Ifelanwa is not that difficult to pronounce if you can appreciate the depth of what it means to me.
I can’t remember where I read this, but I remember finding it hilarious. It must have been a Nigerian of Igbo extraction who wrote something on his/her Twitter page that had gone viral. I can’t remember the story exactly but the general message and the name Arnold Schwarzenegger remains indelible in memory.
A Father/Son Dialogue
Let’s say this person of Igbo extraction called Ikedinaekpere had recently secured admission to study in a European country and was considering changing his name or adopting an alias to make it easier for foreigners to pronounce his name.
The Twitter post, which was a dialogue between Ikedinaekpere and his father went like this:
Ikedinaekpere: Dad, what do you think about Alex?
Dad: Which Alex?
Ikedinaekpere: No, I mean. What do you think about the name, ‘Alex?’
Dad: I don’t understand your question. What do you think about Adolphus? Alex is a name. What are you saying?
Ikedinaekpere: I am trying to find a name I can use in [insert European country.]
Dad: (removes his glasses and leans forward slightly. A concerned look on his face.): You want a different name because you are going to school? What is wrong with you Ikedinaekpere?
Ikedinaekpere: My classmates may not be able to pronounce Ikedinaekpere, and that can make it difficult for them to relate with me in school.
Dad: (sighs with his head bowed): Chi m! How were they able to pronounce Arnold Schwarzenegger? You don’t have work. It is not only Alex. You should change your name to Elephant. Isi a di gi mma
For immigrants, especially Africans with names that aren’t easily anglicized, there is a tendency for foreigners who find it difficult to pronounce your name, to find the easiest route if/when they have to call you. For those who won’t try at all, they will rechristen you for their convenience. For instance, they could say, “I will call you Ed from now on" (even though you’ve introduced yourself as Boluwatife.)
For those who care but struggle, they will call you Bo — or any other contraction of your name.
And there is nothing wrong with Bo. The truth is that most of your friends already call you Bo anyway.
But here’s the ish.
What’s in a Name?
In Africa, names have meanings. It is the embodiment of a lot of influences. From the circumstances of your birth to a nod to your lineage, to a special story that is buried within the meaning of your name. It could be what your parents, grandparents (or namers) see in your future, or what they don’t want to forget about the past.
Names carry cultural, religious, social, and even metaphysical dimensions where we come from. It can inspire you, or depress you every time it is called, and every time you have to answer to it. In Africa, it could be the difference between whether you succeed or fail as you tacitly agree to its pronunciations every time your name is called.
While Bo is a good alias for Boluwatife, Bo is not Boluwatife. Bo means nothing, while Boluwatife means “This is how God wants it.”
This name Boluwatife itself is suspect, in that it could infer a parent’s dissatisfaction with the circumstance of a child’s birth. Or contrarily, an acknowledgment of the omniscience of the godhead in knowing what is best for us.
For example: If a man and a woman who already have 4 daughters and are hoping to have a son have a 5th son instead of a daughter, they could name the child Boluwatife, referencing the the unquestionable might of God with a tinge of disdain. Naming the child Boluwatife could then mean, “We wanted a boy but sadly, this is what God has given us.”
On the contrary, Boluwatife could equally hold a different meaning — one more associated with a sense of willing acceptance of God’s gift. An allusion to God’s capacity to know all and know best, and a humble acceptance of this assertion outside our expectations. In that context, Boluwatife could mean — God knows what is best for me, and I accept it.
In either circumstance, as the child grows up, each time a parent, friend, family, or stranger calls its name, the meaning (in the case where the child is privy to the origin story) reinforces certain mindsets. The child may feel like the beloved of God, or the child no one wanted. In these opposing definitions, a child’s subconscious mind can be conditioned as it tries to define an identity for itself. It may or may not impact the child’s opinion of himself or herself, and to what extent that does is debatable.
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