Common Meanings Of Nigerian Words

So you’re a tourist, diplomat, foreign student or just a visitor to Nigeria who is intrigued by the Nigerian style of speaking and you’re interested in learning this cute foreign language in order to interact better with the locals or just so you can speak another foreign tongue. Well, the interaction of its numerous people with rich and diverse cultures has emerged a unique twist to the English language as you know it. No wonder the Nigerianaccent was adjudged one of the world’s sexiest accents. The Nigerian Pidgin though not the official lingua franca is the most spoken language among its people and it is not uncommon to find excerpts of this “unique blend of cultures” spoken even in formal situations. Here are a few commonly spoken Nigerian words and their

meanings:

Oga: This was originally a Yoruba word but now mostly refers to one’s boss. It is also a term used in addressing a gentleman in which one is not so acquainted with. My oga usually means my boss.

Chairman: This word is originally associated with the head of a local government personnel. It is also associated with a distinguished guest at a social event who usually sits on a high table along with other important personalities. This word has suffered a high devaluation in recent years and is now an informal term of respect used by young Nigerian men to address each other. Chairman in this context may be likened to oga as explained above. Please do not address a Nigerian lady as chairwoman as she would not appreciate it.

Tear rubber: This usually refers to buying a new luxury item in which the original nylon cover from the manufacturer is still intact and has not been turn off. It is a way of bragging for not buying “tokunbu” goods (which also means second hand goods). A young girl may brag to her friends by saying “My boyfriend just bought me a tear rubber Ranger Rover Sports Jeep”.

Face Me, I Face You: This refers to a type of apartment building common in Lagos and many parts of Nigeria consisting of a single long corridor that has adjacent rooms with doors facing each other that run from the entrance of the building to a yard at the rear where the kitchen, toilet and bathrooms are usually located. These buildings are usually inhabited by bachelors, struggling young couples or poor families. The rich and average families live in flats (bungalows) and duplexes.

Flashing: This means dialling someone’s phone number and ending the call before or just as the receiver answers the telephone. It is usually a call me back message or a way of letting someone know they’re in your thoughts. You don’t have to call back if you’re flashed.

H- Factor: This is a habit common among the Yoruba people in south west Nigeria of pronouncing the H sound in front of every vowel sound or deleting the H sound wherever it should be pronounced so that orange becomes Horange and House becomes Ouse.

Idea Is Needed: This is a way of justifying one’s incorrect use of the English language. It means conveying the message to the receiver is the main purpose of communicating and not speaking in fluent grammar. A wrong use of English is often noted by saying someone has thrown a bomb. It is also referred to as Shelling, Tabon or Gbaguan.

Flexing/ Chop up: This often refers to a person who is assumed to be living the good life. A person known to go out a lot to have fun or party is said to be flexing or chopping up.

National Cake: This refers to the huge national treasure gotten from Nigeria’s petroleum resources in which most government executives are assumed to be looting. Most Nigerians usually fantasize about having their own share or a piece of the national cake. A person receiving a lot of money from a friend or relative in government is assumed to be eating the national cake.

Go Hug Transformer: The word transformer in Nigeria is not synonymous with the popular Hollywood movie “Transformer”. It is rather a term associated with a usually government owned electric installation that regulates power. Go hug transformer literally means “Go to hell” and is a term popularly used by young Nigerians.