“Boss you dey go?”
Response: “No I dey come.”
You’ve probably come across this so many times. Savage replies on social media, especially X (Formerly Twitter) and you wouldn’t be wrong to assume it was written by a Nigerian. Whenever you come across those savage or sarcastic replies you just know it was written by a Nigerian. This is probably because in Nigeria, this is the typical mode of communication.
The typical mode of communication in Nigeria is witty, full of punchlines and sarcasm. In Nigeria, we almost never give straight replies to questions because if you do, you’ll be getting it all wrong. Sarcasm is the only language we know and understand in Nigeria. It’s just like an everyday greeting in Nigeria.
It’s not just words replied, it’s a way of life. You’ve probably come across comedic videos where sarcasm is portrayed. Perhaps a video of Broda Shaggy being his typical self and responding to a question with a funny question, or Brain Jotter being Brain Jotter and replying to a question like “where you dey go” when he’s obviously on a school uniform with “I dey go your mama house” He believes you can see the obvious.
Speaking of which, Nigerian mothers have been known to be the best repliers with sarcasm. A Nigerian child who was asked to keep a brand new pot by his mother might ask where to put the pot and you would know his mother is Nigerian if she says: “put it on my head”.
Nigerians are often known for how quickly they come up with sarcastic or savage replies and often times it leaves you wondering if they came up with that on a whim or premeditated. E sharp abi? In everyday conversations, Nigerians use sarcasm like seasoning and it has been known to add flavour to communication. Whether it serious gists or casual catch-ups or even in official sceneries and to tease someone lightly, you can trust Nigerians to always pull out sarcasm from their never ending bag of sarcastic replies.
You can hear phrases like: “You dey talk like politician for rally o!” To show that a person makes promises they don’t mean to keep or says things without proper meaning . You might hear another one like: “wahala no dey finish o!” Which is often used when someone is pestering you or does something really amusing that shocks you to your bones. Here at Naija, if you’ve not used phrases like: “nothing Musa no go see for gate o!”, Then you probably aren’t in Nigeria, you might just be mistaken about where you actually are. Even though sometimes sarcasm is Nigeria is done with proper English, of course nothing is as a good a reply as a sarcastic reply made in pidgin English. It’ll often times leave you cackling or laughing so hard you forget where you are. It might even leave you who was given the sarcastic reply to look foolish laughing at the end of the day.
Even in painful situations and serious situations. You hear people being sarcastic. You might hear someone in extreme pain from an accident being asked if it hurts only to reply with: “noooo, it’s not painful at all o, it’s very sweet”. If you’re not used to the typical Nigerian mode of communication, this would often keep you thinking about the person’s sanity In the situation. Nigerian sarcasm often keeps things light and funny even in situations that can be hard to process, making it easier to go through things. This is why you see comments on social media saying Nigerians never take anything serious.
The typical Nigerian mode of communication is one thing that has kept bonds strong in Naija in it’s own way as it brings a unique flavour of lightheartedness to every situation and keeps everyone laughing their asses out from too much comedic drama. Nigerian sarcasm is rich for vibrant communication used with humor, wittiness and cultural nuances. It is also sometimes used to give irony or criticism in a lighthearted manner. For instance, when a friend arrives late to an event, one might say, “Ah, you don finally come! I bin think say you go just wait make the party finish before you show face!” And when a friend who you haven’t seen in a while finally shows up, you might say: ” This one don finally remember say we exist o!” This way, you let the person be aware he’s committed an offense without being harsh about it. Another example is when someone boasts about their cooking, and a friend retorts, “E be like say you don turn chef for MasterChef Nigeria, abi?” Here, this person teases his friend that the cooking skills might not be as impressive as claimed. In Nigerian Pidgin, this playful banter is a social glue, turning potential conflict into humor, jokes and laughter.
The typical Nigerian mode of communication is also a smart tool for social commentary that allows individuals to see certain issues that may exist in a light manner. For example, if someone is constantly complaining about their job, a friend might tease saying: “Na wah! If dem no pay you, wetin you go do? Go become CEO?” This shows the friend that he should be taking actions on doing better instead of sitting around and complaining because of the harsh working environment. Another classic instance is when a person shows off their new phone, and a friend responds, “See as you dey shine teeth! You fit chop with that your ‘luxury’?” This banter addresses the issue of Nigerians who often buy iPhones to look rich but struggle to eat properly. In Pidgin, this form of sarcasm creates a sense of community, turning everyday situations into relatable and humorous exchanges.
At the end, Nigerian sarcasm is often a fun way to relive stressful situations, it softens the landing of the blow most times adding flavour and spice along the way as you take each step into the harsh journey of life. In a way, using sarcasm means Nigerians are actually too serious with their lives because they don’t have time for obvious questions and if you ask one, get ready to get a really sarcastic response. In real English, it just means “isn’t it obvious??”
If you are not a Nigerian and want to see a sample of what I’m talking about just go to the comment section of any Nigerian social media user, or you just want to have a good laugh. I promise, even as a Nigerian, you will find it funny. These typical mode of communication are used to show love and laughter, instead of pain. They are the lingua Franca just like the use of Pidgin English in Nigeria to unite us, understand each other and help us sound alike. It is how Nigerians express themselves. No matter the part of Nigeria you find yourself, I promise SARCASM, WITTINESS and PUNCHLINES are waiting just around the corner to give you an embrace and show you that it is a city full of good people. A nation of peace, strength and unity.
It is like jollof rice at a party which we know Naija makes the best of—spicy, colorful, and definitely necessary for a good time! It turns everyday frustrations into laughter, proving that a little wit can go a long way. So, the next time life throws you a curveball, just sprinkle some sarcasm on it and enjoy the show!
Hence!
NAIJA GOOD
Written by: Lydi.
Co-written by: Goodness Felix-Adebayo
Different road:One Country.
Enter through the East or West, North or South…
You find us.
We look alike, yet do we speak alike?
Does my yes resonate with you?
Or does it mean no to you, perhaps?
Words like a puppet pulling the strings of listening ears.
Does it bark, or growl?
It is our type of language.
We are kindred, we don’t mind.
Cooking snippets of words from the kitchen of sarcasm.
The mouth wants a laugh to mask the true countenance .
Then we all play along .
Words are played, twirling it like a fork on a spaghetti dish.
Every bite of word comes yummy,
Salty or peperish, Sweet or Sharp!
It swims happily to feed the ears.
The Generation of Z, Toys they can’t do without.
Comical Words Displaces Real words,
It is spoken with reckless abandon.
Oops! Did I just say that now?
Wield words in Sacarsam.
Wield words for fun.
Wield words meaning the opposite .
Wield words that drop as egg looking white on surface but rotten on inside .
Leave us alone!
It is our Adaptation for Survival.
A mechanism of communication.
For comfort, to challenge, to get happy or to scorn.
We speak words like weather,
It is our atmosphere.
If you don’t get it, Forget about it!
POEM BY: theblessinggift🖋️
