What is funny?
Sometimes I’m genuinely concerned about us. Yes, we as Nigerians. Nigeria, the beloved tribe of the African race; the big brother of Africa. Yes we, the ones distinguishable in spite of the mono color of the African race.
Recently, I have been bothered about this character of ours which requires deeper review, in my opinion. That our uncanny ability to make jest of every and anything.
I had first put it down to ‘self defense mechanism’ and then I progressed to ‘we are naturally humorous’. However, it has become increasingly difficult to make these excuses.
When we are in the elements of this behaviour, nothing is sacred nor out of bounds. Everything is made fun of. Be it the Ebola outbreak or attacks by Boko Haram, we always manage to make light of everything through a joke.
Recently, shortly after the announcement of the Ebola outbreak, all manners of jokes broke out in tow. One day, on my phone, I noticed on one of my contact’s display picture, two persons in raincoats, boots and headgear who appeared to be hitting their back sides on it was written: ‘the new Ebola greeting ways. Another picture was that of a baby seated in a large pot of salt water with a spatula being used to stir it. On it was boldly written: ‘best way to protect yourself this season’.
For me, the crowning point on Ebola was the image of the ‘Blessed Anti-Ebola salt’ widely circulated on social network sites. It had as its slogan: ‘God punish Ebola’ in Ibo language.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to have a hearty laugh not with my love for comedy shows. However, I’m concerned that we risk losing the gravity of key issues if we constantly find humour in everything!
Sometimes the jokes are out rightly distasteful. There was this joke where someone was trying to explain to another he will get punished for an offense when he said: ‘I will send you to Chibok’. I often meet this kind of statement with a serious frown and chastisement if I’m in the audience and or I am familiar with the person. A good friend of mine argues that it is this kind of outburst that is limiting us from seeking change to the issues that face us.
This also brings to mind the ‘My Oga at the top saga’, where a public official on a TV, didn’t complete the web address of his organisation. I know that it showed ineptness in a way, but the hue, the cry and the merchandise that came out of this was so upsetting. What was there to laugh about? if at all why laugh a man to death?
T-shirts, baseball caps, sun hats emerged as part of the ‘Oga at the top’ jokes.
I am not trying to be a puritan but couldn’t we have converted it to a ‘this is what a URL means’ campaign or how to prepare for a TV training? We could even extend it to what the public sector should include in their staff training manuals.
The fuel subsidy protest or occupy Nigeria is another one. I wondered why people where making light the big debate that had direct impact on everyone. I suppose being home gave us leeway to design all sorts of images, in one, a man will leave his family to sleep on the corridors and then chain to his bed, a keg of petrol, presumably to show which was now more prized. Everything is about jokes, jokes and more jokes.
Don’t get me wrong, I love our sense of humour. I think it is unique. Being able to laugh at certain things borne from cultural dissonance or preference is fine. I remember sitting in a multicultural setting when two dark skinned people where laughing at a lady who was delivering a message. I knew immediately that the people laughing where Nigerians and I could tell why they were laughing.
The Lady who was speaking had what Nigerians will consider a ‘strong hair cut’ which was also heavily dyed, her nails were what Nigerians will consider inordinately long. In Nigeria, we will call her an ‘AKATA’, in the movies featuring black American women that we watch. Those nails are often used to claw disobedient men. I figured this was the private joke they shared.
However, some of the serious things only Nigerians can laugh at include: the now ended kidnapping issues that ravaged the south-south. It wasn’t uncommon to hear in mid sentences when talking about the kidnapping at the time; ‘my value nor reach N1million sef’- ,meaning ‘ I cannot be valued up to N1million in the event I get kidnapped’.
I believe to make jest of national issues isn’t responsible citizenry. We are undoubtedly very cosmopolitan, knowledgeable, cultured set of people, but in my view run a huge risk of not making deliberate change because we trivalise it, I need joiners in the ‘don’t laugh about it-tackle it’ campaign. We should start an e-movement soon. Have a great weekend.
Nkiru Olumide-Ojo