: Anybody wishing you bad will go mad and start picking tins up and continue doing so till they go far away from you.
In recent times, Yoruba rapper Olamide infused this slang in the chorus of his tune ‘Eleda mi’ and that has kept it resounding in my head in a much more funny fashion. Go listen to that tune.
So I was in Aba in Abia state, which is a border town to Port Harcourt. I have to go through the Aba - PH express road whenever I have to get to my LGA and on the 3rd day or thereabout I noticed that there were quite a number of mentally deranged people on that road. Pardon me, there is/are. One of them even smiled and hailed me in Lagos omo area fashion. Did he know me? Or I him?
I made a mental note to check how many of them were out there. On my way back, I started to count. I lost count abeg. Just then did the saying “Wan sha’golo de Porthar” reoccur in my mind and I realised that it wasn’t so far from the truth!
My statistics: for every 10 – 20meters traveled; there is a mad person there. Picking tins/things on their trek to Port Harcourt. And I’m not overstating all, there are nothing less than 8 ‘run mad’ all the way from the Osisoma roundabout down to Tonimas junction where I frequently passed. It’s a short distance o.
I came to three conclusions though;
(1) Igbo people are more into ‘jazzing’ their people to losing their senses than other forms of misfortune other parts like the Yoruba enforce.
(2) How many people are still on their way, mad and trekking to Port Harcourt?
(3) Port Harcourt must have PLENTY mad people o!
Anyway, as for me and my house, we will not run mad and pick tins on the way Porthar let alone to any place. Somebody say Amen!
Shouts to Ms Perky
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