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Imagery In Etsako Proverbs
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MINOR GENRES
Proverbs
(Itan): Proverbs may be defined as short, apt and pithy saying which
have a deeper meaning than is obvious at the surface level. Proverbs are
generally used by elders and economy of words. For example: Atsu uno ma
lo sone (unity is strength)
Riddles (Irror): Riddles takes the form
of question and answer. Riddles are based on analogy of sound, shape,
size, colour, taste and movement. Riddle is a form of entertainment
which causes amusement among the youth and children. For example: Tell
me who is beating drum on my roof? Etsako = Guwemi me oya oni oya kpe
ema e okwi owa natseme.
Tongue Twister (Ifiaranmwen): It is an
attempt to express idea by repeating sound vowels and consonants. To
make the utterance musical, rhythmic and interesting, the performer is
required to be vast in Etsako language to combine those words
effectively. For example: A plantain planer, planted a plantain in a
plantain plantation. Etsako – Ogbe ogede ogbe ogede o Eme nati Ogede.
Etasako
Political Administration of Etsako: According to Omogbai Aleogena, in
an interview, says that “there is no clear cut division between t4he
political and administrative function in the traditional settingâ€
(interview).The Administration was the collective responsibility of all,
with individual being entrusted with specific functions specially based
on age.
Basically, councils were formed of the oldest members in
each unit for supervising their affairs. As already mentioned, the
position of the head of the council was reserved for the oldest man in
Etsako Community (interview).
Furthermore, Omogbai asserts that in
the pre-colonial period, they embraced the traditional government in
which the elders had a great say. This all levels of administration in
Etsako, there existed various councils of elders who at all times acted
as moderators and their orders were directed to the promotion of peace
and prosperity.
In each kindred, the four eldest males Edior n’ Edie
formed the traditional council which interpreted the customary law.
These customary laws were made by a council known as “Ekwe†which was
summoned at the instance of the oldest man. The customary laws dealt
with matters bordering the funerals, inheritance, murder, arson,
marriage, fundamental human rights and traditional festival (interview).
The
elders also dealt with the duties and obligations of the citizens.
Besides the customary laws, the Okphe-ukpi (the different leaders of
each age group) and his council of ministers “Iduerho†could make social
law that deal with petty stealing, land ownership, unguarded utterance
or malicious gossips. The Ukpe-Ukpi was not expected to be a dictator
because the elders controlled his decisions (interview).
However,
Omogbai believes that the main principles that under lay the judicial
system of the people was that of arbitration by a council embracing the
units of disputants. Where a compromise could not be achieved at the
first level, the case referred to the next higher unit and soon to the
highest functioning unit (interview).
A.E. Erhagbe says that in
judicial matter, all cases of customary practices were usually referred
to the four eldest persons in each of the kindreds. They usually imposed
such fines as a goat or fowl to appease the ancestors most especially
in cases of adultery or willful murder (interview).
Finally, A.E.
Erhagbe adds that in cases of Chief or theft offenders were expected to
pay back the stolen article. In case of murder, the offenders were
usually punished by hanging in a market places, to act as deterrent to
others (interview).
Such were the laws interpreted by the four oldest men in each of the kindred of Etsako.
1.5REVIEW OF CRITICISM OF RELATED LITERATURE
There
have been a variety of definitions of proverbs and imagery by various
writers of various times; the variety in definitions has resulted into a
non-definite definition of proverbs.
Proverbs are parts of every
African spoken language and are related to such other forms of folk
literatures as riddles and fables that have originated in oral
tradition.
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