What’s In A Name? By Femi Idowu

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By: Femi Idowu

I’m sure no Yoruba will ask that kind of question.
Where I am domiciled, many names people carry are simply meaningless, like Mr. Stone and so on.

We are big on names!
I get very excited particularly when I hear some names that have just been introduced, like one of the several names of our youngest grandson- JESUSHINDARA!

I have also overtime explored names on big scales including in academia.
For example, my first degree thesis (1975) is titled:
PLACE NAMES IN IGBAJO – I compiled the history of my hometown (Igbajo) by researching the names of some landmarks in the ancient city.

Perhaps what’s most exciting to me, and what really prompted this write-up, is my reflection of the ‘kicks’ I get -over the decades- from the names of military officers of Yoruba extraction.
We all will remember SASAENIA (Oresanya) the military governor, who to me stormed the socio-political scene with his name (I know he did well in office too)-that was the time most of us got to know that Sasaenia- which is actually part of a Yoruba saying, was also a personal name.
His name still rings a bell!
We have more of such unique names.
Let me get a little bit political(as politics, to me, is an essential part of life).
Whether you like him or not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making ‘waves’, possibly getting new converts and ostensibly dividing opinions in many circles.
Some of us actually are not sure where to stand with regards to the appointment of many Yoruba people into key offices by his administration.
I am however particularly delighted and excited that he ,,BAT ‘dug out’ General Lagbaja!
I never thought there was anyone in Nigeria going by LAGBAJA as family name- but there he is in military uniform, Chief of Army Staff, going all over the place unmasked! Do you know what Lagbaja really means?
The masked musician had always been the closest in terms of the name- that’s actually an alias or at best a pseudo name.
Each time I read about Gen Lagbaja in the newspaper or see him on air, my first thought is still- IS HE REAL-
I am actually looking for an opportunity to interview him and ask him some questions with regards to his name, it’s origin and how he feels with regards to the meaning (or possible political implications) of the name -all on lighter note!
I am aware there are unique names from other parts of the country.
This is a time that it dawns on me that I should have been more serious with learning the Hausa language during my Youth Corps year ( I speak kadankada).
This is a time I am asking myself why I am not speaking fluent Igbo, as I grew up in Mokola (Ibadan)
I have been careless on that score.
We can however turn this into a lively, more instructive session, if you know unique names from any part of the country that can attract the kind of LAGBAJA or SASAENIA attention.

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Femi Idowu