Tales of an Omo-Nna in Osun state

I think the first thing I learnt few days after my arrival to Osun state was Ekuaro meaning good morning. This was followed by other one or two lettered words, even though I didn’t always get the pronunciations right.

On the day of my arrival to Osogbo, I couldn’t even tell the bike man where I wanted him to take me. I believe this is a problem that non-Yoruba speaking interns and coppers face when they get here. Everyone assumes that you can speak Yoruba just by virtue of your presence here, which is quite presumptive and unfair. Till date, I have not been able to go beyond the customary greetings (come to think of it, why do I have to tell a man or woman ‘happy sitting down Ekujoko just because I was passing by, LOL). Hopefully, I’ll be able to strike a conversation by the time I’m done here.

One of the things I wanted to experience was an owambe, that is, a real Yoruba party. I eventually attended a Yoruba wedding and I must say that I find it really interesting and heartwarming. My favorite part has to be when the groom and his friends all have to prostrate to the family of the bride. I believe it’s a thing of respect and honor to seek the hand of their daughter humbly. By the way, I couldn’t resist the dududum of the talking drums. I just found myself gyrating seriously. How can such a simple musical instrument sound this good?

As for the food, I have enjoyed a solid helping of amala and ewedu with the accompanying stew. Ahh! Such sweetness. The hotter the better. However, I woke up to a running stomach the next day. I must have forgotten that I was coming to the custodians of atarodo. The amount of pepper I’ve had to stomach is not a joke. We still meuuve!

The Igbo girl in me has been through a lot. I had to get something urgently one morning at about 9am. To my surprise, a lot of shops hadn’t even opened for the day, apart from the Abokis that are always punctual. In other words, business is sleepy around here. They are really laid back over here. They would rather farm and rear animals than run a business. 

As for my internship, I was posted to Ilesha in Osun state. It wasn’t such great news because I was sure I would be posted to Oshogbo, the state’s capital. Eventually I resumed there and had to pick up a few phrases so as to communicate with the patients. I believe that even those that could speak English just resorted to speaking Yoruba because it was easier and just normal to them. I was called Omo Nna, as I was the only Igbo girl in the whole hospital. Most of my colleagues were warm and receptive towards me but I wondered if they said stuff about me because I couldn’t understand or hold a conversation in Yoruba. After about three months, Omo Nna was transferred to Oshogbo. 

Going back to Oshogbo was such a relief because I had spent almost five months there with my aunt and her family. Somehow I’d gotten used to boarding korope, and buying stuff in the market. One highlight of my experience here was CCI (Celebration Church International). I made friends, actively served in the workforce and picked up on some Yoruba worship songs. 

At the end of my internship, I was awarded ‘The most reserved Intern’. I think this was because I couldn’t just get used to the culture of animated and boisterous manner of speaking in informal settings (like during work or call breaks or meetings). Come to think of it, I am usually reserved in public, but when I’m around people I’m comfortable with, I can be talkative (and still not loud).

So, guysss, Osun was quite the experience. The friends I now have, the new vocabulary I have under my cute little belt, the places and culture (I never got to see Ijesha waterfall, which I regret).

Now, it’s your turn. Would you move states for an internship or it’s not even worth the hassle?

Adios!

Ekuaro – Good morning

Ekujoko – Sit well

Abokis – the northern men who sell goods from a wheelbarrow

Omo Nna- a phrase to describe an Igbo person 

Korope – Colored 7-seater buses

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT

[1] For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.