My Son is also an ORIE Boy
I had been indulging in chest-beating, like the elated gorilla, in an effort to cheer myself up as an unrepentant and unapologetic Igbo irredentist. Not until my friend, Ichie Onodugo Nwafo Nwafo visited me earlier today.
In the course of our discussion, one of my kids served him some drinks. As the boy made for the exit, Ichie Nwafo called him back. Looking my boy in the face, Ichie Nwafo asked him: "Gini ka nna gi n'akpo gi?" (to the uninitiated, that means: what name does your father call you?). The boy smiled ignorantly, turned and looked in my direction as if saying "Dad, you did not teach me that". Of course, I ducked his prying looks.
Ichie Nwafo exploded with laughter. And after dismissing my son, the white-bearded visitor looked at me and continued laughing over his discoveries.
"That is the problem I have with you FOREIGN NDI-IGBO", he started. He took a mouthful of the Stella Artoirs beer, wiped his mouth, and continued. " You see, you people are killing our culture!" No, I wasn't prepared to stomach that, not after my contributions in promoting our cultural heritage.
So I challenged him. For the next ten minutes or so, he lectured me on the need for all Igbo people, both at home and abroad, to join in the propagation and retention of the "rich language and culture of the Igbo people."
I defended myself by informing him that my kids bear only Igbo names. "That is not enough!" he thundered. "They also need to speak the language."
As our conversations wore on, I sought to find out why he bore two "NWAFOR" names. He explained that his first name was "NWAFOR" having been born on an Afo market day. The second "NWAFOR" belongs to his family ancestry. I remembered (and told him so) that I was also born on an "AFOR" day hence my names also include "OKAFOR". He demanded that I spelt my own version of “OKAFO” which I did instantly, with an "R" at the end. He rejected that outrightly as being anglicised and therefore foreign because of the last letter. He informed me that none of his names contained the letter “R” at the end.
When he left, I googled Igbo Calendar and found out that the other name, which was not given, for my son is also “OKORIE” since he was born on an “ORIE” day. When I told the boy, while my wife looked on, he laughed it off. My wife? She was not amused by the name.
By the way, does your own child bear any Igbo market day names? If not, why?
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