What’s your name???

If I had no ties with my mother land,

Certainly, I would wonder at the complexity of our names.

Repetitions of consonants in odd places that makes one feel like a tongue twister.

Spelt with phonetics to make pronunciation easy.

Alas! Can it be any simpler ? One may ask.

“I can’t make any promises but, those names, Yes! Those complicated names are truly beautiful!”

 

 

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,

Truly! I believe!

Who’s society to define beauty?

How much more the beauty of names?

 

From Boma to Ibinabo,

Tonye to Wariboko,

Better still, Teniola or Omoshalewa,

Whatsoever your delight,

The choice is yours!

 

Names bring identity, sense of belonging, and cultural values.

Chimamanda is absolutely right!

“There is a danger to a single side of the story”

Absolutely! I agree!

It’s time to get out of life’s bubble!

Get to the know the person and the story behind the name.

Selah!

 

 

 

With love,

this Nigerian chic♥♥♥♥♥♥

 

 

Glossary

Chimamanda– Nigerian female writer and author of “Americanah”

Boma-blessing

Wariboko– Access or doorway to a house/home

Ibinabo– coming with good and happy tidings

Tonye– God’s will

Teniola– God’s prosperity of wealth

Omoshalewa– a child has chosen a house to be born into

Shout out to big brother, Owanate Max-Harry, for explaining the meaning of the  names ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Photo credit- https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Popular+Nigerian+Names&FORM=RESTAB