To all fathers out there,  I hope you had a  Blessed Father's Day!
May the next one be even better
Remain Blessed.
Chinwe Enemchukwu
Sorrento, Florida.

CHIBOK GIRLS.

My prayer for the Chibok  girls has been and remains that they will be found soonest, safe and sound, and reunited with their families.
It is very sad that  women and children are most of the time on the receiving end of this type of senseless situation.
With stories and breaking news flying around over the weeks, it is very good that the international community is now involved, speaking out, condemning the abduction  and lending a helping hand.

Their ordeal will not be in vain.  It has already pulled people and nations together in prayers, protests and efforts to find them and return them to  their families.
May the Almighty God protect these girls and grant their captors a change of heart for their immediate release---- Amen.

A welcome back awaits them, almost as that of a woman back from the rigors of childbirth------- Bittersweet--- a lot of suffering,  but opening new doors for good. May God help and bless Nigeria,

Chinwe Enemchukwu
Sorrento,  Florida

Nne Nwa---- Old and New----- Happy Mothering Sunday!

 Nne Nwa,  withbaby on board.

Mothering Sunday,  as Mother's day was called in Nigeria in the good old days, was always very special. It is still called Mothering Sunday today. Today, March 30th is Mothering Sunday in Nigeria.  It remains  a special day for celebrating mothers in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
For mothers old and new, it is a day of rejoicing, celebrating, and being celebrated.
   I remember especially the young mothers, in childhood days,   newly married,  with their first babies. Everything about them had an aura of newness. Motherhood in itself, the trimmings that went with it----a fresh new baby, fresh new Abada outfit with shoes and headgear to match, a set of custom gold ear rings, specially crafted by the goldsmith for the new bride, if the husband had the means to order such for her, and finally, an umbrella, ( mbrad), a good match for  the wrapper and oja, to protect the baby's young tender  head, usually from the blazing sun and of course the rain if mother and child got caught in the rain.
   They, the young mothers were called Nne Nwa,  a term which simply means---Baby's mother. They were pampered  by the older mothers, and by everyone.  They were given gifts for the baby and for themselves, most of the time, cash gifts.

On Mothering Sundays, Nne nwas  worshipped and celebrated at their husband's home churches, but after church, and after celebrating at home with family, they could be seen walking with babies tied to their backs with wrapper and oja, carrying their new umbrellas spread over the baby's head or hung from the elbow, on their way to visit their mothers and families for the new grandmother and mother mothering Sunday celebration.
In the blazing March sun, mother and child, after trekking the distance, and sharing well wishes with so many, arrived at their destinations to cool off and enjoy the attention of the extended family.
   Mothers and Grandmothers received gifts especially from their children, grandchildren and God children,  mostly handcrafted gifts like baskets, bundles of broom for sweeping  and embroidered  handkerchiefs made at handwork and needlework classes at school. Those gifts were appreciated.  Those were the good old days!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and mother figures  out there celebrating today,  especially,  the new Nne nwas.  God Bless you all !

For mothers who are grieving  and mourning today, May the Almighty God,  The Father,  bring you Comfort,  the kind of Comfort He alone can provide----- Amen!

Chinwe Enemchukwu
Sorrento, Florida
March 30th 2014.

Picture courtesy of
Chinwe Enemchukwu
Sorrento,  Florida

Ekwefi---- E ji kwa efi?

    When I read books or hear voices over the airwaves, my imagination, I suppose, always kicks in and paints a picture of the characters in the books or the faces behind the voices. Sometimes, the pictures are so off that I have to laugh at myself or at my imagination when I finally see a real picture or actually get to see the person in real life.
  I remember years ago, when I would listen to the radio with my young son as we drove around running errands. Like clockwork, the voice of this teacher will come over the airwaves, authoritative,strong and confident as he taught and advised and encouraged his listeners. In my mind's eye, my imagination created a picture of big athletic figure with black hair, delivering the message. Then one day, I came across a book authored by this teacher and while looking through it, saw a picture of the author. I had to laugh at myself at how wrong my imagination was. There was this fatherly face with a big smile looking up from the page.

  During childhood days, most of the books we read apart from the Bible and Bible stories were the typical children's classics, and the fairy tales, and a few vernacular books.
Shakespeare,s plays and some children's poetry books, were also available, and apart from the vernacular books, all the others were usually based on  cultures and backgrounds from far away lands. It was a tough game trying to imagine the scenes and characters in those books, and only the pictures and illustrations in the books provided material for the imagination to work with. For the Bible stories, many children, including myself, actually thought that the towns and cities and everybody mentioned were not in this world. Then I found out that Jerusalem was and is actually in this world. Pleasant surprise! Still planning to go see for myself one of these days.

    In this day and age, things have changed so much and one can see every part of the world on television and even communicate by telephone or the Internet. What an advancement.
For some people, mostly children, especially in the developing countries, the world outside their environment, is still viewed mostly through the imagination.

     Chinua Achebe's book, "Things Fall Apart", with a story line based on everyday village life experiences, was such a spectacular eye opener for children of that generation. To actually have what one was reading play out in the lives of people around, was such a refreshing experience. Other writers took the cue and came up with their own books. Writers like Flora Nwapa (Efuru), Chukwuemeka Ike, Cyprian Ekwensi, (then James Ngugi (Weep not Child) and others, provided books with African themes for children and adults to read and enjoy.
 For Poetry and Drama, Wole Soyinka, Gabriel Okara and Dr James Ene Henshaw provided their works. Dr Henshaw's " This is our chance" was a hit for secondary schools in those days. I remember losing out on an audition for a part in the play to another student who had a more forceful voice. The jaw-breaking grammar of the main character, Bambulu, in " This is our chance" was thrown around by students for good laughter, and performing those plays highlighted the acting gifts and talents  in some students.

  Camara Laye's " L'enfant Noir", translated into English, " The African Child" was one of my English Literature textbooks in class one. In it Camara Laye shared the village life experiences of tribal peoples of Guinea. Another English Literature textbook, titled " Our Sister", ( I have forgotten the name of the author, starred a heroine, OluFunke, who helped bring pipe-borne water to her village.

Following  the debut of Chinua Achebe's classic "Things Fall Apart" there were plenty of African culture-based  books around, including more by him, to add variety to the choice of books available.

Coming to my point in this story, it was refreshing to read  names of characters children could pronounce and identify with: everyday names, name of neighbors and relatives.

  One character in Chinua Achebe's " Things Fall Apart"  stood out in my mind--- Ekwefi-- which I understood meant--- E ji kwa efi?, or E ji kwa ehi?, or E ji kwa evi?, depending on the dialect, a name posing a question---Was a cow brought?
 In Igbo culture, a cow was and is still a big deal, as a gift or token. A cow is a symbol of wealth and power. Bringing a cow as a gift to a funeral or marriage celebration is a significant gesture.

   Igbo names always have some message attached to them. No name is given just for the sake of naming a child.
The full name for Ekwefi should actually be " E ji kwa efi bia" ---- Did they come with a cow, as part of the dowry? That puts a non monetary value on this daughter.
Other such names include Nwakaego, meaning a child is more valuable than money, then there is Nnuola or Nnuona, meaning --- four hundred ( uncountable pieces of gold), again indicating the high value of a daughter to the Igbo. Akudiola-- ( Future wealth), is another such name.
These names show the high value the Igbo place on their daughters, not just in terms of bride price, but also in their meaningful contributions to society as Umuada and Umuokpu and as wives and mothers also.

  Ekwefi's character reflected in "Things Fall Apart", potrayed that strong will, that love and passion for children and family,and the strong desire for respect from society. All good, and pointing to positive self esteem. I have always wondered why Chinua Achebe chose that name for the main female character in his first book.


E ji kwa efi ?
I have always wondered.



Chinwe Enemchukwu
Sorrento, Florida.
4/05/2013.

Ps: Camara Laye was from Guinea, not Senegal, as I originally wrote. My apologies



 


 

Akwa Eke Orima

                

Akwa Eke Orima

Yesterday, March 10 was Mother's Sunday in Nigeria. Mother's Sunday is usually a big deal for mothers all over, just as Mother's day in May, is a big deal here in the United States. I had shared this for Mother's Day 2010. This is for Mother's Sunday, in Nigeria. A popular Igbo folksong---- Akwa eke orima tells it all about mothers, young and old. Introduction in English, just for Mother's day. (Folklore)


 A mother Eke (python) laid a cluster of eggs and hid them in a nest well covered for protection in a cocoyam barn. Then she crawled to the market to buy family needs. Upon her return, one of her eggs had vanished. She knew exactly how many eggs she had laid. It happened that the a pregnant woman was craving boiled eggs. Ordinarily, women did not eat eggs (***) (Nwanyi anaghi eri akwa) She came upon the eggs neatly hidden in her nkwu-ede.(cocoyam barn, usually shaded and cool) She grabbed one and tried to cook it but the water refused to boil, she tried to crack the egg in a motar with a pestle, no dice. Frustrated, she dipped it in okra soup and swallowed it whole. Then she went about her business. Later that night, after she went to bed, the owner of the egg came calling-- singing the song Akwa eke orima--- calling out to her egg. The baby in the egg responded to her mother, causing a bad belly ache for the pregnant woman. She felt nauseated. She ran outside. Nausea again, at this stage, she thought. She had to throw up and---- Bingo!!! The egg.
 The owner grabbed it and went home happy that her lost egg was found, and the women felt better and went back to bed. This is one version of the story behind the folksong ----Akwa Eke Orima. Mothers are unique when it comes to their babies and children. Enjoy, and Happy Mother's day to All Mothers and mother figures.
 *** In some communities, umu-nwanyi anaghi eri akwa *** I am not sure how widespread it was and why.

 The Song: Akwa-eke-Orima. Nne--eke, na achoghari akwa ya, bido egwu---- " Akwa eke orima, akwa eke orima. Doo- rima-rima, doo rima Akwa eke orima, akwa eke orima Doo-rima-rima, doo -rima. Akwa eke m debere n'onwa---- ( ebe a) Na o zurozi, doo-rima-rima, doo-rima. Akwa eke m dembere n'onwa----- e zurozi, doo rima-rima,doo rima." Nne-eke mechie onu, gee nti. Nwa-eke, nu olu nne ya, bido egwu--- Nne anokwa m n'onwa-o-o-o ( ebe a oooo) Mbom-bom-tim bo-ro-ro- m, N'onwa-o-o-o, Mbom-bom,tim bo-ro-ro-m Nwa nwanyi di ime Sibe o kwero ya esi ooo Sube o kwero ya esu, Taba, o kwero ya ata O fialu okwuru, noo m -ooo Akwa-eke oooo, akwa-eke ooo Mbom-bom-tim bo-ro-ro m. Nne-eke, jiri nwayo gee nti ebe egwu nwa ya si abia. O gaa nso ebe ahu, welite olu ozo, dotia egwu adotia. "Akwa---- eke--- orima----, akwa-eke-- orima Doo-----rima----rima, doo-rima. Akwa-----eke----orima----, akwa-eke--orima, Doo-----rima----rima---doo--rima Akwa-- eke-- m-- debere-- n'onwa-- ezurozi. Doo----rima---rima, doo--rima Akwa--- eke-- m-- debere-- n'onwa-- ezurozi Doo-rima--rima---rima--, doo--- rima. Nwa-eke noo n'ime akwa, di n'afo nwanyi di ime, Jiri oke olu dara uda, n'ihi na nne ya anorola nso-- Nne anokwa m n'onwa ooooooooo Mbom-bom tim-bo ro-ro-rom, N'onwa oo-oo-oo-o Mbom- bom-tim-bo ro-rom Nwa nwanyi di ime, Sibe o kwero ya esi, Sube o kwero ya esu, taba o kwero ya a ta O fialu okwuro, noo m ooo Akwa eke oo-oo, akwa eke oo-oo--- Mbom-bom, tim bo ro-ro-rom. Mgbe ahu nne ya amarala nwanyi di ime loro akwa ya. O gawa n'ulo nwanyi ahu ngwa-ngwa. Mgbe o na eru ebe ahu, lee kwa ka nwanyi si n'ime ulo tiputa, jide afo ya aka. Mgbe nwa noo n'ime akwa o loro na aza nne ya oku, afo gbaghria nwanyi. O si n'elu akwa ya rida, na aga n'ezi. Ndi ulo ya amarala na nwanyi ime na apukari ezi n'abali. Mgbe o puru n'ezi, O bido gbowa. Akwa eke o loro maputa kwa o tu odi mgbe o loro ya. Gbam!! Nne eke kpuru akwa ya laa gaa tinye ya ebe umu nne ya noo.

 Ha biri ndu ha na anuri. ( Lived happily ever after) Akuko a gosiri na ihe jikoro nne na nwa di omimi nke ukwu. Nne gaa ebe ana ekusa umu aka amuru ohuru na ulo ogwu, O ga ama olu nwa ya. Akpoo oku n'ahia,----"Maa, Mom, Mommy" Lee kwa ka ndi nne na eneghari anya, Ma ndi umu ha tocharala, biri nke ha, Aha ha nile bu ofu ihe----Mama, mom, mommy, Maa. Ndia bu aha ndi nne, ma nnukwu, ma ntakiri, ma ocha, ma oji. Ha nile bu Mama. Nke na egosi olu oma Chukwu N'ebe umu madu na ihe nile O kere eke no. Nne bu Nne. Ekene diri Chineke maka ndi nne nile, na ndi nile na alu olu ndi nne. Udo diri ha.

 Nwada Chinwe Enemchukwu Sorrento, Florida

A Relationship. --- my thoughts after enjoying a book of portraits by Yousuf Karsh.

During my book hunts, I occasionally come across volumes that catch me off guard and open doors to information I least expect to come across. Information so enlightening that I learn so much from them, and at the same time derive a lot of pleasure and satisfaction reading the book, journal or magazine. A few months ago, I found a book in a thrift shop. Initially, I bypassed it, since the title did not ring a bell and the author's name and picture were not familiar to me either. I went back, picked it up, and leafed through some of the pages. The pages hold a collection of black and white portraits, with concise biographical

data along with them. They are of excellent quality. I tried to locate the year of publication from the front cover. There is no publication date on the book. That only increased my curiosity. The name and picture of the author, I studied and drew a blank again. The picture of the middle-aged, balding man was next to his name, in big capital letters ----YOUSUF KARSH. The name seemed to be the title of the volume. Beneath the name, was the actual title: "PORTRAITS OF GREATNESS." His brief biography on the front flap proved my conclusion wrong. From the name, I had thought he was from somewhere in the Middle East, but his biography placed him in Canada and he was actually known as Yousuf Karsh of Ottawa, in the professional circle. He was an immigrant from Armenia and was a celebrated photographer of his days. An online search for Yousuf Karsh showed that he passed away in 2002 in Boston. He had quite a remarkable career in photography. Great men and women of all lifestyles and professions sat or posed before the Karsh lens, according to his biography. With that, my curiosity was stirred and I took a seat and went through the spectacular find-- a combination of graphic art, history, humor, and incredible information accompanied by excellent portraits, described as his most famous portraits, each worthy of salon display. From reading a few of the biographies, I gathered that these portraits spanned over a three-decade period covering from the mid nineteen thirties to the late fifties. I gladly paid the four dollars for the book and looked at some more portraits when I got home, and then put it away, meaning to study all of it, but forgot all about it. While packing and labeling books the other day, I came across Yousuf Karsh's collection of portraits again and have been enjoying it since. I did not realize what I had bought. It may not be a big deal to others, but to me and for me and history enthusiasts, it is a treasure. I am very excited by this find. Mr. Karsh had put the narratives in such a way that the reader feels as if the stories are in the present. With the portraits so well done and so real to life, the reader goes back in time to the period. The portraits are of the people in the news in those days; people in various areas of Arts, Science, with Literature, Music, Medicine and politics in between. Many of the names were not familiar to me and I learned about them for the first time, while some of the names were men and women I knew about from history class and other reading. Most of them were born in the last quarter of the eighteen hundreds and a few were born in the early nineteen hundreds. A few had died by the time this book was published, but the majority were still alive and very few are still alive and around today. Some of the subjects in these portraits include Marian Anderson, Dr Charles Herbert Best--- co discoverer of Insulin, Physicist Nielss Bohr, Pearl S. Buck, Ralph Johnson Bunche--- of the United Nations who did a lot of work in the Middle East. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill's portraits are there---,two portraits, one in 1941 and the other fifteen years later. The 1941 portrait was reputed to have earned Mr. Karsh world acclaim. Just looking at the picture today, one can still see the determination or defiance on Sir Churchill's face. I remember his pictures from childhood days, when he was in his late eighties and about ninety. Then there is Christian Dior, Walt Disney, a young Duke of Edinburgh, Albert Einstein, Dwight D. Eisenhower, a young Elizabeth the second, Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered Penicillin in 1922, Robert Frost-- American poet, Dag Hammarskjold--- then Secretary-General of the United Nations who died in a tragic plane crash; Ernest Hemingway in a rare portrait, a young Audrey Hepburn, His Holiness Pope John XX111, a beaming Helen Keller and her devoted friend Katharine Cornell, Andre Malraux-- two time French information minister and a war prisoner,---his predictions about China were so accurate. German novelist and essayist, Thomas Mann in a remarkable portrait, The Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey--- the first Canadian Governor General of Canada, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Georgia O’Keeffe, a young Sir Laurence Olivier, Yukio Ozaki-- Japanese Statesman, Wilder Penfield-- renown neurologist, Pablo Picasso, His holiness Pope Pius XX11, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Rainier 111 and Princess Grace of Monaco in a beautiful 1956 portrait. Norman Rockwell in his studio, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Philosopher Bertrand Arthur William Russell--- a British prolific writer and Nobel Laureate; (one of his books, why I am not a christian is a book I am currently searching for. Then comes a portrait of a very simple looking Dr Jonas Edward Salk--- in his white Lab coat giving a little patient a polio vaccine. Very impressive. What a differnce his work has made for mankind. I had never heard about Brigadier General David Sarnoff, who was a pioneer in American Radio and Television and also played a major role in communications during World War 11. Albert Schweitzer--- a French Missionary-Surgeon who did a lot of charity work,especially in Africa, is another very interesting subject. George Bernard Shaw--- Irish playwright, novelist, philosopher and critic was photographed in his older years. Igor Sikorsky-- American Aircraft designer, Francis Henry Taylor, whose life revolved around art collection and appreciation, was director of major Art Museums before his death in 1957. Dr Paul Dudley White,holding his stethoscopes with both hands across his chest in the portrait, looked like the elderly rural community physician, but was actually an outstanding physician and one of the founders of the American heart Association. Tennessee Williams-- American Playwright, and Frank Lloyd Wright, great American architect, end the collection. Coming across treasures like this book does not happen regularly and whenever it happens, it is really appreciated and enjoyed to the fullest. I did not mention all the names in the volume, and the names I listed, were put out just as they were presented. There were just too many interesting men and women in the volume to mention all of them. Such book finds are usually pored over for hours and for days and then carefully put away for future enjoyment and for others to enjoy. I had wondered why Mr Karsh had the portrait of two popes in his book of portaits and no portrait of the Archbishop of Canterbury for example, or that of any well known Rabbi of those days. I must add that “ Defender of the Faith” was the last of the titles listed for Elizabeth the second. While watching the celebration of her silver jubilee a few weeks ago, and hearing her pray for forgiveness and peace for families around the world, I was really touched. I recalled the argurement and fights between school children in childhood days over church denomination. In one particular rural community where my family lived at the time, the elementary schools, ran by the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) and the Church Missionary Society (CMS),(of the Church of England), were next to each other, separated by a fence made of palm fronds and wood. There were occasional fights between children after school, even at the stream, while fetching water. We were not allowed to fight for any reason whatsoever ,though we managed to get into fights once in a while, but never over religion. I heard earfuls of denomination bad talk and some of them worried me. I remember being told that all CMS people (non Roman catholic) were destined for hell and I worried about that a whole lot. Eventually, I asked questions and learned that it was not true. There were too many wrong beliefs in those days. Then in Sunday school the story about the camel passing through the eye of a needle was another scary one. Mankind is doomed, I thought to myself, If it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for one to go to heaven, then what is the fate of humans? I don't remember having the alternative explained clearly. “I am the Way, The Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but by Me”, is one of the first Jesus quotes Christians learn, but fail to connect to the camel and needle-eye analogy. All the fights over denomination in those days and even nowadays remain a total waste of time and energy. Denomination had never and will never save anybody. Being good and trying very hard to be good will not do it. Self punishment, as practiced by some religious groups to attain piety will not do it either. A believer in Jesus Christ is a Christian and follows Christianity. The denominations, and their varying beliefs and practices make up the christian church. One source I looked at, termed these beliefs and practices--- Christian-ism. Getting from believing in Jesus Christ, to accepting him as Lord and Savior, then moving beyond Christian-ism, opens the door to the journey and to a relationship with the Son of God,( who became Son of man to experience man’s ordeal),and then the prophecy concerning him was fulfilled for the salvation of mankind. It is a tedious journey, just as painful as it was for Him when he was here. A journey, which becomes possible and manageable, as one accepts his gift of grace and salvation and then focuses on Him. There are many lessons to be learned, and daily adjustments to make, in order to remain in the relationship. Denomination will not do it at all. It is all about a RELATIONSHIP! Thanks for reading. (This are only from my thoughts, not to be mistaken for anything else.