“ NYARINYA I NA SUNKI “

I had sworn by the last set of ‘ kilishi ‘ meat that I will eat in life , never to repeat this word to any one .

I repeat : NEVER TO REPEAT IT AGAIN

NOT EVEN IF I MEAN EVERY WORD OF WHAT IT MEANS

While I was introduced to the northern culture and language , no other word had sunk into my head more than this one.

It’s translation in English was just as romantic as it looked .

Kai! I was determined to blow it everywhere . I would just change it slightly and people would understand

I had met this old woman at terminus market selling fried fish and Akara and frankly , one Congolese demon was telling me to make her like me so that she can be adding at least one extra akara each time I come to buy .

Or so I thought !

I prepared my arsenal of newly learnt Hausa words and started with a confident “I na kwana “ ( how are you doing )

The next word i said was not completely out when I received a thunderous slap ; the type of slap that the gods give when you fail to make annual sacrifices for 12 market days !
“.....danburuba .....@&$&@$&@&&$@& “ , I could swear that the only thing I heard from mama that made sense was “danburuba”, the rest was sounding like plates scattering in a kitchen .

I tried to remember what I was trying to say and then it sunk in ...

“ nyarinya .... I na sun....” .

actually it was “ nyarinya I na sunki “ meaning “ girl I love you “

Mama didn’t take it funny o .
As I recoiled from the shock of the slap and picked up my nylon that had fallen down , mama hurled a missile of burning firewood in my direction .

Brethren! I ran !
I ran !
I was just running !

As I reached a distance the length of Niger bridge , I shined eyes and stood on one leg as I watched for signs of mama.

Negative! .

I walked home and as I moved gingerly from the pain of my aching feet , I swore never to say “ I na sunki “ again , not even in death .

ToH KaI DoLeNe SaEkAyI HaUsA?